Recent Articles
Fancy Dress Charity FootballPublished At: 2019-08-11 17:58 - (1707 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 - (2020 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 - (2358 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 - (40735 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 - (68623 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
The Photos of Leo Maynes (Brunswick, Fitzroy and Essendon)Published At: 2013-05-07 09:08 - (9245 Reads) -This article contains interesting photos from the collection of Leo Maynes. Maynes played with Brunswick (VFA) 1931-34, Fitzroy 1935-37, Essendon 1938-41, and in the wartime inter-services competition in 1942. The collection includes team photos, and photos and memorabilia from two football club end-of-season trips.
Murray Weideman : The EnforcerPublished At: 2016-06-18 12:17 - (8321 Reads) -In 1952, Collingwood Football Club officials told 16 year old Murray Weideman to ‘go away and come back’ the following season.........by the end of his career Weideman had played 180 games and coached 45 games for the pies, and yet more at West Adelaide. He was hard hitting and is an Australian Football Hall of Famer. This is his story.
Margaret Berlowitz – Club President - Breaking Glass CeilingsPublished At: 2014-05-31 12:22 - (7271 Reads) -Women have played a prominent role in the history Australian Rules football. Women have provided key financial support, and have been supporters, fund raisers, organisers, taxi services and more.
In 2013, Peggy O’Neil at Richmond became the first women to be a VFL/AFL club president. Given history, she will be the first of many. But Peggy is certainly not the first woman to be an Australian Rules Football Club president…for that honour, we need to look nearly 100 years beforehand. This is the story of Margaret Jane Berlowitz at Yarraville 1914-1922. Jim Edema - Cartoons from the Argus 1950Published At: 2012-10-09 05:51 - (7210 Reads) -Jim Edema was a regular contributor to the The Sun News Pictorial (Melbourne), but in 1950 worked for the Argus. The images on this page are from the 1950 Argus.
Fred Phillips - The Tragic Tale Of A True ChampionPublished At: 2018-10-23 17:15 - (5202 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?” |
Historical Articles (Reprinted)
Recent Articles
Dan Minogue Tells Why He - Gave Up Mining for FootballPublished At: 2019-03-10 14:22 - (2413 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 - (2797 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 - (2014 Reads) -Old Football Days. Teams and Men.Published At: 2018-11-16 08:33 - (1827 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
Roy Cazaly Tells Of Football Ring-in with £500 at StakePublished At: 2017-10-19 06:39 - (2519 Reads) -Great Football Dramas — No. 13 Fitzroy First To Smash Collingwood's Great SystemPublished At: 2016-08-28 18:02 - (2996 Reads) -How Collingwood's famous system, then brand-new, was first smashed by Fitzroy in a memorable League semi-final in 1902, is retold in this, the thirteenth of a series of great football dramas.
Forty Years of Football: Turning back the Pages of TimePublished At: 2017-09-30 17:35 - (1990 Reads) -Reminiscences of Tommy Wilson, captain of North Melbourne and a founder of East Fremantle. Covering the period from the 1890's to WW1.
Former Umpire writes His ReminiscencesPublished At: 2018-12-15 09:58 - (2797 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, |