Archives and Manuscripts
This section is a compilation of unpublished manuscripts, personal papers, organisational and club records, and other archival material, excluding academic theses. Most of the material has been identified from online catalogues. Material at the State Library of Victoria has been surveyed more closely, including the consultation of card indexes and other printed finding aids.
Blackwood Football Club, SRG 567, 'Blackwood Football Club Records’, 1969, 1882-1983, Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
Blackwood Football Club formed in 1969 and these archived records include a team record book for the years 1982 and 1983, player listings, team sheets, newspaper reports on the club’s performance and a photograph of the club as 1969 A Grade premiers of the Glenelg-South Adelaide Football Association. TH.
Blainey, Geoffrey, MS 9225, ‘Papers, 1961-1994’, National Library of Australia.
The papers of prominent historian Geoffrey Blainey include material relating to his work, A Game of Our Own: the Origins of Australian Football, published in 1990. Access to this archive is restricted until 2006. TH.
Bread Carters' Industrial Federation of Australia Branch, Victorian, ‘Records, 1920-1921’, National Library of Australia.
Included within a much larger collection of administrative records of the Victorian branch of the Bread Carters Industrial Federation are some records, including minute books, of the Bread Trades Football Council, 1920-1921. TH
Campbell, R.H. and Tracey, R.E., Ms 58433, 'R.E. Tracey and R.H. Campbell Collection of Cricket Records, 1851-1943 and Football Records, 1897-1942.' La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria.
An important and extensive collection of VFL football records and statistics from 1897 to 1942. This collection has been used to compile such works as E. C. H. Taylor’s One Hundred Seasons: the History of the Melbourne Football Club, 1858-1958 and the The Encyclopedia of League Footballers by Jim Main and Russell Holmesby. Available for reference use only, with no xerox, microfilm, photocopying, or reproduction by any other means permitted. TH.
Canberra Australian National Football League, MS 5190, ‘Records, 1960-1964’, National Library of Australia, ‘Records’, 1960-1964.
These records include various reports, minutes of meetings, draws and correspondence of the League and the Australian National Football Council. TH.
Central Districts Junior Football Association, ‘Records’, J.S. Battye Library, State Library of Western Australia, 1987-2003.
This archive contains records of Central Districts Junior Football Association, the governing body for 22 junior football clubs in the inner northern and western suburbs of the Perth metropolitan area. The Association operated for 13 years prior to its dissolution at the end of 2003, following a reorganisation of junior football throughout the state. Contents include a certificate of incorporation, 1987, the constitution of the Regional Junior Football Association, correspondence, files, minutes of the Regional Board between 2001 and 2003 and Central Districts dated November 2002 to December 2003, as well as photographs of fairest and best players from 1991 to 2003 and reference manuals dated 2001 and 2003. A detailed list of the archive is available at MN 2276. TH
Central Riverina Australian Football League, RW199, ‘Records, 1965-1981’, Charles Sturt University, Charles Sturt University Regional Archives, Wagga Wagga Campus.
Certificate of incorporation (1987); constitution of the Regional Junior Football Association; correspondence; files; minutes of Regional Board (2001-2003) and Central Districts (Nov. 2002-Dec. 2003); photographs of fairest and best players (1991-2003); reference manuals (2001, 2003).
Colquhoun, Thomas Talbot, Ms 6811, ‘Papers, 1940-1980’, National Library of Australia.
Some papers of the Canberra Australian National Football League are included among other papers in this collection, which mainly consists of personal documents and various records of agricultural science organisations documenting Colquhoun's work in farming research and rural settlement. TH.
Western Australian National Football League Boundaries Commission, ‘Records Relating to the Distribution of Football Boundaries by WANFL in 1970’, J.S. Battye Library, State Library of Western Australia, 1966-1971.
These records contain appeals by Perth, East Perth and South Fremantle Clubs and notices regarding appeals hearings, as well as correspondence, maps and minutes. A detailed listing of the records is available. TH .
