By Jesse Graham
A GROWING collection of pre-war Healesville Football Club memorabilia and history will be on display at Healesville Library until the end of the year, and the club is calling for donations.
The display cabinet at the Healesville Library at the Community Link on River Street is currently laden with historical notes, photographs, books and trophies from before 1945, which will be on display until the end of December.
Club historian Robert Nolan, who organised and set up the display, said the club had recently received information about players in the club before World War II, where records are scarce.
From notes to donated trophies, Mr Nolan has put up the display to try and document more of the club’s history, and to call for anyone who might have information or old memorabilia to come forward.
“In the 60s, the club decided we better start putting up some old records – a few of the old blokes said ‘Let’s start from ’45 onward,’ … and that’s what they did, but there’s nothing pre,” Mr Nolan said.
“It’s going to take a lifetime to do.”
He said he had scoured history website Trove and items donated to the club to find out more about the club’s pre-war past, and had discovered one of the players had amassed five Best and Fairest medals – a record for the club.
He also discovered that two players, Len Phillips and George Potter, were life members of the old league – but has no details on whether they were life members of the Healesville club, and wants descendants or family members to come forward with information.
“I have an inkling that they might be,” Mr Nolan said.
“If someone’s a life member of the club or something like that, it’s generally pretty well-known in the family – it’s a great honour, and it’s something that you just don’t forget.”
To see the display, or for more information about donating, visit the Healesville Library at 110 River Street, Healesville.
