Henry Anderson Bryden was an English solicitor, athlete, and sportsman who played rugby for England in 1874. He was an avid hunter and naturalist who travelled extensively. He eventually became a professional author, writing about wildlife and his hunting exploits. Henry Bryden was born in Banbury on May 3, 1854, as the third son of William Anderson Bryden and Maria, William Cowper's daughter. He attended Brackenbury's Anglican Preparatory Military Academy before enrolling in Cheltenham College, where he left in 1869. At Cheltenham at the same time were his two older brothers, William Radford Bryden, an architect, and Charles Bryden, a potential England rugby union star. In addition to rugby football, Henry was a talented long-distance runner who won 37 races. He represented the South versus the North of England in 1875, finishing second to Walter Slade in the fastest amateur mile on record (4m 24.5s). Bryden played club rugby with Clapham Rovers, a team that competed in both rugby union and association football. From there, he was called up to England, where he made his lone international appearance against Scotland on February 23, 1874 at The Oval.
