James 'Jimmy' Warner

James Jimmy Warner

Standing L to R: Frank Coulton, Jimmy Warner, F Dawson, J Simmonds, unknown
Seated: R Davies, Albert Brown, Archie Hunter {Capt}, Howard Vaughton, Dennis Hodgetts
On Ground H Yates, J Burton
FA Cup

James Warner James Warner was a professional footballer, keeping goal for Aston Villa FC in the team that won the F.A. Cup in the 1886-7 season (above). See The Birmingham Daily Mail 4 April 1887.

He left Aston Villa after their 3:0 defeat by West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup of 1892, following accusations, such as those reported in the Argus that he had bet large sums on Albion to win the cup, then threw the match. These accusations are now accepted as being false.

James Warner's record at Aston Villa, 1888-1892
Season League Cup
Played Goals let in Clean Sheets Played Goals let in Clean Sheets
1888-89 21431 3130
1889-90 21492 260
1890-91 22584 240
1891-92 11232 561

James Warner followed his oldest daughter Lilian to the United States around 1907. Lilian had gone to the US around 1900-1901 and settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. James lived with Lilian and her family and died at the age of 84, about 2 years after Lilian. The Lloyds moved to Brackenridge, Pennsylvania by 1930 and stayed in the area for decades. Wilfred Royston Lloyd moved to Canton, Ohio in the early 1950s and most of his children were born there. He still resides there today, although all of his children, save one have moved to various locations in the US. The Lloyd children currently reside in Washington, Arizona, Florida, Ohio and Indiana.

Further references to his other children are given in the second newspaper article below,

How he fits into the Stanier tree

Newspaper Reports

1) The Argus, circa 1892

The Disappearance of Warner

The Argus yesterday announced that James Warner, the Aston Villa goalkeeper, had disappeared from his home, and that there were circumstances connected with this disappearance of a character to cause comment.

He went away from home on Monday, saying he would return in a few minutes. Since then his wife has not seen him, and knows nothing of his whereabouts.

He was a manager at the Old College Inn, Spring Hill (Birmingham), for the Holt Brewery Company. His wife believed, when he left the house on Monday that he did so with the object of paying over to the brewery company the takings for the week.

His disappearance led the brewery company this morning to apply to the Stipendiary for a warrant for his arrest. A representative of the firm informed Mr Colmore that he called at the inn on Friday, and asked Warner what his takings were, and he produced his book, showing a total of 36 pounds.

The Stipendiary: Where has he gone to?
The Applicant: Well, I cannot tell you. The rumour is that he has gone away with a girl.
The Stipendiary: What has become of the book, have you got it?
The Applicant: No. His taking are usually 50 ponds per week and I assume, last week being Easter week, there would be another 10 pounds. His wife has not seen him since.
The Stipendiary: You are entitled to your warrant.

Warner had only been in the employ of the Holt Company some three or four months. For a time his accounts were all right, but recently there has been a serious discrepancy between his stock and takings.

Last week this was pointed out to him, and a threat was made that unless things improved in this respect he would be ordered to leave without notice. This, the manager of the brewery company believes, frightened him.

The Aston Villa Committee had also, it is said, called on him to resign. Warner is currently reported to have lost a large sum, for him, over the Overton v Abbott fight, and he was accused of having, to recoup himself, "sold" the English Cup Final at the Oval. This, however, was indignantly denied by Warner.

Warner is a married man with one child (still in arms) and yet he was carrying on a desperate flirtation with a young lady from Stratford.

On Monday, apparently by arrangement, she arrived in Birmingham to meet him, having brought her luggage with her. Her story is that he passed himself off as single, and she came up to marry him. It is supposed, however, that he had not the courage to wait for her, and made off by himself. She was thus left stranded, and has not so far, it is believed, gone back to her friends.

She is a well-dressed girl of about 22 years of age. Her parents are in a very respectable position in Stratford, where they are greatly respected.

