Frederic Wilfrid "Wilf" Hoyle Auty (28 February 1881 – 15 February 1951), also known by the

nickname A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...

of "The Emperor", was an English

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

, and amateur

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

footballer who played as a er or in the 1890s and 1900s, and rugby union

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Co ...

of the 1900s, and 1910s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for

Rosslyn Park F.C. Rosslyn Park Football Club is a rugby union club based in south west London. History Founded in 1879 by cricketing friends in north London, at the end of their first season, Charles Hoyer Millar proposed forming a football club to keep the p ...

, and representative level rugby league (RL) for

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

, and at club level for

Batley Batley is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. Batley lies south-west of Leeds, north-west of Wakefield and Dewsbury, south-east of Bradford and north-east of Huddersfield. Batley is part of the ...

, and he coached club level rugby union (RU), and was a member of the committee for Headingley RFC.

Background

Wilf Auty's birth was registered in

Dewsbury Dewsbury is a minster and market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Calder and on an arm of the Calder and Hebble Navigation waterway. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Hudder ...

district,

West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county County of York, West Riding (the area under the control of West Riding County Council), abbreviated County ...

, England. He was a pupil at

Mill Hill School Mill Hill School is a 13–18 mixed independent, day and boarding school in Mill Hill, London, England that was established in 1807. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. History A committee of Nonconformist me ...

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, aged 17 he joined his father's textile company; Joseph Auty & Co, Clerk Green,

. He was first elected to Batley Town Council in 1910, he served as a Councillor until 1922 when, within the space of 5 weeks, the deaths occurred of both his younger brother Joseph Speight Auty (13 January 1884 – 27 March 1922 (aged 38)), and his father, also Joseph (23 July 1847 – 2 May 1922 (aged 74)), which prompted Wilf Auty's retirement from Batley Town Council. Following his father's death, aged 41 he became the chairman of the textile company founded by his father, he served on the committee, and he was the chairman, of the Batley and Birstall Chamber of Commerce, he returned to Batley Town Council in 1941, and he was the

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

twice; in 1943 and 1944, his father having been Mayor in 1892-83, and his older sister, Margaret Grace Auty, being

Mayoress In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

during the 1919-20 mayoralty of her husband, Herbert North. Wilf Auty was the president of the Batley Liberal Association, he was the Vice-President of the Batley

Temperance Temperance may refer to: Moderation *Temperance movement, movement to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed *Temperance (virtue), habitual moderation in the indulgence of a natural appetite or passion Culture *Temperance (group), Canadian danc ...

Society, he was the

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of the National Commercial Temperance League, he was the President of the Batley Amateur Thespian Society, he was a Director of

rugby league club in the 1940s up to the time of his death in 1951, and also a past Vice-President, and member of the then Committee prior to the club becoming a limited company in 1922, but never held office as President or Chairman of the club, as incorrectly stated in the 'A Ton Full Of Memories' book published in 1986. He died aged 69 at his home; "Dryfield House", 207 Healey Lane, Batley, his death was registered in Spen Valley district,

, and his funeral service was held Hanover Street Congregational Church,

at 11:00am on Monday 19 February 1951. The Auty name will always be forever synonymous with Batley's Mount Pleasant ground as a company was formed to raise the sum to buy it, helped greatly by his father Alderman Joseph Auty, who agreed to donate money on the basis that no intoxicating liquor ever be sold at the ground. Wilf Auty was as keen in cricket as in any other form of sport, and he gained many honours, being the possessor of five Heavy Woollen Cup winners medals. He captained both Batley and Birstall cup winning teams, and his interest in both clubs led to him being termed a liaison between Batley and Birstall. He was president of the Heavy Woollen Cricket Cup Competition and practically left his bed to be present at Savile Town at the last final before his death to present the cup to Morley who had defeated Batley. He was also the district representative in the Yorkshire County Committee.

Playing career

Club career

Wilf Auty made his rugby union (RU) début for the

First XV, while still a schoolboy, aged 15 in , he made his rugby league (RL) début for

aged 17 on 17 September 1898 scoring a try in the 16-3 win over Liversedge (A). He would eventually replace in the centre

Dai Fitzgerald David "Dai" Fitzgerald (1872 – 30 November 1951) was a Welsh rugby centre who played club rugby under the union code for Cardiff, and later switched to professional rugby league team Batley ( captain). He played international rugby union ...

