AV0042T

SUBJECT: _ The Early History of the East Burwood Football Club

Interview with Mrs Lorna Davis - 16 Newhaven Rd. East Road East Burwood
Date: 30 Sept. 2005.

(As Mrs Davis (nee Hunter) is partially blind, she had her daughter Barbara Butler (nee
Davis) supporting her.)

Pat Richardson interviewing. ( Result - Tape of interview and 6 transcript

Lorna: “I said I never remember any talk of a football club in East Burwood in (1915)
— well, I would only be four years old then - but my parents like, (Victor and Florence
Hunter) lived around in Tally Ho. Well, I mean, everybody knew everybody else and I
never remember any football being there. Like, I wouldn't at four of course, but I didn’t
think there was a football club till early in the 1920s after the First World War.”

(Told records may have begun in 1922)
Lorna: * Well that would be more like it”.

(Asked who F.A. Mock was - president in 1922)
Lorna: “W. Mock it would have been — Walter Mock.”

(Shown that W. Mock was president later )
Lorna: “Well the only F. Mock would have been Fred Mock and he was younger than
me, so if wouldn't have been him, unless Mr. Mock had a — (relative) but I can remember
going to the football up here, (East Burwood) and I reckon 1 went when it first started. It
must have been in the early twenties. 1 was going to school. I can remember that!
(Shown a 1927 picture of husband which she has difficulty seeing clearly)
Lorna to Barbara: “That's at Ferntree Gully is it?’

(Another man pointed out was Lorna’s brother, Victor Hunter)
Lorna: “That's the first year he (Stan Davis) ever played and that was taken up at the Ferntree Gully Football Club!™.

(Asked if they were married then)
Lorna laughing: “We weren’t married then. He was only 17 then.”

(Some discussion follows as to the position of Stan Davis in another photograph)
Lorna: “He went under the name of Keane, his mother’s second husband’s name. They
always called him Stan Keane.”

(Further conversation follows which is not related and hard to hear. Mrs Davis gets up
to look for football photos. She looks closely at one photo for Walter Mock)
Lorna: “Is he there? I reckon he originated the East Burwood team that I remember
started. There was the Allan boys. Two of his daughters (Walter Mock’s) married two
Allan men. There were three Allan boys and they married three Mock girls but two were
one family (Mock) and one was from another (Mock). Jock (Allan) didn’t play football
but Tom and Dave did.”

(Further conversation with daughter follows about the location of old photos)
Lorna: “My first recollection of East Burwood football Club they had a fancy dress
football match and Florrie’s father (James H. Tainton) was a sailor and another man was
a back to front (?) and I can remember going up to the football club and they’re all
up running round and they had this - and I sort of think that must have been one of the things that started it off. It would have to be in the early twenties because I was born in 1911, and I was still going to school when the football started - when the club started there, because Victor (brother Victor Hunter) played for Burwood first, then he went to Vermont, then I reckon when East Burwood started, he came and played there and I think he was captain for donkey's years. (Discussion about old photo). Lorna: "Stan, he would have been 17 then. So I would have been 15." (Asked if she knew him then.) Lorna: "Yes. I started going to the football - I started going out with him when I was 16. I started going to the football - and he was a swimmer and I used to go to the swimming matches with him". (Asked where they were held) Lorna: "He used to belong to the Surrey Park, the Surrey Dive, and he used to swim in the three milers and nobody ever talked about it. It was held in the Yarra. They had. it every year". (Further discussion about photographs and the letters RDA on one) Lorna: "That was the local paper - The Reporter f (Asked if she could remember any of the other teams that played) Lorna: "Scoresby, Vermont, Mitcham, Ferntree Gully must have been in it" (the photograph had been taken there). Lorna: "The Scoresby District one, (League) they were premiers and champions in the Scoresby District for three years. They never lost a match! Then they went -- they were so good they were beating everybody. Then they went in the Federal League and that's when they had to change the jumpers, because some other team in the Federal League had the black and white stripes, so they had to change their jumpers and that's how they came to wear the black with the medallion on. (Discussion on photos and where they were taken) Lorna to Barbara: "There's one of Dad (Stan Davis) where he wasn't picked and he had an overcoat on. I think it was at Ferny Creek. I think dad (Stan) started in 1927'. (Looking at 1929 photo) Lorna: "That's Mr. Schwab on the end. He was the trainer. Charlie Sanders is on one of them on the end". (What was East Burwood like in those days?) Lorna: "Oh, all orchards and market gardens. Nothing else! And the Cool Store! I remember there was Mrs Sanders house and then there was the cool store and then there was the shop (their butcher shop) and then there was the grocery shop". * (Discussion about locations with daughter – deciding the cool store was approximately where the car yard is now (2005)) (Talking more about the cool store) Lorna: "My dad (Victor Hunter) used to take fruit there. The original one got burned down, and they re-built it. Caught on fire or something". (Discussion between Mrs. Davis and daughter Barbara about locations of old photos. When found it also contained a page of the Weekly Times dated 21 September 1918 - Annual Conference of Victorian Central Fruitgrowers Association) Lorna: "That's taken in 1917. A lady gave me that. It's a Fruitgrowers Convention. 2
Lorna: “In the middle somewhere is old grandfather Tainton. Colin’s great-grandfather. (Colin Tainton was a great East Burwood player of the 1950°s) My dad and Mr. Pepperell are on the end there somewhere and it was a Fruitgrowers Convention so

