Preston Football Club – 1938 Team Photo

The 1938 photo, courtesy of Boyles Football Photos

Back Row: Unknown, Edwin Gilbert* (poss), Thomas Jones* (poss), Unknown*, Norm Campbell, Unknown, Bob Muir, Bill Maslen, (Bill Spokes – not playing)

Middle Row: Joe Beagley, Jack Clarke, Wyn Murray, Rex Job#, Alf Roach, Unknown, George Colbane

Front Row: Les Ross, Frank Dowling, Aubrey Robinson^, Phil Dunstone

* Based on them both being the only ones that should be in both the 37 & 38 photo. A guess on who is who.

Rex Job# – Updated May 2021. See below.

Aubrey Robinson^ – Updated April 2021. See below.

Unknown* – Possibly Jack Haskett. Updated May 2021. See below.

Note : Identifications are made from information / photos that I’ve been able to find, and as always, happy to be corrected on any errors. Also happy to hear of any new identifications.

Story, with more details, of how this all came about, can be found here –

Part 3

Part 2

Part 1

Players of Round 10, 11 June, 1938 –

Game Details – The VFA Project

Rex Job – Middle row, fourth from left.

Update May 2021 –

With new information found on Bill Seedsman, (see 1939, 1940 and 1941) along with further scrutinising of a couple of photos, the realisation of an incorrect identification of Rex Job occurred.

I now believe, based on remaining unidentified players, as well as a match in the 1939 Prahran photo (the 1939 ‘Home’ photo isn’t as compelling), that Job is –

Middle row, fourth from left.

https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/305313/rexs-moment-forever-frozen-in-time

Wyn Murray – Middle row, third from left

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyn_Murray

http://demonwiki.org/gallery379

Joe Beagley – Middle row, far left

1940 Coburg photo – https://www.picturevictoria.vic.gov.au/site/coburg/chs/16056.html

1941 GF photo – http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Reference_+1941+VFA+Grand+Final

Bill Maslen – Back row, far right

http://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Players/Maslen,_Bill_’Socks’.php

Bob Muir – Back row, second from right

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Muir_(footballer)

Norm Campbell – Back row, forth from right

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_Campbell

1941 photo – http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Collingwood+Senior+Team+1941+%28Age%29

Frank Dowling – Front row, second from left

http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Preston+Senior+Team+1939+%28BrM%29

W. (Bill) Spokes – Back row, far right, in shirt and jacket

1939 Williamstown premiership photo (second front row, far right) –

https://www.williamstownfc.com.au/premiership-photos

1944 Fitzroy seconds team photo.

http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Fitzroy-Brisbane+Lions+Historical+Society

Alf Roach – Middle row, third from right

George Colbane – Middle row, far right. (Based on being the only one who is only in the 1938 and 1939 Prahran photo)

Phil Dunstone – Front row, far right. (Based on height, and being in 1938, both 1939, 1940 and 1941 photos)

Only photo found – https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/188803314

Les Ross – Front row, far left. (Based on height, and being in 1938, both 1939, 1940 and 1941 photos)

Coached Parkside Amateurs in the VAFA and should be in this 1954 Premiership photo (not sure who he is) –

https://websites.sportstg.com/gallery.cgi?g=7272&c=0-3232-160726-0-0&e=160726&et=3&ci=5&ti=0&a=next

Jack Clarke – Middle row, second from left. (Based on remaining unidentified players, height, and being in 1938, both 1939, 1940 and 1941 photos)

Aubrey Robinson – Front row, second from right.

At present (20 April, 2021), is listed as playing at Preston from 1935 to 1938 here –

http://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Players/Robinson,_Aubrey.php

However, this article, (12 May, 1933) mentions him being from the juniors, along with a photo stating that he is ‘new’ –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243119503?searchTerm=aubrey%20robinson

Article (13 May, 1933), ‘Won in Last Term’, stating that A. Robinson was awarded the H. Porter trophy as best Preston player –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/20686727

20 April, 1934, stating that A. Robinson will be moving to Queensland –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243244865?searchTerm=%22robinson%22

27 June, 1934, article stating that A. Robinson has returned from Queensland, and has been given a clearance to Footscray –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/204822155?searchTerm=%22cameron%22%20%22preston%22

Article (3 April, 1935), ‘Many Robinsons at Preston’, stating Aubrey Robinson had returned to Preston from Footscray –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12225520?searchTerm=aubrey%20robinson

Len Robinson –

http://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Players/Robinson,_Len.php

At present (20 April, 2021), is listed as having played at Preston from 1933 to 1935.

However these articles, 31 March, 23 April, and 25 April, 1934, mention him as a new recruit / new player –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243314954?searchTerm=%22robinson%22%20%22preston%22

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10930255?searchTerm=%22robinson%22%20%22preston%22

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203827814?searchTerm=%22robinson%22%20%22preston%22

It appears, therefore, that Len was only at Preston in 1934 and 1935, while Aubrey was there in 1933, and then from 1935 until 1938.

Having played most of the 1933 season, he can also be found in the 1933 team photo.

1933 Preston Team Photo

Aubrey Robinson – Middle row (squatting down), far left.

Edwin Gilbert – Poss back row, second from left. (Guess based on Gilbert and Jones being in both the 37 and 38 photos)

Thomas Jones – Poss back row, third from left. (Guess based on Jones and Gilbert being in both the 37 & 38 photos)

Other players selected for R10, 1938 –

Kevin Brown – CHB, Follower, flanks. Should be in 1937 photo, and will be in 1938 and 1940 photos.

Jack Haskett – 25-6-1911 – 5-3-1992. 180cms. Played in winning GF for Northcote in 1934, with Harry Clack (1937). Northcote 1934 team photo; should be in it –

http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Northcote+Senior+Team+1934+%28SLV+122_076%29

Of the unidentified players in the 1934 Northcote photo, Back row, second from left, has some similarities with Back row, fourth from left, in this 1938 Preston photo.

Photo from Trove –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205142707?searchTerm=jack%20haskett

Update May 2021 –

1940 ‘Fags’ Team Photo, with names, from Trove* –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/188814681?searchTerm=fags

Will only be in 1938 photo.

*Suspicion now is back row, far left.

Don Whitechurch – Played Flanks and Pockets.

Not listed on VFA Project, but named in paper day before – https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206964223/19250494

Photo from Trove –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243225804?searchTerm=don%20whitechurch

Will only be in 1938 photo.