Discussion Defunct VFA Club Memorabilia - Records

[Michael Riley]

There is no VFA museum or other place for preserving old VFA jumpers and club photo, and archive collections.

I was wondering if anyone knew about any club collections that still exist. Personally, I am interested in scanning and making old photos available to a wider community, but I am also interested in whether any collections still survive...Maybe at a local history society or inherited by another club...even privately held?

Also if someone did have a few old items they wanted to preserve or donate...who can they donate it too?

The State Library for example has all the VFL/AFL records scanned and online. They virtually have nothing from the VFA.

 

[Derby103]

There is no VFA museum or other place for preserving old VFA jumpers and club photo, and archive collections.

I was wondering if anyone knew about any club collections that still exist. Personally, I am interested in scanning and making old photos available to a wider community, but I am also interested in whether any collections still survive...Maybe at a local history society or inherited by another club...even privately held?

Also if someone did have a few old items they wanted to preserve or donate...who can they donate it too?

The State Library for example has all the VFL/AFL records scanned and online. They virtually have nothing from the VFA.

The Sunshine Historical Society recently received eight boxes of memorabilia from the former secretary of the Sunshine Football Club. I had a look through it, and it was quite interesting. Old photos, annual reports, trophies, etc. I think the stuff had been sitting in his garage for 20 years or so.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

The Sunshine Historical Society recently received eight boxes of memorabilia from the former secretary of the Sunshine Football Club. I had a look through it, and it was quite interesting. Old photos, annual reports, trophies, etc. I think the stuff had been sitting in his garage for 20 years or so.

I think this would generally be the case. I think I remember hearing a similar story about Dandenong.

There have been a few books written on the history of VFA clubs - Caulfield, Waverley for a start. Melbourne Sports Books is a good place to start.

 

[West_Coast_Eagles]

From my understanding all the history and records from the former vfa house that was located in jollimont is in storage. Yes it's still around they just haven't had someone have the time to document each item and take photos or preserve it in some way.

Contact the afl historian I think his name is col he may be able to point you in the right direction.

Afl Victoria has some vfa memorabilia in its entrance at princess park a few cabinets of trophies and the like.

It's still there hasn't been chucked out just needs to be documented and I don't think they have had someone to do it.

 

[Michael Riley]

It is great news, that the archives are still there. I will contact Col about it. And am sure that it would be a big job to document it all. It would be an interesting treasure trove.

 

[wizardwaffle]

It is great news, that the archives are still there. I will contact Col about it. And am sure that it would be a big job to document it all. It would be an interesting treasure trove.

Col Hutchison isn't full time at the AFL anymore. His position has been taken by Cameron Sinclair. I don't know what his knowledge is of the VFA and its history, but he is the new AFL Statistician.

 

[Michael Riley]

I wrote to the VFL/VFA to ask if they have any official history committee... I will be interested in their response....I hope it is positive.

There seems to be strong activism regarding football history on the internet, on all topics including Police, VFA, International, Interstate and a crossover into family history. But there is not yet be a crossover into the real world.

For all the great work of local history societies, there are not many who embrace creative commons, flickr, or the internet. They can also be physically remote and only open a few hours a week (on a workday). They also are much less responsive to someone taking lots of photos of their collection than a local library or the State Library are.

Without some central co-ordination:
-there is no-one providing advice to clubs/Leagues about what to protect or how to stop items
-There is no-one considering a wider collection policy for photos/items
-Who is interviewing the old players, highlighting holes in collections?

I think about family history. Think about how many people today research their family history and are looking for photos of their ancestors and storys about what they have done. Football has all that.

If the VFL has not history group then I think that the internet community has a chance to step up and help.

One of the biggest issues with volunteers is that they are not skilled in I.T....
I suppose our biggest issue is that we want the material out in the public domain where possible.

The NSW Australian Rules History society is an interesting model for non-VFL history
http://nswfootballhistory.com.au/

 

[Civilest]

Drop in on Santo at Melbourne Sports Books. He knows Marc Fiddian who wrote and published most of the vfa club histories. I reckon they would be a good source of info.

 

[Civilest]

Drop in on Santo at Melbourne Sports Books. He knows Marc Fiddian who wrote and published most of the vfa club histories. I reckon they would be a good source of info.

Another thought occurred to me. Getting old so not sure how accurate it is, but I remember hearing one Edward McGuire had vfa footage from his channel 10 days but may have lost some in a house fire. Can anyone confirm or deny???? Maybe you can ring his radio show and ask.

 

[Michael Riley]

I hadn't thought to ask Marc Fiddian, or at least have a look in the back of his books for where he found his reference material.

Thanks

 

[australianfootball]

So much VFA history has been lost, literally thrown out with the rubbish, especially when clubs moved and disbanded, but also during regular 'spring cleanings' and when senior officials retired (taking boxes of material with them!). I suspect a vast amount of additional material was 'lost' between the late 1980s and mid 90s when the VFA was in its death throes. I have heard about the supposed storage container full of archival material but I have not yet confirmed its existence, or accessability.

