Research Missing DOD or DOB for League players (AFL)

[Gibbsy]

Trying to update GreyCrow 's old missing DOD list to something representing where we are at in 2024. It was previously last updated in November 2021 so there was a bit of work to do. I've removed the ID numbers at the start as they were from the old list almost a decade ago and have no relevance now with so many in between 'found'.

This has been quite a laborious task going back and finding all the notes for each of these cases, so bear with me while I complete the table intermittently. Some of the names listed may have been 'found' since Nov 2021, so I'll eventually remove them too, if so. Cheers!

Missing DODs/possibly living V/AFL footballers as at 20 February 2024

Player name	Full name	D.O.B.	Career	Notes
Des Bell	Desmond Clyde Bell	23 May 1923	Melb 1946–48	Alive in Aug 2022
Harry Brown	Harold Francis Brown	[?] [?] 1902	StK 1927	Thought by AFL to be Henry John Brown, DOB 16 Oct 1903 (unlikely) Played for Caulfield and Hawksburn prior to StK H. Brown transferred StK > Camberwell H. F. Brown (same guy?) went C'well > Coll. District
Otto Buck	Samuel Otto John Buck	15 Nov 1876	Carl 1897	Last confirmed existence in Mildura, 1917 (electoral roll); extensive notes on Ancestry here but no DOD Did not die in 1946 as some trees claim (different Samuel Buck)
Jack Cliff	Jack Louis Cliff	23 May 1919	StK 1940–42	Played for West Broken Hill prior to StK AFL/SR says: became a 'gangster', killed in unmarked grave Last confirmed existence in Elwood, 1980 (electoral roll)
Frank Corby	Eugene Francis Corby	24 Dec 1924	Coll 1948	Lawrence William Corby was Frank's brother, not a pseudonym Previous Coll FC contact with family did not reveal DOD
Fred Coulsell	Frederick Rowland Coulsell	17 Dec 1905	NM 1927; Ess 1931	Ancestry tree shows DOD of 16 Jun 1997 at Beenleigh, QLD This is a solid lead, but we need confirmation
Bobby Craig	Robert Ritchie Craig	29 Mar 1882	Melb 1902	Born in Williamstown (Aus), moved to Scotland by 1901 (census) Departed Liverpool for Argentina in 1913, married in Scotland in 1914 Brother Andrew buried in Dromana (Aus) in 1982
Max Glass	Maxwell Herbert Glass	2 Oct 1925	SM 1945	Last confirmed existence in Jan 1999 (possibly near Coffs Harbour) Living in Rye, 1980 (electoral roll), has a son also named Maxwell (John)
Gordon Green	Gordon Stanley Green	31 May 1925	NM 1942	Alive in Jul 2018
Bill Hearn	Roger Musgrove Hearn	4 Mar 1913	Rich 1935	Initially thought by AFL to be Roy William Hearn (unlikely) Played for Minyip from 1937–39, where he was referred to as Roger ("Bill") Hearn AFL/SR says: enlisted in WW2 as William Hearn, strong links to Ballarat, death year of 1974 touted in some Ancestry trees
Charlie Jenkins	William Charles Jenkins	21 Aug 1874	Fitz 1898	Thought by AFL to be Charles Herbert Jenkins, DOB 17 Jun 1878, cousin of Ern Jenkins (unlikely) Jenkins often called himself Charles William instead of William Charles He transferred to Fitzroy in 1894 Ancestry tree shows DOD of 1 Jun 1956 Seems like we have it figured out, looks like we are waiting to confirm a la Fred Coulsell?
Edmund Kirwin	Edmund Kirwin	31 Mar 1876	StK 1898	Kirwin's brother Maurice died in 1960 Kirwin was an established cricketer for St Kilda CC; CricketArchive records list an Edward Kirwan (diff spelling both names), DOB 1872, DOD 20 Feb 1929 Michael Kirwen (again, diff spelling) listed as brother of Maurice, died in 1952, but no mention of Edmund, despite the fact they were also brothers
Billy Leahy	William Francis Roy Leahy	7 Mar 1911	Foot 1934–36	Leahy's mother died in 1957 in Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia; death notice makes no mention of Billy Shipping record shows Leahy sailed to South Africa on 2 Jan 1948, aged 36 Leahy first moved to South Africa in late 1937, aged 26 Leahy's supposed grandson makes contact with Oliver G in Nov 2022 saying that some information posted is incorrect, but he didn't specify and hasn't been heard from since
Tom Lee	Thomas Francis Lee	11 Dec 1874	Coll 1897–98	Lee's mother Elizabeth appears to have died on the day of his birth There are no death notices for any of his relatives that have died Ancestry trees and death notices suggest he died before 1915, possibly before 1904
George Lockwood	George Lockwood	6 Dec 1872	Geel 1899–1901; Coll 1902–04	AFL/SR says: possible death year of 1946(unlikely) A George Hislop Lockwood died overseas in war in 1917 (inconclusive) Lockwood lived until at least 1944 according to death notice of relative Lockwood's twin Teddy died in 1953 The Lockwood lineage looks as so
Joe Marchant	[?]	[?] c. 1884	StK 1904	Thought by AFL to be John Albert Marchant, DOB 11 Sep 1884 in NSW (unlikely) No transfer details; "The Encyclopedia" lists him as Joseph Marchant
