Preston Football Club – 1939 Team Photo (taken at Prahran)

The 1939 photo (taken at Prahran), courtesy of Boyles Football Photos

Back Row: Bill Seedsman^, Joe Beagley, Alf Roach, Jack Norman^, Arthur Sleith, Bill Lowenthal

Middle Row: Jack Robertson*, Jack Clarke, Rex Job^, Alby Morrison (c), Clarrie White^, Des Hanscombe*

Front Row: Ernie Dunham*, Les Ross, Wally Miller, Frank Dowling, George Colbane, Phil Dunstone

Jack Robertson* – Identification made on him being one of two (other is Dunham) unidentified players who were only in both 1939 photos.

Ernie Dunham* – Like Robertson. See links below.

Jack Norman^ – Updated April 2021. See below.

Clarrie White^ – Updated April 2021. See below.

Bill Seedsman^ – Updated May 2021. See below.

Rex Job^ – Updated May 2021. See below.

Des Hanscombe* – 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 13, 8 July, 1939 –

Game Details – The VFA Project

Rex Job – Middle row, third from left.

Update May 2021 –

With new information found on Bill Seedsman, (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 1938 and this 1939 Prahran photo (the 1939 ‘Home’ photo isn’t as compelling), that Job is –

Middle row, third from left.

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

Joe Beagley – Back row, second from 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

Alf Roach – Back row, third from left

Jack Norman – 188cms. Played Ruck. B&F 1941. Fitzroy 1938 – 1 game.

http://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Players/Norman,_Jack.php

Update April, 2021 –

While, at present, it states that Jack was at Preston in 1940, 41, 45 and 46, I now believe that he was also there in 1939.

25 May, 1939, permit for J. Norman granted from Fitzroy to Preston –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205634724?searchTerm=%22norman%22%20%22preston%22

If that is the case, then Jack is at Preston in 1939, 1940, 1941, 1945 and 1946, while Ingy is only there in 1940. (see Ingy Norman, below)

Assuming I, and the newspapers of the time, are correct, then Jack will be in both 1939 photos, as well as the 1940 and 1941 photos.

He could also be in the 1945 photo, and after seeing a 1935 East Brunswick team photo, I believe he is in all of them.

1935 East Brunswick team photo, courtesy Australian Sports Museum.

Front row, far right (seated), I believe is likely to be Jack Norman.

1945 Preston team photo, courtesy Boyles Football Photos.

Back row, third from right, I believe is Jack Norman.

Therefore, in the 1939 photo taken at Prahran, my belief is – Back row, third from right.

Arthur Sleith – Back row, second from right

https://blueseum.org/Arthur+Sleith

Bill Lowenthal – Back row, far right

http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Bill+Lowenthal 

Photo from Essendon days (Front row, fourth from right) –

https://scoreboardpressure.com/2012/07/23/windy-hill-essendon-victoria/

Michael Riley’s post on Big Footy – https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/list-thread-inaccuracy-in-official-records.1089761/page-51#post-53749375

1936 Fitzroy photo linked to in Big Footy post (Back row, second from right) –

http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Fitzroy+Senior+Team+1936+%28FBLHS+S36-1%29

Jack Robertson – Played mainly HFF/HBF and pockets. Middle row, far left.  Was 19th man, but replaced Ken Watkins who broke his collarbone.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/180881723/20734354

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

Bill Seedsman – 19-9-1914 – 10-10-2001. 183cms. Back row, third from right*.

Update April / May 2021* –

With the new information on the Norman brothers (Ingy and Jack), as well as a re-evaluation of a couple of photos, I now believe I have found Seedsman. (initially had him confused with Rex Job) He, like Jack Norman, should be in both 1939 photos, as well as the 1940 and 1941 photos. He could also be in the 1945 photo.

He played for Kew in the 1935 sub-district league Grand Final, which is discussed here –

http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Kew+Sub-Districts+Team+1935+%28SLV+122_065%29

In the above 1935 Kew photo, I believe Bill Seedsman is back row, sixth from left. (peering out from behind)

From Kew to Preston – https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12125489?searchTerm=seedsman

Alby Morrison – Middle row, third from right

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

Representative side in 1929 –

https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/search-discover/explore-our-digital-image-pool/view_image?record_key=IE1463733

T. White – Played as Rover, Forward Pocket and wing.

Update April 2021 –

I now believe is –

Clarrie White – 27-2-1914 – 22-5-1991. 168cms. Footscray (4 games) then St Kilda (1 game), in 1937.

March 1939, talk of transferring to Preston from St. Kilda, after coaching in the country in 1938 –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/189144314?searchTerm=preston

http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Clarrie+White

April 1939, a mention in Preston’s ‘new’ list –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205980376?searchTerm=c.%20white%20%22preston%22

And it seems Numurkah, who he coached to a Premiership in 1938, was the ‘country team’ –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/189144310?searchTerm=clarrie%20white

Middle row, second from right

Des Hanscombe – Back Pocket player. Will only be in 1939 Prahran photo.

Mentioned as G. Hanscombe – https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/204420593/19414736

If the other identifications are correct, then Hanscombe is the last remaining unidentified player.

Middle row, far right.

Ernie Dunham – Played mostly Wing and Forward Pocket. Front row, far left.

Noted on VFA Project as F. Dunham, but found a reference to Ernie Dunham in ‘A history of Preston Football Club’, by Marc Fiddian.

Newspaper articles with photos –

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245044022

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article187640117

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article247716858

Les Ross – Front row, second from 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 

Wally Miller – Front row, third from left

http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Fitzroy+Senior+Team+1945+%28FBLHS+S45%29

Frank Dowling – Front row, third from right

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

George Colbane – Front row, second from 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

Other players selected for R13, 1939 –

Ingy (Ingwald) Norman – 185cms.

1938 Brunswick photo (I. Norman) –

https://collection.australiansportsmuseum.org.au/objects/5946/photograph-of-east-brunswick-fc-1938

Update April, 2021 –

While, at present, it states that Ingy played at Preston in both 1939 and 1940 –

http://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Players/Norman,_Ingy.php

I now don’t believe Ingy was actually at Preston in 1939. See Jack Norman (his brother) above.

It seems Ingy doesn’t appear at Preston until the following year.

18 April, 1940, permit granted for I. Norman from Fitzroy to Preston –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12448246?searchTerm=%22norman%22%20%22preston%22%20%22fitzroy%22

15 April, 1940, article, ‘Many at Preston’, stating both being at Preston, with Ingy being mentioned as ‘new’. –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12446967?searchTerm=%22norman%22%20%22preston%22%20%22fitzroy%22

My belief is that Ingy is only at Preston during 1940, and he should be in the 1940 photo. At present, I am unable to find where he goes in 1941, although there is a photo from 1952, at East Brunswick, with an I. Norman in it.

1952 East Brunswick team photo, courtesy Australian Sports Museum.

I. Norman – Back row, second from left

There is also a 1946 photo that appears to have an I. Norman it, as well, and while he looks similar, it is of pretty poor quality.

Ken Watkins – Injured during game – replaced by Robertson – and not in photo.