There are a number of passionate supporters and collectors who are trying to preserve VFA history - one who we have come in contact with is John Ficarra, who for many years has collected VFA Recorders, club annual reports, and newspapers. We ran a blog on our site that highlighted his appeal for more Recorders.

http://australianfootball.com/articles/view/On+the+trail+of+VFA+history/639

 

[Michael Riley]

Hmmmm

This is why the AFL needs a central museum rather than rely on club museums. The other alternative is that AFHG could lead in this area by building their own collection (such as the Football Heritage Group has in NSW), but this does not look like a promising option either.

A third option would be for the current VFL had some sort of honorary historian or history committee then this could at least lobby for this process.

 

[SJ]

Hmmmm

This is why the AFL needs a central museum rather than rely on club museums. The other alternative is that AFHG could lead in this area by building their own collection (such as the Football Heritage Group has in NSW), but this does not look like a promising option either.

A third option would be for the current VFL had some sort of honorary historian or history committee then this could at least lobby for this process.

The AFL sort of has one at the NSM... but unfortunately it is exactly that. A VFL/AFL museum.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

History is written by the victors

 

[The_Wookie]

History is written by the victors

Well yes and no in this case. In this case the lack of history is at least partially due to negligence on the part of organisations not under VFL/AFL control. The VFA/VFL/AFL Victoria didnt come under league control until midway through 2012.

 

[Registered User]

You might've seen this, but there are about 2000 photos on this fantastic Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/VFA-Footy-The-Halcyon-Days/183319391711258?sk=photos_albums

 

[Riccardo11]

There appears to be a lack of memorabilia and merchandise even for those clubs that survived the VFA and have moved into the VFL.

Even my club Port Melbourne and our old rival Williamstown, who are two of the oldest clubs in Victoria and easily the most well known outside the AFL, have almost no historical memorabilia and small amounts of merchandise, though this has been on the rise since I have been going to matches, but it largely consists of jumpers, scarves, hats and polo shirts, and then a tiny amount of merch like stubby holders and key rings. Most of the clubs don't even have that much, I tried to buy a scarf when we visited Coburg, as I am interested in having one for each of the older clubs to display, but they had absolutely nothing!

 

[Michael Riley]

There appears to be a lack of memorabilia and merchandise even for those clubs that survived the VFA and have moved into the VFL.

I think that the web community can help with this. I have a notice about donations on my website (http://boylesfootballphotos.net.au/tiki-index.php?page=Donations). It is the 4th most popular page on my site....which shows that there is an interest out there. ( I will make a note on the page about Port and Willy.

It would help if the VFA/VFL had someone responsible for donations. At the moment if someone says they have memorabilia there is no one to refer them to.

 

[Michael Riley]

From my understanding all the history and records from the former vfa house that was located in jollimont is in storage. Yes it's still around they just haven't had someone have the time to document each item and take photos or preserve it in some way.
Contact the afl historian I think his name is col he may be able to point you in the right direction.
Afl Victoria has some vfa memorabilia in its entrance at princess park a few cabinets of trophies and the like.
It's still there hasn't been chucked out just needs to be documented and I don't think they have had someone to do it.

I talked tom Col at the AFHG Meeting....And the AFL has no VFA records from VFA House...or any other significant collection.

If the records did exist....the are no more

 

[The_Wookie]

I talked tom Col at the AFHG Meeting....And the AFL has no VFA records from VFA House...or any other significant collection.

If the records did exist....the are no more

Thats appaling if true, especially since the AFL acquired the VFA/VFL/Football Victoria/AFL Victoria and its assets in 2011.

 

[Michael Riley]

There seems to be a building interest in the pre VFL era, and I think that the records, especially the pre 1897 records would have been welcomed with open arms.

 

[Riccardo11]

No, the AFL likes to pretend that football sprung up in 1897 out of nowhere, anything other than the formation of the game or the Victorian based AFL clubs from before that time doesn't tend to be acknowledged at all.

 

[The_Wookie]

No, the AFL likes to pretend that football sprung up in 1897 out of nowhere, anything other than the formation of the game or the Victorian based AFL clubs from before that time doesn't tend to be acknowledged at all.

technically, they arent responsible for the history of other organisations or the maintainence of such. This may have changed now that 5 states and territories are under the administrative control of the Commission.

 

[SJ]

technically, they arent responsible for the history of other organisations or the maintainence of such. This may have changed now that 5 states and territories are under the administrative control of the Commission.

But surely as 'keeper of the code' they have a responsibility to the history of that code.

 

[Riccardo11]

technically, they arent responsible for the history of other organisations or the maintainence of such. This may have changed now that 5 states and territories are under the administrative control of the Commission.

No, of course not, but they could at least pretend to acknowledge the fact that the VFA meant a lot to a number of people over the years, rather than glossing over it or ignoring it entirely, especially now they are technically responsible for that organization in it's current model.