Preston Football Club – 1940 Team Photo

The 1940 photo, courtesy of Australian Sports Museum

Back Row: Unknown, Alby Morrison, Jack Norman^, Bill Maslen, Bill Seedsman^, Unknown, Alf Roach

Middle Row: Unknown-1, Bert Minney, Lou Sleeth^, Jack Clarke, Arthur Sleith, Fred Beaumont, Ken Watkins*

Front Row: Frank Dowling, Clarrie White^, Les Ross, Phil Dunstone

Identification made for –

Ken Watkins* – Definitely in 1939 (home) and 1940 photo, and unlikely in 1939 Prahran photo.

Jack Norman^ – Updated April 2021. See below.

Lou Sleeth^ – Updated April 2021. See below.

Clarrie White^ – Updated April 2021. See below.

Bill Seedsman^ – Updated May 2021. See below.

Unknown-1 – Suspect Ingy Norman. 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, 22 June, 1940 –

Game Details – The VFA Project

Alby Morrison – Back row, second 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

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

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

Update April, 2021 –

Based on the new information found, detailed in both 1939 photos, 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, based on the new information found, my belief is –

Back row, third from left.

Bill Maslen – Back row, fourth from left

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

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

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

Back row, third from right.

Alf Roach – Back row, far right

Bert Minney – 7-1-1914 – 20-5-1999. 178cms. Preston 1940-41, 1945. Fitzroy 1938-39.

Middle row, second from left

Fitzroy 1938 team photo – https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/393009504966991522/

Trove article with team photo –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11171876?searchTerm=a%20minney

Lou Sleeth – 26-2-1916 – 29-11-1990. 173cms. Preston 1940. Richmond 1937-38. Box Hill – 1929-34, 1936, 1941-48. Played Half Forward Flank. Brother – Graham.

https://www.tigerlandarchive.org/tiki-index.php?page=Lou+Sleeth

Update April, 2021* –

Sometimes you just get lucky, and so it happened when I stumbled across a 1938 Richmond team photo, with names, on Trove –

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/586334

I believe he may also be in this1945 Box Hill photo, but with quality being what it is, I can’t make a match –

https://www.picturevictoria.vic.gov.au/site/boxhill/BoxHill/9660.html

*Middle row, third from left

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

Arthur Sleith – Middle row, third from right

https://blueseum.org/Arthur+Sleith

Fred Beaumont – Preston 1939-41. Brunswick 1935 & 1938. Wing / Centre. Middle row, second from right.

Photo from Brunswick (middle row, far left) –      http://boylesfootballphotos.net.au/tiki-index.php?page=Brunswick+Seconds+1930s+%28SLV+122_054%29&fbclid=IwAR1ceF94syzfA2RixigFBJkkl438dXRxyJgIFN-siblztc0WIRc5GalxXN4

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

Frank Dowling – Front row, far left

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

Charlie White* – Preston 1940. Played Wing. From Melbourne 2nds 1940.

http://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Players/White,_Charlie.php

Note – Had been incorrectly recorded as T. White, in the 1939 season.

Update April 2021 –

Is actually –

*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

Front row, second from left.

Les Ross – Front row, second from right. (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 

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 R10, 1940 –

Ingy (Ingwald) Norman – 185cms.

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

1938 Brunswick photo (I. Norman) –

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

Update April, 2021 –

As per the new findings stated in both 1939 photos, I believe this is the only Preston photo that Ingy is in.  And therefore, will be the only Preston photo that he is in with his brother, Jack.

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 mentioned as ‘new’. –

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

My belief / suspicion, based partly on appearance, but mainly on remaining unidentified players –

Middle row, far left.

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

Bob Taylor – Preston 1940-41. Mention of Prahran c1939? Pocket / Flanks.

http://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Players/Taylor,_Bob_Pres41.php

R. Taylor in the 1937 Prahran team photo –

http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Prahran+Team+Photos

But no record of an R. Taylor playing in 1937. There is, however, a Robert Taylor playing in 1938-39 –

http://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Players/Taylor,_Robert__Pra.php

Wally Gray – Replaced (injured shin) by Dowling at half time, and not in photo.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/188808211/20723239