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Fancy Dress Charity Football- Published At: 2019-08-11 17:58 - (1554 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 - (1844 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 - (2144 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 - (40495 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 - (68073 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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The Story of Night Football in Victoria - Part One - 1879 Arc Lights at the MCG- Published At: 2013-02-24 08:47 - (7459 Reads)In part one of the story of Football under lights, we return to the first ever Australian Rules football games under artificial light....In 1879
Raymond Morris - National Museum of Australia- Published At: 2014-03-13 19:25 - (6119 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.
Interview with Harley Boyles 21-Jun-2010- Published At: 2012-11-16 19:23 - (17117 Reads)Harley Boyles is the son of photographer Charles Boyles. In 2010, then in his eighties, he was interviewed by Ken Mansell for an article about his father. The article, now titled From Tripod to Website became one of the first published writings on Boyles and his work.
The original interview notes have been made available through the permission of both Ken and Harley and provide a fascinating insight. Advertising from the VFL Football Record 1941-43- Published At: 2012-09-13 23:23 - (3055 Reads)The State Library of Victoria's digitized version of the VFL Football Record is a useful primary source for football research. The Football Record was sold at grounds on match day. During the Second World War, football continued and so did the record. The record included less advertising during the war years than at other times. There were many appears to support the war effort by attending charity events, or purchasing war bonds.
The selection of advertisements that appear here is not exhaustive and is a selection of the 'most interesting' advertisements during the 1941 to 1943 period. The advertisements provide a small insight into wartime Melbourne. Footballers and the Tradition of Professional Foot-running- Published At: 2013-05-03 13:03 - (12585 Reads)Before real money could be made playing football, players with a turn of speed could supplement their income through professional foot-running, especially in the summer months.
From World Professional Sprint Champion Austin Robertson, to the depth of footballer talent at the Stawell Gift, and to the grudge sprint at the 1950 ANFC Football Carnival, this article looks at some of the key names and moments in the history of sprinting footballers. |
Historical Articles (Reprinted)
Recent Articles
Dan Minogue Tells Why He - Gave Up Mining for Football- Published At: 2019-03-10 14:22 - (2254 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 - (2650 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 - (1880 Reads)Old Football Days. Teams and Men.- Published At: 2018-11-16 08:33 - (1729 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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Great Football Dramas No. 3 - North Broke-But They won With 18 Amateurs- Published At: 2017-10-18 19:19 - (1985 Reads)1922 V.F..A. Second Semi-Final
Melbourne’s Chief Play Grounds - No. 9— The Old East Melbourne Ground- Published At: 2018-12-15 08:36 - (1880 Reads)Great Football Dramas—No.17 Carnival Team All Got Goals Helped Other Side Too- Published At: 2016-10-22 11:37 - (3082 Reads)Packed with hilarious incidents, it stand as the most comical football “match” that ever convulsed a crowd. Such was that burlesque, Victoria v. Queensland, at the Hobart Carnival in 1924.
Great Football Dramas — No. 6 Tempestuous Welcome To 1925 Premiers- Published At: 2016-06-17 12:14 - (2603 Reads)This is the sixth or a series of great football dramas, retold by an eye-witness. It describes Geelong's tumultuous welcome home to the League Premiers of 1925 —a welcome fit for Royalty!
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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
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Kew Sub Districts 1939 - State Library of Victoria Photographic Collection
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North West Suburbs Police Team circa 1935 - State Library of Victoria Photographic Collection
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Carlton Seconds, 1956 - State Library of Victoria Photographic Collection
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Bob Wilkie - St Kilda - State Library of Victoria Photographic Collection
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