Jim McDonald	James William McDonald	[?] [?] 1913	Melb 1942	Thought by AFL/SR to be James Kenneth McDonald, DOB 24 Jun 1916 (unlikely) Brother of Alan McDonald, player (1939–43) and coach (1957–60) of Richmond From Leongatha, still with Melb in early 1943 A permit of J. W. McDonald (could be Jim?) from Melb to Rich in Jun 1943 J. W. went from Rich to Camberwell in 1945 alongside (brother?) Alan Alan's son had supposedly been in touch with AFL/CH in Jun 2018 to provide Jim K.'s DOD, but heard nothing since Rhett made contact with Alan's daughter in Mar 2020, but heard nothing since Vic BDM search suggests James William, died 1984 in Meeniyan, is our man Looks like this one could be fairly close to being tied up
Jack McKenzie	John James McKenzie	19 Aug 1908	Ess 1929	Son of John Joseph 'Dookie' McKenzie (1881–1946) Married Lorna Davis Ireland in 1933, divorced in 1939 Listed as deceased in father Dookie's death notice, so McKenzie's death is presumed between Jul 1939 and Mar 1946
Alf Neeson	Alfred Carl Frank Neeson	15 Jun 1914	Fitz 1935–36; Haw 1936–38	DOB thought in early research to be 5 June 1914 due to war records (proven false via Vic BDM) Joined Army in early 1935 and discharged later that year Was arrested in 1939 for stealing a car, changed his name at some point around this time to Alfred Briggs Married Ivy McRae/Seale in 1940 as Alfred M. Briggs Potentially interchanging use of Briggs/Neeson names, was in WA goldfields region in late 1940s Former wife Ivy died in 1974 Further evidence suggesting Alf swapped between Briggs & Neeson throughout his life AFL/SR says: suggest Alf used Alfred Milton Briggs as a full name; Alfred and Ivy on Kalgoorlie electoral roll in 1949 Further SR research; no Briggs in Kalgoorlie cemetery Alma Seale (sister of Ivy Briggs)'s daughter Winifred moved to Frankston before 1980 Winifred contacted Rhett in Nov 2017 but only had vague memories of Alf SR: No response from New Norcia Monastery (potential lead from Winifred) Genealogist with history of researching Alf says he married at least once, possibly twice more after Ivy, and Milton Kenneth Briggs is possibly an adopted son
Mick O'Hagan	Michael Joseph O'Hagan	22 Jan 1878	StK 1897	Michael Joseph O'Hagan studied pharmacy at Melb Uni in 1895; mentioned in court case in 1908 as being from Nathalia His sister, Mary Terese, died in 1970 aged 90; death notice lists Mick as deceased Some questioning over whether Michael Joseph is our man given lack of quality of early St Kilda player records Given contemporaries and schooling, confident that he is the right man
George Prismall	George Henry Prismall	10 Mar 1915	Ess 1935	Served in British Merchant Navy during WWII Mother was Gladys Prismall (1893–1980), who didn't marry His sister, Phyllis Catherine, died in 2014 Last existence, living in Earls Court (Aussie hotspot) circa 1947–48
Sam Reid	Samuel Alexander Reid	17 Jun 1872	Carl 1897	Parents were likely James Reid and Ann Eliza Reid (nee Ralston) Probably not the Samuel Reid 50 Samuel Reid Age 34 Ht 188cm Wt 85kg Pos. Def Career Season Last 5 D 12.4 3star K 6.5 3star HB 5.9 4star M 3.1 3star T 3.0 5star MG 176.3 3star No current season stats available D 12.6 4star K 4.0 2star HB 8.6 5star M 3.4 4star T 4.6 5star that died in 1949 and may have lived in Japan (different parents to those listed on Blueseum)
Arch Robinson	Archibald Robinson	9 Jul 1890	Rich 1911	Served in AIF during WWI; Army records suggest he was born in 1888, not 1890 Divorced Edith Robinson Whitehead in 1921 Was often misnamed as Robertson
Ray Ross	Raymond Paul Ross	2 May 1900	Ess 1921	Ross is not the Rich/StK player Raymond Roberts Ross, from a similar era Potential that Raymond Paul Ross changed his name to Raymond Paul Elliott and died in 1980 (same mother) More ruling out of other people (aka Raymond Roberts Ross) Permit for an R. Ross going from Ess > NM in Rd 4, 1922 Raymond Paul Ross was not a jeweller listed in 1921 (different guy)
Jim Smith	James William Smith	11 Feb 1887	SM 1906	No research listed on BF! Have at it, team!
Alby Williams	Albert Joseph Williams	3 Aug 1916	NM 1943	Married Doris Vivienne Williams (nee Jackman) in 1940 When Doris passed away in 1964, Alby was still listed as alive in her death notice
Bill Woods	William Cross Woods	[?] [?] 1881	Geel 1909	Thought by AFL to be William Henry Woods, DOB 31 Aug 1890 (unlikely) Then believed to be William Woods, born 1890 in Portarlington, enlisted in First AIF in 1915 and returned to Aus in 1919 Potential cremation date 6 July 1972 in Springvale Initial scepticism from AFL/SR; mention of brother called Ike Potential match of William Cross Woods (1881–1959) Third son of Emma and Isaac Woods (potentially William's parents) died in 1891 Discovery of alternate surname Burgess which seemed to be used interchangeably with Woods DOD of William Cross Woods listed as 3 Aug 1959 in Geelong Info on William's son Isaac Detailed family tree of William Cross Woods, refuting AFL/SR likely incorrect beliefs that he was still William Henry Woods AFL/SR still pushing back on William Cross Burial info on Woods' potential wife Adeline Alice Suggestion for AFL to purchase Woods' mother's death certificate to glean more information This one feels very close and gettable