18/01/11…….England’s football history in new Thame street name

THE new housing development currently being built on the old site of Thame United in Windmill Road, Thame, is to be named after two brothers with a Thame connection, who played football for England.

The Corbett brothers, Bertie and Reggie (known as Rex), were sons of Elijah Corbett, who was the vicar of Thame from 1872 to 1893. They both played for England, Bertie in 1901 and Reggie in 1903. The new development will therefore appropriately be called Corbett Way.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CORBETT BROTHERS (Excerpt from www.iffhs.de)

“Bertram Oswald Corbett was born in Thame (Oxon) on May 15, 1875. He attended the Thame Grammar School and Oriel College in Oxford, where he also played football. From 1897 to 1906 he played for Corinthians (London) as well as for Reading FC. The outside left was an extremely fast dribbler. “Bertie” Corbett wrote the Annals of the Corinthians Football Club, which was published in 1906. On March 18, 1901, he played his only full “A” international. He always remained an amateur and was a teacher at Brighton College, and later a headmaster in Dorset. He died on November 30, 1967. His brother Reginald Corbett, who was four years his junior and also played on outside left, attended Malvern College and played for Old Malvernians and Corinthians, two London teams. He was a small but unpredictable winger, quite dangerous in front of goal, and played once for England on March 2, 1903 (2:1 Wales). Like his older brother, he also chose to remain an amateur and was a headmaster. He died on September 2, 1967.”

PHOTO: Bertie Corbett