Carole Fife has provided the following.
Henry Rutter Routledge was born in Barrington in the summer of 1881, the fifth of eleven children to Henry and Catherine Routledge. In 1911 the family was living at Hornby House, Bedlington Station. His father was a Colliery check weighman and Henry was working as a hewer. The 'Blyth News of 31/07/1916 tells us that Henry was well known in footballing circles in East Northumberland, being prominent in the Wansbeck Junior League and having once been on the management of Bedlington United. Early in 1915 he enlisted in Bedlington and joined the 20th Northumberland Fusiliers (1st Tyneside Scottish).
Morpeth Herald 04/08/1916 carries a brief obituary:
The death is announced by the War Office having been killed in action, of Private R.H. [sic] Routledge, N.F., of Bedlington, who was a familiar figure in Association football circles of East Northumberland for many years prior to the outbreak of war. He enlisted about 13 months ago. Routledge was a warm and active supporter of the Bedlington United Football Club, and in fact was one of its founders. He was also an active worker in amateur league football, and acted on the management committee of the old East Northumberland League and was one of the vice-presidents of the old Wansbeck League.
He is remembered in Bedlington Station on B163.04 and in Bedlington on B15.06