Cook, Robert McC., MS 11961, 'Papers, N.D.' La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria.
Papers and press cuttings relating to Bob Cook, initiator of the Eltham North Riding Living and Learning Exploration Expeditions Bush Walking Group. Press cuttings include details of Cook’s long association with football. TH.
Deer, John J., D 7381A(T), 'Players Lists, 1907-1992 (Research Paper)', Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
These alphabetical lists of football players show the years they played, club(s) they played for, number of matches played and number of goals scored. TH.
'Diary’, 1893-1895, La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria.
The diary of an unidentified author recording the daily life of a miner working for the El Dorado Company in Wangaratta. Apart from recording the problems and accidents experienced by the miners, he also discusses local events including football and cricket matches. TH.
Drakeford, Arthur Samuel, MS 1031, ‘Correspondence, 1956-1957’, National Library of Australia.
This collection includes circular letters from sporting organisations and in particular the Essendon Football Club. TH.
Dunstan, Keith, MS 8418, 'Supporting a Column’, 1968, La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria.
Keith Dunstan, a well-known journalist and columnist particularly known for his support of the Anti-Football League, discusses various columns he has written. TH.
Farmer, Ken, PRG 1379, 'Ken Farmer Papers, 1928-1982’, Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
Australian Rules football player Ken Farmer was the most prolific goal-kicker in the history of the game, kicking 1419 goals over 13 years with the North Adelaide Football Club at an average of 6.3 per match. After World War II, Farmer also coached North Adelaide to two premierships. This collection comprises nine scrapbooks incorporating newspaper cuttings, photographs, programs and souvenirs. TH.
Ficarra, John, MS 9802, 'Football Records, 1921-1973', La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria.
A collection of football records and statistics for Glenelg vs. Port Adelaide matches between 1921 and 1973, taken from newspaper sources and compiled by John Ficarra. TH.
Fitzroy Football Club, ‘Minute Book’, 1892-1900, La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria.
The minute book mentions the development of inter-colonial matches, club finances, insurance, players and the hooliganism involving supporters of other teams at away games. It includes a record of the club's decision to leave the VFA competition and join the VFL in 1896. TH
Additional pages have been 'tipped in', noting highlights in the book. The minute book mentions many interesting issues including the development of inter-colonial matches, finances, insurance, players, and the hooliganism of some supporters of other teams at away games.
Glenelg and South Adelaide Districts Football Association, SRG 545, 'Glenelg and South Adelaide Districts Football Association Records, 1945-1986’, Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
The records of the Glenelg and South Adelaide Districts Football Association Inc includes minutes, cash books, roll books, the club register, a lists of officials from 1981, certificates, umpires' reports and ephemera, tribunal decisions between 1972 and 1986, photographs taken between 1980 and 1981, junior league match results from 1971 to 1984, disciplinary records between 1966 and 1970, the club constitution and rules and player registration book covering the years 1984 to 1986. TH.
Goodall, Alexander, MS 13029 (1892-1893); MS 12075 (1893-1897), 'Papers, 1892-1897', La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria.
This collection includes diaries, illustrated with the author's own sketches. There are occasional references to football, especially matches featuring the Geelong Football Club. TH
Grover, Montague, B1074, 'History of the Australian Game of Football’, 1937, Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales.
A passionate and parochial advocacy for New South Wales football. The author points to the NSW birth-places of the founders of the Australian game, Tom Wills and Henry Harrison, to promote the role of NSW in the development of Australian football. A list of 20 NSW born players who could represent NSW, such as Haydn Bunton, Dinny Ryan and Bill Mohr, is identified with the proposition that a NSW team comprised on a 'fair basis' would possibly beat Victoria. The manuscript also includes a brief history of the game from 1858-1866, stresses its popularity and highlights its superior qualities in comparison to other codes. TH.
