Gilliat was born at Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire and was educated at Charterhouse School, where he was a member of the school football team for two years. He then went up to Magdalen College, Oxford,[2] and was awarded his blue in 1892.
After graduating, he played football for the Old Carthusians and was a member of the Corinthian amateur club, although he never played any matches for them.[3]
He made his one international appearance at outside right against Ireland on 25 February 1893, in a team consisting mainly of players with Corinthian connections. He scored a hat-trick in the first 30 minutes as England won comfortably 6-1[4] but was never selected again, thus becoming one of only five players to have scored three goals in their only England international appearance.[5][6] Gilliat was an "excellent dribbler of the ball, who would certainly have played more (for England) had it not been for his religious beliefs."[7]
He was ordained in 1895 and served as a curate at Woking and Tunbridge Wells, before becoming vicar of Iver between 1901 and 1920.[8] He then became Rector of Sevenoaks until 1929 when he retired to Woking.[1]
He died in Woking on 2 January 1963 aged 93 years old. His son was the cricketer and footballer Ivor Gilliat.[1]
