Query Birth of the Siren

[NarrowMind]

Just a quick question, and apologies if this has been covered elsewhere on this forum, but does anyone have any idea of when the VFL shifted from using bells to sirens?

 

[blueycarlton]

Just a quick question, and apologies if this has been covered elsewhere on this forum, but does anyone have any idea of when the VFL shifted from using bells to sirens?

Coburg replaced its bell with a siren in 1939. Carlton installed its siren in 1949.

 

[NarrowMind]

Thank you very much for that.

 

[blueycarlton]

Thank you very much for that.

Trove: Herald June 04 1949 p1

How The Bell (And Siren) Tolled - The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954) - 4 Jun 1949

Appropos the controversy over bell or siren, both weer effective at the end of the first quarter at League football ...

trove.nla.gov.au

An article comparing the bell to the siren.
Collingwood - bell
South Melbourne - bell
Melbourne - bell
Carlton - siren
Geelong - siren
Footscray - four electric bells around the ground.
All worked fine on the day and the umpire had no problem in hearing them.

 

[blueycarlton]

When Carlton played Southern Tasmania in Hobart 23 June 1888 on the Risdon ground (no longer in existence) electric bell/s were used to signal the end of the quarters.

"When the electric bell rang out the first quarter...."
"Shorty after this the electric clock, which had been placed in fine working order by Mr. Thomas Self, rang out the finish..."
(Trove: Tasmanian News June 25 p2)

 

[Michael Riley]

Most football grounds did not get electricity until the late 1920's and thirties. I am guessing that there were trials during that period.

I am guessing that air raid sirens in WW2 also had an impact on the changeover to electric sirens.

 

[Michael Riley]

experiment at SMFG 1930 - FOOTBALL. (1930, June 16). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 15. Retrieved June 19, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4093680

 

[Michael Riley]

1949 at Carlton - https://www.blueseum.org/Princes+Park

 

[ThePope]

I am guessing that air raid sirens in WW2 also had an impact on the changeover to electric sirens.

Fremantle Oval still uses it's famous air raid siren. No idea when it was first used.

 

[Our Game]

I know some VFA grounds still used the bell up to the 1950s.

 

[kangaroo7]

North Melbourne used a siren at Arden St in Round 6 1945. But the umpire requested at three quarter time that the bell be used as well. The old bell persisted there for a few years more. On some occasions it was not heard, particularly Round 7 1949 when the umpire and several players did not hear it at the end of the match. Play continued and North scored a goal to win by that margin.

Some clubs were reluctant to change to a siren or other electrical device for fear of a power failure, a more common event in those days.

 

[Kingpin]

I believe the first ground in Tasmania to use a siren to start and end quarters was "The Gravel" (Queenstown Oval) on the West Coast.
They used a siren borrowed from the Mt Lyell Mines to use each Saturday!