Canon Robert Stuart King (4 April 1862 – 4 March 1950) was an English international footballer and

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

clergyman.

Family

King was the sixth and youngest child of Rev. Walker King, Rector of Leigh-on-Sea, and Juliana Stuart. His brother

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...

was also a footballer. On his father's side, many of his relatives were prominent clergymen, including his uncle, Rt. Rev. Edward King, Bishop of Lincoln, his grandfather, Ven. Walker King, Archdeacon of Rochester, and his great-grandfather, Rt. Rev. Walker King,

Bishop of Rochester The Bishop of Rochester is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury. The town of Rochester has the bishop's seat, at the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was foun ...

. On his mother's side, his relatives included the diplomat Robert Stuart, the artist James Stuart and the Indian Army officer Charles "Hindoo" Stuart. King married Ruby Elberta Kate Irene Dando in 1902. One of their four children was the cricketer Jasper King.

Education and clerical career

King attended Felsted School from 1873 to 1880, where he was captain of the Cricket XI in 1879 and captain of the Football XI in 1880.Felsted School archives
- retrieved online on 17 October 2010 He later studied at Hertford College, Oxford, obtaining his B.A. degree in 1885; and his M.A. in 1890. King was ordained in 1888. He initially worked as curate at St James Church, Grimsby, and was later appointed assistant curate at

St Clement's Church, Leigh-on-Sea St Clement's Church is a parish church affiliated with the Church of England in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. It is a Grade II* listed building dedicated to Saint Clement of Rome, a 1st-century martyr and patron saint of mariners. In 1892 King succeeded his father as Rector of Leigh-on-Sea, serving until his death in 1950. In 1918 he was appointed honorary Canon of Chelmsford.

Football career

Whilst at Oxford, King played in the Football XI from 1882 to 1885. He earned one cap for the England national team on 18 February 1882, playing as a half back in a match against Ireland. King also played for Upton Park and Grimsby Town in the 1880s.

Later life

During World War Two he served in the Home Guard as a sergeant, but as a clergyman, he was not allowed to bear arms.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:King, Robert 1862 births 1950 deaths English men's footballers England men's international footballers Oxford University A.F.C. players Upton Park F.C. players Grimsby Town F.C. players People educated at Felsted School Alumni of Hertford College, Oxford 20th-century English Anglican priests Men's association football defenders British Home Guard soldiers Military personnel from Southend-on-Sea People from Leigh-on-Sea Footballers from Essex