The urban development of Surrey Hills occurred largely followed the extension of the railway to Lilydale from 1882 and by the late 1880s a variety of sporting and other cultural clubs and societies had been established, many being associated with the local churches. Ken James researched this book for the Surrey Hills Historical Society, of which he is a member, using material and photos from the Surrey Hills Historical Society collection, material from TROVE and other sources. There is a history of 82 groups and where possible dates of operation are included.music, basketball, bowls, cricket, cycling, football, golf, gymnastics, hurling, netball, rifle shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, squash, walking, brass bands, choral groups, debating, dramatic clubs, musical club, operatic society, surrey hills orchestra, quadrille, rose club, our holy redeemer church, surrey hills church of christ, surrey hills methodist church, st stephens presbyterian church, australian natives association, balwyn combined, catholic young men's society, surrey hills baptist church, surrey hills independent order of rechabites, wyclif congregational church, surrey hills college, hockey, chatham netball club, blue bell tennis club, benson street methodist church, our ladies wattle park, surrey hills state school old scholars tennis club, surrey squash centre, surrey hills neighbourhood centre, cantrices ladies choir, surrey hills choristers, surrey hills everleigh private amateur dramatic club, field naturalists, holy redeemer basketball, holy trinity basketball, surrey hills church of christ basketball, holy trinity church of england, surrey hills methodist basketball, surrey hills presbyterian basketball, surrey hills bowls club, surrey hills ladies bowls club, surrey hills ana bowls club, surrey hills ior bowls club, balwyn combined cricket club, holy redeemer young men's society cricket club, holy trinity cricket club, surrey hills ana cricket club, surrey hills baptist cricket club, surrey hills church of christ cricket club, surrey hills cricket club, surrey hills ior cricket club, surrey hills junior cricket club, surrey hills methodist cricket club, surrey park combine cricket club, wyclif congregational cricket club, wyclif uniting cricket club, wyclif cricket club, surrey hills cycling club, venture cycle, venture cycling club, surrey hills neighbourhood centre cycling group, balwyn combined football club, surrey college football club, surrey hills combined football club, holy redeemer young men's society football club

South Hawthorn United were premiers of A Division, Eastern Suburban Protestant Churches FA in 1931. Scores EHU 8-9 d Box Hill United 6-12. (No goal or best players recorded) Other teams in A Division were Balwyn Baptist, Box Hill Combine, Hawthorn C/C, Prahran/Malvern C/C, Highfield Rd, C/C (Glen Iris), Surrey Hills Methodist. Holy Trinity Kew competed in B Division. (Research: Ian Job)Small silver plated trophy on a brown bakelite stand, awarded to A.C. Seidel who was part of the South Hawthorn United Football Club premiership team in 1931. "S.H.U.F.C / Premiers 1931 /A. C. Seidel"south hawthorn united football club, a c seidel, eastern suburban churches football association, trophies

In 1940 The Surrey Hills Church of Christ team played in A Grade of the Eastern Suburbs Protestant Churches Football Association. Other clubs competing that season were: Spring Road Methodist, Glendearg Grove Methodist, Burwood Protestant, St.Marys Church of England, Balwyn United, Box Hill Adelphian and Box Hill United. Alan Sneddon played in the team. The inauguration of the Association took place at a meeting held at Camberwell Methodist School Office on the 19 March 1923. The following churches were represented at this meeting: Auburn Presbyterian, Kew Presbyterian, Hawthorn Presbyterian, Camberwell Methodist, Canterbury Methodist and St Marks Church of England, Burke Road and Holy Trinity Church of England, Surrey Hills. From 1923 to 1992 there were at least 160 clubs / teams that competed through the various grades with many of these combining & /or changing names, as well as those that competed irregularly. Black and white photo of the 1940 Surrey Hills Church of Christ football team with the Eastern Suburbs Football Association premiers flag in the background. The team includes 18 players, an umpire and 3 club officials, the later are centrally seated and one holds the premiership cup.Black and white photo measuring L 20.4 cm x H 15.4 cm mounted on its original presentation folder, which is mounted on card. The photographer's details are beneath the photo on the original mount, partially obscured by the descriptive label. The script is indecipherable.On back of card in Jocelyn Hall's writing: "Have 5 of these studio photos. / One is marked 'ORIGINAL' / ( - safekeeping) / This is Centre copy".churches, espcfa, surrey hills church of christ, football, football clubs, sporting clubs, eastern suburbs protestant churches football association, alan sneddon

Caption indicates that the Surrey Hills Church of Christ football team was not only A Grade Premiers in 1938, but also Premiers B Grade in 1935 and Runners-up in C Grade in 1934. Identification per caption as follows: Back row L to R: I T Robertson, K Balding, R T Hayes, M Holmyard (Hon Treasurer) Centre row L to R: M Neilson, L Weeks, F Hayes, A C Sneddon (Hon Secretary), J Andrews, K Webster, J McNiesh. Front row L to R: J F H Peers (Vice-President), R Watkins, K Turnley, E Little (Captain), F Neilson (Vice-Captain), M Neilson, R Weeks, W Nankivell (President). The inauguration of the Association took place at a meeting held at Camberwell Methodist School Office on the 19 March 1923. The following churches were represented at this meeting: Auburn Presbyterian, Kew Presbyterian, Hawthorn Presbyterian, Camberwell Methodist, Canterbury Methodist and St Marks Church of England, Burke Road and Holy Trinity Church of England, Surrey Hills. From 1923 to 1992 there were at least 160 clubs / teams that competed through the various grades with many of these combining & /or changing names, as well as those that competed irregularly.Black and white studio photo of the 1938 Surrey Hills Church of Christ football team with the ESPCFA A Grade Premiers flag in the background. The team includes 17 players and 2 club officials, seated at each end of the front row. The premiership cup is on the floor in centre position.Black and white photo measuring L 20.6 cm x H 15.4 cm mounted on its original brown mount with darker brown borders; the original mount is not glued to the standard cream mount card.72.681 in biro in top RH corner; COURTESY: ALAN SNEDDON in biro beneath the printed identification of the team members. On rear of original mount card in Jocelyn hall's writing: "Have 5 extra copies of this ORIGINAL / in our separate (ORIGINAL) COLLECTION" - PARTIALLY UNDERLINED. On back of the loose cream mount card in Jocelyn Hall's writing: "This ORIGINAL at Centre as have / 5 more ORIGINALS (same) in separate / ORIGINAL collection" in black biro; also "Football / dark card (underlined) in pencil.churches, espcfa, surrey hills church of christ, football, football clubs, sporting clubs, i t robertson, k balding, r t hayes, m holmyard, m neilson, l weeks, f hayes, a c sneddon, j andrews, k webster, j mcniesh, j f h peers, r watkins, k turnley, e little, f neilson, r weeks, w nankivell, eastern suburbs protestant churches football association, alan sneddon