Clopton Lloyd-Jones

Clopton Allen Lloyd-Jones (12 November 1858 - 7 March 1918) was an English businessman and sportsman, best known for football and cricket. He played for the Clapham Rovers when they won the FA Cup in 1880.

Life

He was born in Hanwood House, Shropshire. He studied at Trent College. Lloyd-Jones was in business in London as an indigo broker (1881 census) but during 1884 moved to Shrewsbury where he set up as a commission agent, i.e. a bookmaker (1891 and 1901 census). He was the younger son of Charles Lloyd Jones, who was known as the squire of Hanwood, about two miles from Shrewsbury, and, like his father, his name was not hyphenated on his birth certificate. Lloyd-Jones died in Montreux, Belle Vue Gardens, Shrewsbury, from cancer of the bladder after what was described as a long and painful illness. He was buried in Shrewsbury’s Longden Road Cemetery where, more recently in 2002, the Football League’s all-time leading goalscorer, Arthur Rowley, was also buried.

Football career

After graduating, he played for Southill Park, Clapham Rovers (1879–84), London, Middlesex, Pontesbury (1884), Shrewsbury Castle Blues (1884–86), and Shropshire. He was selected for Wales v England 1884-85 but unavailable.

He was the inside-forward or winger who scored the only goal when Clapham Rovers won the Cup to deserve fully his description as ‘a very neat dribbler and dangerous shot at goal.’ He had played for the Walthamstow club, Southill Park, in the Cup in 1877-78 and 1878-79 before joining Clapham Rovers. Later he settled in Shrewsbury where he immediately joined up with the Castle Blues, playing mainly at inside-right. However this club disbanded voluntarily in 1886 after being found guilty of violent and dangerous play and Lloyd-Jones ended his active football career. In 1889 and 1890 he was on the committee of the Shropshire Amateur F.A. as one of Shrewsbury’s representatives. In the former year he was also a member of the executive committee of the Shropshire Mayor’s Charity Cup Association.

His selection for Wales came about because his parents were Welsh and Castle Blues were affiliated to the Wales and Border Counties F.A. Lloyd-Jones had been in the football XI at Trent College where he played against Nottingham Forest and was described as the outstanding player on the field. He also won two athletics cups at the school sports in 1875.

In 1892 Lloyd-Jones entered a fancy dress ball held by Shrewsbury Amateur Dramatic Society under the name of Clopton Jones and in the character of a member of ‘Clapham Rovers C.C.’ He did not win a prize but, far from London and during the winter months, his appearance in the gaudy Clapham colours of cerise and French grey would have stood out flamboyantly from his surroundings.

Other sports

He was also a keen cricketer, playing for Herefordshire in 1886-89, Shropshire in 1887-89 and Radnorshire in 1888. At Shrewsbury area club level he played for Abbey Foregate, Pontesbury, Montgomery and Shrewsbury CC. Earlier he had played for the Stock Exchange XI and for Clapham Rovers who also ran a cricket section as well as fielding association and rugby football teams. The month after his Cup final appearance he won two events at Clapham Rovers’ athletic sports. He was also a keen angler and good rifle shot.

Lloyd-Jones became a full member of the Severnside Bowling Club, Shrewsbury, in 1899 and was a player until 1916, winning the club’s major prize, the Allcroft Vase, in 1911. He was on the committee 1901-14 and was elected a life member in 1912. He also became involved with the Pengwerne Boat Club, Shrewsbury, from 1885 though not as a competitive rower. He was on the club’s committee at various times between 1888 and 1906 and was Deputy-Captain in 1896. In 1894 he was the starter at the club’s annual athletics meeting.

He became a familiar sight in general Shrewsbury sporting circles and was involved as organising committee member, judge or more frequently starter at various local athletics events including the Whit Monday Fete between 1890 and 1908; starter (and in 1913 judge) at the annual Shropshire Constabulary Sports held in early September from 1897. He was also starter at sports held to commemorate the marriage of the future King George V in 1893, the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1903 and George V’s coronation in 1911.

References

• The Early FA Cup Finals by Keith Warsop, published by Tony Brown's Soccerdata imprint

Persondata
Name	Lloyd-Jones, Clopton
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	12 November 1858
Place of birth
Date of death	7 March 1918
Place of death