[1][4] The 1911 Census records him living in St Mary's Terrace, Willington Quay, the youngest of four surviving children of Thomas William Griffiths, a labourer in a metal foundry, and his wife, Jane.
[5] Griffiths played local football for Willington St Aidan's, initially at full back before being switched to centre forward, from which position he scored 11 goals in the last five matches of the 1921–22 season.
[4] Griffiths returned to the north-east of England where he scored 10 goals for Jarrow of the North-Eastern League in what remained of the season.
[8] He went straight into the league side for a 4–0 defeat away to Wrexham, Tom Robertson reclaimed the centre-forward position for the next match, and Griffiths was restricted to Northern Alliance football with Ashington's reserves until he returned to Jarrow in February 1924.
[1] The 1939 Register records Griffiths employed as a labourer in an iron foundry and living in Saltburn Gardens, Wallsend, with his wife, Elizabeth, and two children.