Hankin, W.M., 'The History of Football in Ballarat’, 1982, Melbourne Cricket Club Library.
Hunt, Reg, MS 001085, 'Letters and Telegram, 1921-1923', Royal Historical Society of Victoria.
Includes four letters and a telegram concerning Australian Rules Football. The first letter is dated 22 March 1921, addressed to S. Dick, written stationery with the Geelong Cricket and Football Club, Secretary's Office letterhead and contains an invitation from Charles Brownlow to participate in a game of League Football. There are three other letters and one telegram to Roy Dick, dated from 12 May to 7 September 1923, asking Dick to play football with the Carlton Football Club. The archive also contains letters written by Reg Hunt on the club's letterhead stationery. TH.
Mitchell, Percy J., ‘Papers and Records, 1930s-1980s’, Australian Gallery of Sport and Olympic Museum, 1930.
Papers and records accumulated by Mitchell as a consequence of his work as a football administrator. Includes minutes, circulars, report, correspondence, press cuttings and other papers relating to Fitzroy Football Club, the Victorian Football League and the Australian National Football Council. TH.
Newbury, Samuel, 'Diaries and Transcripts, 1877-1881; 1916-1919', La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria.
The two original diaries cover the periods 10 July 1877 to 23 October 1881 and 17 April 1916 to 27 September 1919 and contain accounts of Newbury's teaching, attendance at prayer meetings and watching football games. TH
Oakley, Barry, ‘A Salute to the Great McCarthy’, La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria, 1970.
Typescript draft of a shooting script for the film version of Oakley's satirical novel about Australian football, "A salute to the great McCarthy, n.d. but c. 1970; comprises a leaf of contents, 33 leaves of text and 5 leaves of character notes, all in original cord wrapper. TH.
Port Adelaide Football Club, PRG 1134/4, 'Port Adelaide Football Club Scrapbooks, 1879-1991’, Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
Several volumes of scrapbooks relating chiefly to Port Adelaide and compiled between 1982 and 1985. TH.
Saddleworth Football Club, SRG 178, 'Saddleworth Football Club Records,’ 1915, 1934-1939, 1951-1973, Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
Records include minute books, member subscriptions, receipt books, copybooks, printed material, an embroidered banner, correspondences, photographs and the club stamp. TH
Sevenhill Football Club, SRG 587, ‘Records, 1949-1965', Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
Records include a minute book with records dating between 1949 and 1963 and a receipts and expenditure book for the years 1958 to 1965. TH.
Snell, Robert, PRG 1106, 'Robert Snell. Papers’, 1928, 1968, Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
Robert 'Bob' Snell (1903-1983), originally from Western Australia, was runner up in the first Sandover Medal for Western Australian footballers in 1924. He arrived in Adelaide in 1925 and after clearance problems played for West Adelaide between 1927 and 1933 and went on to win the Magarey Medal in 1929. Amongst his archived papers are his 1929 Magarey Medal, a photograph of the medal presentation and a photograph of the 1968 Magarey Medal Winners' Dinner at the Hotel Richmond, Adelaide. TH.
South Australian National Football League, SRG 71, 'South Australian National Football League Records, 1877-1978', Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
Records of the South Australian National Football League comprise League minutes, a record book, a list of umpires and players, annual reports, financial statements, the League’s memoranda of agreement, a match programme, miscellaneous rules, standing orders, constitutions, regulations and minutes of meetings of the Australasian Football Council and affiliated organisations. This archive also includes minutes of various committees including those dealing with General Purposes, Boundaries, Selection, Emergencies and Permits. Annual reports, a programme of matches for 1878, miscellaneous rules, standing orders, constitutions and regulations, the League’s memorandum and articles of association and other printed material have been transferred to Published Heritage Collections. A series list is available at the Mortlock Library Reference Desk. TH.
South Australian National Football Union, SRG 671, 'Records’ 1973-1983’, Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
Records of the South Australian National Football Union comprising minutes of the Union. The South Australian National Football Union now affiliated with the South Australian National Football League, was established in 1928. TH.