, who was suspended by the Northern Union (now known as the

Rugby Football League The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league in England, and until 1995 for the whole British Isles. The name Rugby Football League previously also referred to the main league competition run by the organisati ...

(RFL)) from the end of 1898 until May 1900, as Fitzgerald's employment as a coal agent was not considered legitimate, and consequently he was in breach of the Northern Union's professionalism code, upon Fitzgerald's return from suspension, Wilf Auty moved to play as a . At 18 Wilf Auty won a Yorkshire Senior Competition Medal with Batley.

County honours

Wilf Auty won 2

caps Caps are flat headgear. Caps or CAPS may also refer to: Science and technology Computing * CESG Assisted Products Service, provided by the U.K. Government Communications Headquarters * Composite Application Platform Suite, by Java Caps, a Java ...

for

(RL) while at Batley; he played , i.e. number 5 in the 3-13 defeat v Cheshire in the County Championship match during the 1901-02 season at Edgeley Park, Stockport on 30 November 1901 in front of a crowd of 4,500. He also played , i.e. number 5, and scored a

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in the 9-0 victory over Durham and Northumberland (predominantly players from

South Shields South Shields () is a coastal town in South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the south bank of the mouth of the River Tyne. Historically, it was known in Roman times as Arbeia, and as Caer Urfa by Early Middle Ages. According to the 20 ...

) in a non-

County Championship The County Championship (referred to as the LV= Insurance County Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales and is organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). It bec ...

match during the 1901–02 season at The Boulevard, Hull on Saturday 25 January 1902, in front of a crowd of 4,000.

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Wilf Auty played , i.e. number 5, and scored a

's 6-0 victory over

Warrington Warrington () is a town and unparished area in the borough of the same name in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, on the banks of the River Mersey. It is east of Liverpool, and west of Manchester. The population in 2019 was estimat ...

in the

1901 Events January * January 1 – The Crown colony, British colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria (Australia), Victoria and Western Australia Federation of Australia, federate as the Australia, ...

Challenge Cup The Challenge Cup is a knockout rugby league cup competition organised by the Rugby Football League, held annually since 1896, with the exception of 1915–1919 and 1939–1940, due to World War I and World War II respectively. It involves am ...

Final during the 1900–01 season at

Headingley Headingley is a suburb of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road. Headingley is the location of the Beckett Park campus of Leeds Beckett University and Headingle ...

Rugby Stadium,

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

on Saturday 27 April 1901, in front of a crowd of 29,563.

Coaching career

Club career

Wilf Auty coached, and was a member of the committee, for Headingley RFC for ten years, and it was here that he gained the nickname of "The Emperor".(17 February 1951) "Death Of Alderman F. W. H. Auty – Former Mayor And Popular Sportsman". Batley Reporter and Guardian ISBN n/a

Genealogical information

Wilf Auty was the son of Joseph Auty , and Lucy Anne (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

Farrow, 29 January 1852 – 7 July 1923 (aged 71)), and he was the father of the rugby union

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of the 1930s for

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(England Heritage № 722),

and Headingley RFC;

Joseph Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...

Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Frankish language, Old Frankish and is a Compound (linguistics), compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' an ...

"Dick" Auty (born 19 August 1910 in

– died 7 June 1995 (aged 84) in

References

External links

Search for "Auty" at rugbyleagueproject.orgAuty One-Name StudyVideo_"Mitchell_and_Kenyon
_Film_-_Salford_v_Batley_(2_November_1901)"_at_youtube.com.html" ;"title="Mitchell and Kenyon">Video "Mitchell and Kenyon
Film - Salford v Batley (2 November 1901)" at youtube.com">Mitchell and Kenyon">Video "Mitchell and Kenyon
Film - Salford v Batley (2 November 1901)" at youtube.combr>Search for "Wilfred Auty" at britishnewspaperarchive.co.ukSearch for "Wilfrid Auty" at britishnewspaperarchive.co.ukSearch for "Wilf Auty" at britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Auty, Wilf 1881 births 1951 deaths Batley Bulldogs players English rugby league players English rugby union coaches English rugby union players Leeds Tykes coaches People from Dewsbury Rosslyn Park F.C. players Rugby league centres Rugby league players from Dewsbury Rugby league wingers Rugby union players from Dewsbury Yorkshire rugby league team players