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

The 1939 photo (taken at Preston), courtesy of Australian Sports Museum

Back row: Jack Norman^, Bill Seedsman^, Ken Watkins*, Joe Beagley, Alf Roach, Jack Clarke, Unknown-1, Jack Robertson*, Unknown-2

Middle row: Wally Gray, Stan Lawler^, Frank Dowling, Alby Morrison, Ernie Dunham*, Arthur Sleith, Bill Lowenthal

Front row: Les Ross, Wally Miller, 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.

Ken Watkins* – Unlikely in 1939 Prahran photo, but definitely in this and 1940 photo.

Jack Norman^ – Updated April 2021. See below.

Stan Lawler^ – Updated May 2021. See below.

Bill Seedsman^ – Updated May 2021. See below.

Unknown-1 – Believe it to be Don Stewart. See below.

Unknown-2 – Believe it to be Rex Job. 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 9, 10 June, 1939 –

Game Details – The VFA Project

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 Preston, my belief is – Back row, far left.

Bill Seedsman – 19-9-1914 – 10-10-2001. 183cms. ~~Back row, far left.~~* (Based on him being the only one in both 1939 photos, 1940 and 1941 photos)

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

H2008.122/65 -Kew — *1935 Kew Team Photo, courtesy of Boyles Football Photos*

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

Back row, second from left.

Rex Job – Back row, far right.

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 1939 Prahran photo (this 1939 ‘Home’ photo isn’t as compelling), that Job is –

Back row, far right.

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

Ken Watkins – 17-8-1919 – 18-4-1984. 179cms. Back row, third from left. (Based on only unidentified player that is only in 1939 (home) and 1940 photo)

Joe Beagley – Back row, fourth 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, fifth from left

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

Jack Robertson – Played mainly HFF/HBF and pockets. Back row, second from right. Robertson and Dunham are the only ones unidentified that appear only in both 1939 photos.

Wally Gray – Middle row, far left.

http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Wally+Gray

Stan ‘Snowie’ Lawler – 19-11-1909 – 26-3-1958. 177 cms. Played Full Forward. Preston 1939 (8 games). Williamstown 1934-37, 1938-39 (1 game 1939). Prahran 1938 (2 games) Sth Melb 1930-31 (2). Essendon 1933 (3)

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

A few mentions here, but no photos – https://www.williamstownfc.com.au/history

Update May 2021 –

1940 team photo, with names, from Trove –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/188806644?searchTerm=%27great%20workers%27

Frank Dowling – Middle row, third from left

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

Alby Morrison – Middle row, fourth from left

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

Ernie Dunham – Played mostly Wing and Forward Pocket. Middle row, third from right.

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

Arthur Sleith – Middle row, second from right

https://blueseum.org/Arthur+Sleith

Bill Lowenthal – Middle 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

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

Wally Miller – Front row, second from left

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

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 R9, 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.