Robert Watson Willis (26 July 1843 – 16 January 1892) was a British sportsman. He served as the second secretary of the

Football Association The Football Association (also known as The FA) is the governing body of association football in England and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. Formed in 1863, it is the oldest football association in the world an ...

from 1866 to 1867, succeeding

Ebenezer Morley Ebenezer Cobb Morley (16 August 1831 – 20 November 1924) was an English sportsman. He is regarded as one of the fathers of the Football Association (FA) and modern football. Early life Morley was born at 10 Garden Square, Princess Street in ...

. He also served on the FA's committee from 1867 to 1872. Like Morley, Willis was a member of

Barnes Football Club __NOTOC__ Barnes Football Club is an association football club in Barnes, London. The club had great importance in the development of the game in the nineteenth century and was the first team ever to win a match in the FA Cup. History Origins T ...

, and took part in the historic London v. Sheffield match of 1866. He served as secretary to the Barnes Club from 1864 to 1867, and as captain of the club from 1867 to 1870. Morley described him as "a warm admirer of the game and an excellent footballer". Willis was also a keen oarsman, competing in a pair with fellow footballer (and brother-in-law) Robert Graham, who succeeded him as FA secretary in 1867.

Career

Willis worked in the wine import industry, with a special interest in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. He became a partner of Peter Domecq and Co., a sherry importer, in 1872. He later became a founding director of the ''Union Bank of Spain and England''. Willis retired from the business in 1890.

Family

Willis was the son of eminent Scottish physician Robert Willis. He married Helen Graham, elder sister of his colleague and teammate Robert Graham (also a stockbroker and volunteer fire brigade captain at Hampton upon Thames, where he lived, and father of the writer

Winifred Graham Winifred Graham (born London 21 April 1873; died Hampton-on-Thames 5 February 1950) was an English novelist and anti-Mormon activist. Childhood Matilda Winifred Muriel Graham was born on 21 April 1873 in South Kensington, London. She was bapt ...

) on 28 August 1867. The family later lived in Hinxton House,

East Sheen East Sheen, also known as Sheen, is a suburb in south-west London in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Its long high street has shops, offices, restaurants, cafés, pubs and suburban supermarkets and is also the economic hub for Mort ...

, whose name reflected the village of Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, where Helen spent her childhood. The house was built for the family shortly before 1877. Willis died on 16 January 1892, at the age of 48. He was survived by his wife Helen and five children.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Willis, Robert 1843 births 1892 deaths Football people in England Barnes Football Club players Men's association football players not categorized by position English men's footballers Place of birth missing