Only Once a Blue (3), Godfrey William Turner. – Tony Onslow
Almost certainly the first Southerner to play for Everton Football club, Godfrey Turner, came from a most eminent family background. His Father Charles, was a prominent floriculturist of Victorian England and was the lessee of the Royal Nurseries at Slough where he employed around 100 people. He had formerly held the license of a Flower Nursery at nearby Chelvey with his Wife Susannah and Godfrey, their 6thchild, was born here on the 26th of July 1854.
Godfrey was educated Crawford School and Twickenham College after which his movements are something of an enigma. Official FA records place him acting as Umpire at an International match between Scotland and England – 23rd of March 1878 – at Hampden Park in Glasgow wherethe home side won 7-2. However, the claim that he was representing Edinburgh University does not comply with their Matriculation Album that lists his arrival as being the 12th of December 1878. Turner, at thismoment in time, claimed to be a...