Warner, it is believed, would try to make for America. Whether he has succeeded in leaving the country or not, is not yet certain. Much sympathy is expressed for his wife.

2) Birmingham Mail, 1949

Villa goal keeper who migrated to America

Jimmy Warner I am thankful to Mrs Irene Harris, a Selly Oak young lady of 18 years of age, for inspiring this week's Peep into the past, I am convinced that all who read it will be equally appreciative.

Miss Harris is a proud great-granddaughter of Jimmy Warner, the goalkeeper who was the pride of Aston Villa from 1886-1892. "The Good Old Days," indeed when Archie Hunter, Howard Vaughton, Charlie Athersmith, Johnny Devey, Denny Hodgetts and the rest of em could show them a clean pair of heels.

A few weeks ago in making a reference to Jimmy Warner, I told you that the last I heard of him was in America. I invited information from readers. Miss Harris has come to the rescue with the news that her great grandfather died in America six years ago.

But the story cannot end at that. Thanks to Miss Harris, I was able to contact at Moseley, Mrs Bolus the second of Jimmy's five daughters, and to her I am indebted for further information about the closing years of Jimmy's Life.

Unhappily he had a tragic end. At the ripe old age of 84 he had a misfortune to fall down a flight of stairs and fracture a thigh. He was conveyed to hospital where he died on 7th November 1943.

The six seasons of Jimmy's association with Villa were notable for the Cup finals - both between the Villa and Albion 1886-7 Villa were successful by 2:0 but in 1891-2 Albion had their revenge and caused a sensation throughout the football world by beating their more fancied rivals by 3:0. It was that match and result which caused Jimmy Warner to cast aside Villa colours.

Embittered by defeat, Villa partisans accused him of selling the Cup final - the last by the way at Kennington Oval. It was a cruel accusation which, I placed on record, the slanderers lived to regret.

Jimmy was a broken hearted man. He migrated to America and lived the remainder of his life with the family of his eldest daughter at Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. As football history has conclusively proved. It was not any shortcoming on the part of the goalkeeper, but Albion's great halfback and forward work that was responsible for Villa's humiliation.

A brilliant run, a perfect centre by Billy Bassett, and a great shot by Geddes first struck confusion in Villa's ranks, and another dash by Bassett and a goal from Nicholls had virtually put an end to Villa.

Billy Groves, Charlie Perry and Johnny Reynolds, Albion's halfbacks, held Villa forwards in a vice in the second half and when Reynolds put in Albion's third in the second half, Villa and their camp followers returned home a mournful miserable company.

In those far off days they hadn't fully assimilated the true ideas of sportsmanship.

At Pittsburgh, Jimmy Warner happy in new environment. Lived to forget his football sorrows. He was a moulder by trade. He lived, as I said with his eldest daughter, Mrs Lloyd, in good circumstances. On her death he ceased work to "mother" a family who appreciated his care and attention. In addition to his five daughters, Jimmy had two sons. The eldest boy James is still living not far from Niagara Falls.

The younger one Leonard gave his life at the age of 24 in the First World War.

In addition to Mrs Lloyd, Mrs Smith (the youngest of the daughters) departed her life two years ago in Birmingham. Two other daughters at the present reside in Winson Green and Ward End respectively. There are nine grandchildren, five in America and four in England. Once again on behalf of myself and readers, many thanks to Miss Harris and Mrs Bolus for enabling us to throw light on a personal matter about which there as been endless discussion.

Family Reminiscence

In 1907, Jimmy immigrated to the USA and lived with his daughter (Lillian) in Brackenridge, PA. Jimmy was to find a home and save money to bring his wife and children to the USA. He never did; he was the town dandy and lived a life of wine and women. The Birmingham news article neglected to print that he was drunk at the time of his fatal fall. Jimmy is buried in Natrona Heights, PA at Mount Airy Cemetery. He shares a plot with his son-in-law, Arthur Lloyd, and his daughter, Lillian Gertrude Warner Lloyd.

Wikipedia article


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