South Melbourne Football Club, ‘Minutes’, La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria, 1907, 1907 Feb.-1921 May'.
Stewart, David L., MS 10176, 'Diaries and Photographs, 1915–1917’, La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria.
Two diaries dated 14 June 1915 to 20 August 1917, written while on active service in Egypt and France and containing references to playing football and cricket behind the lines. Two photographs depict Stewart, his brother John Malcolm Stewart and half brother Bob Smith. TH.
Tarlee Football Club, SRG 577, 'Tarlee Football Club Records, 1933-1966’, Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
Minute books 1933-1959 and 1959-1966 and newspaper clipping, 1970. TH.
Town of Wiluna Fire Brigade Football Club, ‘Minute Book, 1937-1940’, J.S. Battye Library, State Library of Western Australia, 1937.
This archive contains records of the Town of Wiluna Fire Brigade Football Club, which replaced the Towns Football Club, including minutes of the inaugural meeting held 2 April 1937. A detailed listing of archived records is available. TH.
Victorian Football League & Victorian Football Association, ‘Minutes’, 1897.
Two minute books, representing the earliest official records of the Victorian Football League.
Victoria Plains Football Association, ‘Records, 1933-1958’, J.S. Battye Library, State Library of Western Australia, 1933.
The first football association in the Shire of Victoria Plains was the Bolgart and District Football Association, formed in 1914. Before and after the formation of the Victoria Plains Football Association in 1933, the towns in the Shire were part of various associations. These records include minute books from 1933 to 1958, a cash-book for 1934 to 1957, accounts from 1952 to 1957, a letter book dated 1956 to 1958; correspondence between 1957 and 1958, as well as miscellaneous programmes and constitutions. The Victoria Plains Football Association was dissolved in 1957 after a dispute over the choice of grounds for major Association matches. TH.
Victoria Plains Junior Football Association, ‘Minute Book, 1956-1960’, J.S. Battye Library, State Library of Western Australia.
Union Football Club (Northam, WA), ‘Minute Book, 1919-1921’, J.S. Battye Library, State Library of Western Australia, 1919.
Records of the Union Football Club, founded in 1919 in West Northam, Western Australia, including names of players from the period. TH.
Wall, William J., MS 12444, 'Diaries, 1878 – 1898’, La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria.
William Wall was a Port Fairy school teacher with an active involvement in sporting and community groups. His diaries include a detailed account of his daily life, work and leisure activities, including many references to football. TH.
West Australian Football League Members Club, ‘Records, 1936-1999’, J.S. Battye Library, State Library of Western Australia, 1936.
The Western Australian Football League (WAFL) Members' Club built the members' clubrooms and grandstand at Subiaco Oval in 1936. In 1992, the West Australian Football Commission refused to renew the Club's lease in order to redevelop the site. Appeals to the Heritage Council and the National Trust to have the grandstand heritage listed failed and the Club was finally wound up in April 2000. Contents include agendas (1994-1999), annual reports (1988-1990), a change of name certificate (1980), the Club constitution (1996), a file relating to the attempted heritage listing (1996-1998), a file relating to final winding up of the club (1999), an indenture between the Subiaco Council and Western Australian National Football League (WANFL) to erect a grandstand at Subiaco Oval (1937), applications for membership (1954-1976), an inventory of furniture, plant and fittings (1992), various licences (1983-1990), minute books (1936-1999), newspaper cuttings relating to Western Australian football, several plans, including those for the grandstand proposed in 1936 drafted by Oldham, Boas and Ednie Brown, a members ticket register (1972-1973) and visitors books (1979-1992, 1992-1993). TH.
Whitcross, A., 'Letter from Hawthorn Football Club, 1928', La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria.
A letter to J. Rowe, from A. Whitcross asking for players from district football clubs to attend training at Hawthorn Football Club. TH.
