John Robert Blayney OWEN
Rector of Bradwell on Sea and Sportsman B 25 May 1848 D 1821
John was the second son of
Edward Owen, who was also a Rector of Bradwell on Sea.
Educated at Queen's College,
Oxford he was Second Master at Trent College from 1872 to 1881 and
then appointed as Headmaster of Hawkshead Grammar School,
Westmoreland in 1881.
He was ordained whilst at
Trent Collage and in 1890 left Hawkshead Grammar School to become
rector of Sherford and Vicar of Tofttrees before moving to become
Rector of Bradwell on Sea from 1904 to 1921.
He is described by Herbert
Brown who was the Rector of St Lawrence as "A man of strong
personality, who thoroughly understood country life and country
people, much beloved by all who knew him.
John was a keen sportsman who
was capped by England as an international footballer playing as no
11 in the 3rd ever international match on 7 March 1874 in Glasgow
when Scotland beat England 2 -1. Thus he became the areas first ever
international footballer from this area.
He also played first class
cricket for Derbyshire
John married Mary Burgess in
1881 and had two sons John and Ithel.
