Charles Anderton (rugby union)

Charlie Anderton (c. 1862-1953) was a rugby union player who played for Lancashire and for England.

Anderton originally played for Birch F.C. in the late 1870s,^[1] then the Manchester Free Wanderers, and captained that team from 1887.^[2] When captain of the Free Wanderers, he represented the club at an inquest following the death of an opposing player in a match; the player had been tackled around the neck and died shortly afterwards. The inquest ruled it as an accident.^[3] In the late 1880s, Anderton also played for the Lancashire county team.^[2]

In the 1887-88 season, the English team did not play any internationals; instead, they held a match between select "North" and "South" teams to determine who would be capped as the English international side. Alderton played as a forward for the North.^[4] Following this, he was named as an England player for 1888.^[5]

He later played as a forward in the England team which played the touring "New Zealand Native" team on 16 February 1889, the first English international outside of the Home Nations.^[6][7] While this was his only international, he was also selected for the England team which played Yorkshire, the county champions, later that month.^[8]

In 1890, Anderton moved to play for Manchester Rugby Club.^[9] By 1892 he was playing for Shipley.^[10]

He married in October 1891.^[1]