H.G. Yates
Henry George Yates: (Schoolmaster and Forward)
Born in Battersea on February 18, 1886, Yates’ father Charles, owned a successful dairy in Battersea, producing milk. This was obviously lucrative enough to send two boys to private school and live in a large house on Wandsworth Common.
Yates was educated at Battersea Grammar School, where he captained both the cricket and football teams, and later went up to Cambridge. In 1907 and 1908 he obtained his blue for football and in four A.F.A. international matches for England. He played for both Corinthian and Casuals, as well as the New Crusaders, Old Grammarians, Kent Occasionals and represented both the Southern Amateur League and Surrey A.F.A. As a cricketer, he played for Leatherhead C.C. and for the ‘Gentlemen of Surrey’. Just before the War he joined Woolwich Arsenal reserves as an amateur.
On leaving University he took teaching posts at Connaught House Prep School in Weymouth, and King’s School in Rochester.
At the beginning of the War he enlisted in the Artist’s Rifles, London Regiment, but in early 1915 was posted to the Royal Field Artillery, 2nd Northumbrian Brigade. He was promoted to Captain in 1916 and awarded the Military Cross in January 1918. Yates resigned his commission in March 1919 as a Major.
After leaving the military, he took a schoolmasters position at Highgate School, and split his time between Casuals and Corinthians and with fellow tourists, N.V.C. Turner, J.S.F. Morrison and I.E. Snell. He was included in the Corinthian Scottish Tour in 1919.
Around 1920, Yates opened a preparatory school in Birchington, Kent placing advertisements in the Army and Navy Gazette, which included the following text; “Diet, care of health and mental hyigene (sic) by which intelligence and character formation are aimed at rather than learning and early brilliance. The Principal, AN OLD CAMBRIDGE BLUE, personally coaches the boys in their games and out-of-door interests.”
In early January, 1930, whilst on holiday in France, he was driving with his wife, Margaret, and his car skidded to avoid another car and overturned. His first comment to his wife after the crash was to say, “I am glad you are not injured.” He then walked to the other car and then to hospital, where he was examined revealing he had four fractures of his skull, broken both jaws and an eye socket. He died the following day whilst recovering from surgery. The pathologist said it was remarkable he hadn’t died on the spot.
Yates played 16 times for Casuals, scoring 6 goals and 19 times for Corinthian scoring 11 goals.