Wood, John, PRG 1134/7, 'Club Scrapbooks, 1860-1993', Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
This archive contains scrapbooks of historical records and news reports of several SANFL football clubs. Scrapbooks cover the following clubs and time periods: Glenelg Football Club, 1921 to 1991; North Adelaide Football Club, 1860 to 1993; Norwood Football Club, 1878 to 1991; South Adelaide Football Club, 1879 to 1993; Sturt Football Club, 1893 to 1990; West Adelaide Football Club, 1887 to 1990; Woodville West Torrens Football Club, 1879 to 1993. TH.
Wood, John, PRG 1135, 'John Wood. Papers, 1860-1995', Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
John Frederick Wood, (1944-1995), an English and History teacher, also worked as a freelance writer for the South Australian National Football League and various club publications. He was also Port Adelaide Football Club historian and editor of ‘Magpie News’. The archived papers comprise scrapbooks and notes relating to Australian football, football players and football clubs in South Australia, particularly the Port Adelaide Football Club, as well as a manuscript for his history of the Margarey Medal and notes on other sports and clubs, including baseball and records of the Glenelg Sailing Club. TH.
Wood, John, PRG 1134/2, 'Player Profile Scrapbooks, 1919 -1993', Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
This record comprises general scrapbooks on South Australian footballers between 1976 and 1993, copies of articles written between 1919 and 1983 under the title 'Focus video star of the past' and scrapbooks on individual players including David Granger, Alan Greer, Neil Hawke and Rex Johns, Lindsay Head and Russel Ebert, Stanley Malin, Tom McKenzie, Bob McLean, Harold Oliver, Phillip Sandland and Fos Williams and trainer Ted McMahon. TH.
Wood, John, PRG 1134/5, 'Port Adelaide Football Club Statistics, 1992', Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
Wood, John, PRG 1134/2, 'Retrospective Scrapbooks, 1890-1990', Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
Comprises three scrapbooks covering the years 1890 to 1915 with the title 'Retrospectives', a 'Football flashbacks' scrapbook from 1947, a scrapbook for the 1953 season and a 'Famous finals' scrapbook for the years 1950 to 1990. TH.
Wood, John, PRG 1134/10, 'SA Greats: The History of the Magarey Medal (Literary Manuscript), 1988', Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
Contains manuscript and proofs for the publication SA Greats: the History of the Magarey Medal, edited by John and Wendy Wood and includes notes on W.A. Magarey and individual medal winners. TH.
Worrall, John, MS 9861, ‘Notebooks of John Worrall, 1926-1930’, National Library of Australia.
John Worrall (1861-1937) was a footballer, cricketer and journalist. He played cricket for Victoria between 1883 and 1902 and represented Australia in 11 Test matches. He was also an outstanding Australian Rules footballer, captaining Fitzroy for several seasons and later coaching Carlton to three successive premierships in 1906, 1907 and 1908, as well as back-to-back premierships at Essendon in 1911 and 1912. In 1916 he joined the staff of the Australasian and for over 20 years wrote columns on cricket and football.
This collection contains notebooks of draft pieces for the Melbourne based Australasian newspaper, 1926-1930 and scores of Sheffield Shield and Test cricket matches in 1929-1930. Most of the writings relate to cricketers and teams of Worrall's era between the 1880s and 1930s. An unknown number relate to football. TH.
Yealering-Bullaring Rovers Football Club, ‘Records, 1958-1978’, J.S. Battye Library, State Library of Western Australia, 1958.
Yealering Football Club was a member of the Wickepin Football Association (WFA) and joined the Corrigin Football Association after the WFA dissolved in 1961. Yealering then amalgamated with the Bullaring Football Club in 1968 to form the Yealering-Bullaring Rovers Football Club. The archive contains account receipts of Yealering Football Club (1961-1966), minute books (1958-1978) and records of the annual general meeting of Wickepin Football Association (1961). TH.