Latest Article (click to read)
Recent Articles
Fancy Dress Charity Football- Published At: 2019-08-11 17:58 - (57 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 1896-1897- Published At: 2019-08-11 14:14 - (74 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’ 1870-1888- Published At: 2019-08-11 09:47 - (68 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 1906- Published At: 2019-03-10 15:15 - (29391 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 Haygarth- Published At: 2019-02-23 11:16 - (25555 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.
|
Random Articles
Football in the Illustrated Newspapers 1860-1890- Published At: 2013-10-19 11:56 - (10835 Reads)Prior to the late 1880's the only images to appear in newspapers were woodcut prints. Technology to include photographs was yet to be produced.
Australia produced a number of illustrated newspapers during the 19th century. Tthere were a number of short lived papers and a number, such as the 'Australian Sketcher with Pen and Paper' which were much more successful. This period coincides with the rise of Australian Rules football, and some of the most famous early images of the game were first published in illustrated newspapers. This article provides a number of examples of these woodblock prints. ANFC Football Carnival - Sydney 1933- Published At: 2013-01-13 14:09 - (8777 Reads)ANFC Interstate Football Carnivals had been held since 1908. These events were widely reported and provided many rare opportunities. Players had a chance to travel, The game of football was promoted and celebrated, scouts were able to measure players in other competitions and important rivalries could be revisited.
The 1933 Carnival was won by Victoria. Football links in the Australian Dictionary of Biography- Published At: 2013-02-19 04:47 - (6575 Reads)The Australian Dictionary of Biography (ADB) attempts to provide biographies of prominent Australians who have contributed to Australia.
This article provides a brief overview of who the Australian Dictionary of Biography regard as the most important footballers, as well as identifying a substantial number of other prominent Australians with links to Australian Rules Football. Boyles Wartime Photos- Published At: 2013-06-13 11:42 - (6330 Reads)Charles Edward Boyles started out on his long photographic career during the First World War. Later, during the Second World War, he took many photos of Australian soldiers and visiting U.S. Marines.
As with his football photos, the wartime photos are commercial images to be sold to the people in the photographs. The photos are sharp and high quality. Unfortunately, however, they are not named. Jock Spencer ‘The Flying Kangaroo’- Published At: 2015-04-05 10:18 - (7527 Reads)When Jock Spencer was selected to play full forward for Victoria in 1952, the news stunned football fans and caused a degree of angst in certain quarters of VFL football.
John Coleman was said to have had a ‘mortgage’ on the position and Jock’s selection was both unexpected and highly controversial. However, time would prove beyond doubt that Jock was a rare talent and would become one of the most celebrated and admired players of his generation. This is Jock’s story… |
Historical Articles (Reprinted)
Recent Articles
Dan Minogue Tells Why He - Gave Up Mining for Football- Published At: 2019-03-10 14:22 - (536 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 Reminiscences- Published At: 2018-12-15 09:58 - (1017 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 Ground- Published At: 2018-12-15 08:36 - (665 Reads)Old Football Days. Teams and Men.- Published At: 2018-11-16 08:33 - (812 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.
|
Random Articles
Roy Cazaly Tells Of Football Ring-in with £500 at Stake- Published At: 2017-10-19 06:39 - (1535 Reads)1920 Colbinabbin versus Elmore
A History Of Triumphs: The story of the East Fremantle Football Club- Published At: 2017-09-30 15:59 - (1843 Reads)Great Football Dramas—No. 8 Association Coup which Brought 40,000 to the M.C.G. £1000 Gate for Final- Published At: 2016-08-06 12:43 - (2221 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.
Great Football Dramas No. 1 - DUNCAN’S MATCH- Published At: 2017-11-05 18:00 - (886 Reads)DUNCAN’S MATCH!” Two words, ablaze with imperishable fame, that stand out vividly in Australian football history.
|
Article Archive...
An Introduction to Charles Boyles
Charles Boyles SLV2008.122/451 (Cropped) Source: State Library of Victoria Photographic Collection
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, |
Examples of Boyles Photos
|
Kew Sub Districts 1939 - State Library of Victoria Photographic Collection
|
North West Suburbs Police Team circa 1935 - State Library of Victoria Photographic Collection
|
Carlton Seconds, 1956 - State Library of Victoria Photographic Collection
|
|
Bob Wilkie - St Kilda - State Library of Victoria Photographic Collection
|