William Merriman

[3] Merriman was educated at Kensington School,[1] before attending Addiscombe Military Seminary (where officers were trained for service with the army of the East India Company) in 1856.

[1] On 1 January 1890, Merriman was created a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) in the New Year Honours list,[13][14] for "services involving the coast defences in India and Aden".

During his period of service in England between 1867 and 1881, he was a regular member of the Royal Engineers football team, generally playing in goal.

[16] In November 1871, the Royal Engineers were among fifteen teams who entered the inaugural FA Cup competition, and were allocated a home match in the first round against Reigate Priory.

[17][18] The first FA Cup Final was played at Kennington Oval on 16 March 1872 between the Royal Engineers and Wanderers, the top amateur club of the day.

Wanderers took the lead fifteen minutes into the game when Morton Betts opened the scoring from an acute angle after Robert Vidal's long dribble.

[16] The Field further commented that "so resolute was the front offered by Capt Merriman, the goal keeper of the Sappers, and so judicious his defence, that further reverses were averted for his side" and "to him alone was due the preservation of the military fortress from further surrenders".

[24] A match report by the Royal Engineers' secretary commented: "it was rather disgusting losing a goal like this for anyone almost could have stopped, but naturally enough each thought it safer to leave it to the goal-keeper who could use his hands to it; unfortunately, however, owing to the crowd he did not see it and thus the ball went quietly through the posts".

I can see him now, in winter time, coming out on the Barrack Square with a football under his arm and giving a mighty kick, shouting out for the men to come and join him, and in less time than I can write it, the barracks would be swarming and there would be rare fun.Merriman married Emily Jane Anna Elizabeth Somerset (1851–1923) at St Stephen's Church, South Kensington on 13 February 1872.

[32] The couple had four children:[33] William Merriman died at the family home at Creffield House, Gray Road, Colchester, Essex on 11 March 1917, aged 78.