Recent Articles
Fancy Dress Charity FootballPublished At: 2019-08-11 17:58 - (1702 Reads) -Australian Rules Football has a long history of Charity Matches where the players have dressed up in fancy dress and played football. These games were not played by elite footballers but by a wide range of everyday people. While researching old football matches these dress up games regularly appear, to the point where they deserves some attention.
Local hospitals frequently received the football fundraising and women as well as men got a go. These games might not be ‘elite’ but they provide a fascinating insight into history. Firstly the outfit trends over time changed as the world around changed. Secondly, what caused the end of this phenomena? Was it Television, or changes in attitudes? A New Association – Formation of the VFL 1896-1897Published At: 2019-08-11 14:14 - (2007 Reads) -In 1896, after a proposal by VFA Secretary T.S. Marshall, a group of teams broke away and formed the VFL. Why did they do this? why were some teams in and some teams out?
The Evolution of ‘the Premiership’ 1870-1888Published At: 2019-08-11 09:47 - (2347 Reads) -Winning the AFL Premiership is the height of Australian football, but what is it’s origin story. This article explains how in the early years of football in Victoria, the premiership evolved from a newspaper acclimation in an ad-hoc season of football in the early 1870s, into a points system run by the Victorian Football Association and finally into the winner of the Grand Final of a national competition that it is today.
Bendigo Football Association 1901 to 1906Published At: 2019-03-10 15:15 - (40717 Reads) -Turmoil, argument, teams folding and teams appearing,even new competing competitions. The final years of the gold mining boom in Bendigo were interesting times for football in the town.
A Favourite Not Forgotten – the football biography of Geelong’s John HaygarthPublished At: 2019-02-23 11:16 - (68586 Reads) -John Haygarth was an exciting Geelong footballer in the fifties. This article is the story of his football life, including his controversial departure from Geelong in 1959. The article includes an interview with John and photographs from his personal collection.
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Random Articles
Raymond Morris - National Museum of AustraliaPublished At: 2014-03-13 19:25 - (6172 Reads) -Raymond Morris is a New Zealand artist and photographer who visited Australia in the late 1950's. We are delighted to have received permission to post some of his photos here. For more of Raymond's fine photos, please have a look at the National Museum of Australia's flicker page. This contains a wonderful collection of 226 of Morris’s photos taken during his Australian travels.
Peter Brown - A Scrapbook of Football from the 1920's and 1930'sPublished At: 2016-03-13 11:12 - (5474 Reads) -Peter Brown is an unsung footballer from the 1920’s and 1930’s. Peter’s story includes the periods in the VFL, VFA, Country football and later as a trainer, it includes individual achievements such as three premiership medals with Northcote in the VFA, to lows such as injuries and permit troubles at Footscray. Peters family scrapbook helps tell a fascinating story.
The Story of Peter Reville – The Champion of the Brown Coal MinePublished At: 2014-04-16 14:29 - (7709 Reads) -Peter Reville was a tough and colourful South Melbourne vice-captain who played for ten seasons (1925-34) with the Bloodstained Angels, including the 1932 and 1934 Grand Finals. He then moved to Coburg in the VFA, where he won the Recorder Medal. Reville also played two seasons with Fitzroy (1939-40).
Roger Spaull's biography below provides an insight into the life and times of a significant footballer. Fred Phillips - The Tragic Tale Of A True ChampionPublished At: 2018-10-23 17:15 - (5160 Reads) -Fred Phillips, one of St Kilda’s best-ever footballers, died in the most tragic circumstances at the age of 27 years.
“…A great footballer, a true sportsman-and a man. That was Fred Phillips. Need more be said?” Laurie Shipp - Yallourn Football ClubPublished At: 2014-03-14 11:43 - (9193 Reads) -For many footballers, their years in the Victorian Football League (VFL) were only one part of their careers. For some, the need to find employment outside the game meant they relocated to regional centres and became part of local football scenes.
This engaging article by Roger Spaull highlights the career of North Melbourne ruckman Laurie Shipp, and the three years (1954-56) Shipp spent with the Yallourn Football Club. |
Historical Articles (Reprinted)
Recent Articles
Dan Minogue Tells Why He - Gave Up Mining for FootballPublished At: 2019-03-10 14:22 - (2405 Reads) -Dan Minogue begins today his own story of his distinguished career. And a human, gripping story this great football personality has to tell! It is brimming with all the incident, thrills, humor and pathos which he has encountered during a quarter of a century as crack player and successful captain and coach. Turning back Time, Dan takes readers behind the scenes with him; into club rooms and on to playing fields as he lives again his hours of triumph —and disappointment.
Former Umpire writes His ReminiscencesPublished At: 2018-12-15 09:58 - (2784 Reads) -Famous South Australian Umpire Johnny Quinn's reminiscences appeared in the News (Adelaide) in 1940. Quinn was famous for his smile and his gestures. He also took part in redrafting the rules of the game.
