William Kenyon-Slaney

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William Slaney Kenyon-Slaney circa 1906

William Slaney Kenyon-Slaney (24 August 1847 – 24 April 1908), sportsman, soldier and politician.

Kenyon-Slaney was born in Rajkot in Gujarat in India, the son of Captain William Kenyon of the 2nd Bombay cavalry and Frances Catherine Slaney, daughter of Robert A. Slaney of Shropshire. Upon the death of Robert Slaney in 1862 the Kenyon family inherited the Slaney family estate of Hatton Grange near Shifnal in Shropshire and the Kenyon family name was changed to Kenyon-Slaney.

Kenyon-Slaney was educated at Eton and briefly at Christ Church, Oxford. In November 1867 he left Oxford and received a commission into the 3rd battalion of the Grenadier Guards. Kenyon Slaney was a noted sportsman and played first-class cricket for Shropshire and the MCC. He was also a keen association football player playing for Wanderers and was selected to play for England against Scotland in the second ever football international on 8 March 1873, where he scored two goals. The first international between the two nations in November the previous year had been a goalless draw and Kenyon-Slaney is thus The first player to score in an international football match.

In 1882 under the command of Sir Garnet Wolseley he took part in the Battle of Tel al-Kebir during the Urabi Revolt and was decorated for his efforts. In 1887 was promoted to colonel and placed on half pay. He fully retired from the military in 1892.

On 22 February 1887, he married Lady Mabel Selina Bridgeman, daughter of the 3rd Earl of Bradford; they had two children; a daughter Sybil Agnes Kenyon-Slaney b. 1888; and a son Robert Orlando Rodolph Kenyon-Slaney b. 1892.

In 1886 Kenyon-Slaney was elected to Parliament to represent the Newport division of Shropshire for the Conservative Party which he represented until 1908.