Melbourne’s Chief Play Grounds - No. 9— The Old East Melbourne GroundPublished At: 2018-12-15 08:36 - (2005 Reads) -Old Football Days. Teams and Men.Published At: 2018-11-16 08:33 - (1822 Reads) -Originally appeared in The Argus 2-May-1908. Observer (Donald McDonald) the great Australian Journalist looks back at the best players in his 30 years writing on football.
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Random Articles
Great Football Dramas No. 10 - When Collingwood And Fitzroy Thrilled Sydney In 1903Published At: 2017-11-10 12:49 - (2191 Reads) -In this, the tenth of a series of great football dramas, is described how, in 1903, Collingwood and Fitzroy made football history by contesting a League premiership match in Sydney, and how, in the Rugby stronghold, a crowd of 20,000, seeing a big Australian rules game for the first time, was thrilled by the fast, spectacular play.
League Footballers of 1950 – The Men In The CentrePublished At: 2016-09-04 09:15 - (3766 Reads) -HAPPY is the football club with a good centre man. He can constantly put his team into attack. He can also be a defender. When the ball is bounced he often acts as a rover, and, as he and his immediate opponent stand on either side of the rucks, there are frequently openings in those periods. When the play moves on the two centre men watch each other closely, and frequently engage in hotly contested duels.
Great Football Dramas—No. 8 Association Coup which Brought 40,000 to the M.C.G. £1000 Gate for FinalPublished At: 2016-08-06 12:43 - (2690 Reads) -In this the eighth of a series of football dramas is described the Association’s greatest coup of 1908, by which, in American Fleet Week, they secured the Melbourne Cricket Ground on a public holiday for their final match, and attracted a crowd of 40,000 and a £1000 “gate” – both records that still stand.
Former Umpire writes His ReminiscencesPublished At: 2018-12-15 09:58 - (2784 Reads) -Famous South Australian Umpire Johnny Quinn's reminiscences appeared in the News (Adelaide) in 1940. Quinn was famous for his smile and his gestures. He also took part in redrafting the rules of the game.
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Article Archive...
An Introduction to Charles Boyles
The website is centred around the photos of Charles Boyles, a Melbourne-based photographer. Boyles primarily took photos of Australian Rules Football teams and players. He appears to have started this football work in the late twenties. He continued through the 1930's, the years of the Second World War, and then right up to his final photos in the early sixties. Unlike most commercial photographers, Charles Boyles did not wait for customers to come to him. Boyles set up his camera on training nights, and on game days took posed team photos after the players had run onto the ground. These were sold directly to the clubs, players and general public. On Saturdays, at the games, the photographer's son Harley Boyles (and others) would take a satchel of mixed photos and sell them throughout the game. Unlike newspaper photos, therefore, a Boyles photo was something you could own, take home, and treasure. There are no action shots or photos of games in progress. Boyles specialised in team photos and player portraits, with the players looking directly to camera. Today these photos are used by clubs, by family historians, and by those interested in football history. They often appear uncredited in football history books. Boyles did not restrict himself to the leading football competition of his era, the Victorian Football League. During his working life he attended many different competitions. He covered the VFA, Wartime Services matches, the various Victorian workplace competitions, the Sunday leagues, and other competitions. Learn More about the Life of Charles Boyles
Read Ken's article on the methods, motives and life of Charles Boyles. The article includes notes from an extensive interview with Harley Boyles about his father. See Charles Edward Boyles: From Tripod to Website. |
Website Aims and Objectives
This website contains work by two independent researchers, Ken Mansell and Michael Riley. Our objective is to share our own passion for history and provide a friendly resource for family historians, football buffs and others who have an interest in the Charles Boyles photos and more generally in football photography from the 1920's to 1960's.A Football History Website
This site has grown to cover more than just football photos. There is an amazing amount to explore. You can start with articles, player pages, ground pages, team and league pages as well as information on players careers outside football.All Football Photographers Not Just Charles Boyles Photos
This site contains photos from many of Boyles's contemporaries. These contrast Boyles's style, and add to an understanding of sport, photography, and the football of the time.Football Outside the VFL
Charles Boyles took photos of VFL teams, but also took photos of VFA teams, Workplace Teams and teams in Junior Leagues. Also, for many players the VFL was just a small part of their footballing story. This site attempts to build a picture of the football world during Boyle's working period. This world is worth explored through articles and the pages thoughout the website. Sources of Images on this Website
We are not associated with any library or institution. We have received permission from a variety of people and institutions to include their images on this particular website. Each photo is labelled as to it's source. Please contact the relevant source for permission to reproduce any images. The appearance of an image on this website does not mean that it is public domain. Although many (not all) photos are out of copyright, many images are available here under 'Terms of Use' agreements with the relevant organisation. We credit the photographer and the photo source wherever possible, |