the First World war would have still been on then «

(Asked if any football was played during the war)

Lorna: “I don’t think so. No! No! I had three uncles- dad had three brothers go to the

war and one got killed and they would have mentioned something about football — well

two of them I’m sure would have played”.

(Further discussion about old photos)

Lorna laughing: * There's a Federal League photo which dad (Stan Davis) wasn’t in because his motor bike broke down and he never got over here. They used to take them in a truck.”

(Asked about the condition of the roads around East Burwood in the early 1920s)
Lorna: * Burwood Highway — my first recollection was like a dirt road, but Burwood Road was made before Springvale Road. Springvale Road wasn’t done till, well when you kids (to Barbara) were getting big then, before Springvale Road was ever sealed, round by Auntie Florrie’s place ,down round there . Florrie was a Tainton.

There were six men Tainton,s and four sisters. There were ten Taintons.

(Discussion follows about the location of the Tainton farms)

Lorna: “All his (Joseph Tainton’s) sons lived round about. Bert and Harold - they had orchards in Vermont, but there was Perc, Jim, Ida’s father Willie, Auntie Dorrie’s father ( Joe), and the two brothers lived next door to one another in Springvale Road -you know here Wobbies World is, (now becoming a nursery — 2005), well that was Auntie Florrie’s father’s place (James Henry Tainton) and another brother lived next door. Perc Tamton lived next door to his old grandfather’s (Joseph Tainton) and this Sybil and Wallace Williams - she was a Tainton - they lived opposite.”

“They owned all that from Tainton Road (close to Blackburn Road) up to where our shop was, (East Burwood) where dad bought the land *.

Barbara : “They owned land way up to Eley road and then they owned a lot this side to Highbury Road.”

Lorna: “We're almost on their property here (Newhaven Road, East Burwood) but not quite. It was more Sanders because the pipe track goes that way. It goes from Mitcham to Mount Waverley. It starts at Mitcham Reservoir and goes to Mount Waverley Reservoir. It’s water. My father (Victor Hunter) had an orchard in Tally Ho and it went down the back of his place and they all got compensated, you know. They got so much,probably 20 pound or something. They couldn’t stop them going through but it didn’t affect my dad’s property because he happened to have a paddock down the bottom of the orchard and it went through the paddock. And then it went across those Pecks then across High Street. That was done when I was about 13” (1924) What was Lorna’s involvement in East Burwood?)

Lorna: “I was on the ladies committee of the football for a few years. When we were kids, they used to have the dances — when they opened the hall — that’s on the front of the hall - I think it’s 1926 or 5 or something. It was opened by Mr. Chandler and there was a ball and I went with my parents and I would have been about 13 then I reckon. They were
every Saturday night. While the football was on there was the dance
I think they always had the euchre but the mob that didn’t dance — see most of the Taintons weren’t — in those days the older ones couldn’t dance, but the younger generation came along and learned to dance. The ladies - when [ was a girl - when I was young and in my teens going to the dances, Charlie’s mother and that Mrs. Fankhauser, they used to work i the kitchen all night. They used to make the sandwiches and make
the coffee and make the tea. They worked in the kitchen all night. They couldn’t dance.
Florrie’s father (James H. Tainton) like, none of them danced, but all the kids danced, you know.

(Why didn’t they dance? )

Lorna: “Methodists didn’t believe in dancing m those days -when they were born.
I’m not going to mention the name of the person who said it, but there was a young man in East Burwood - his father called the hall “The Devil’s Playground®. Well I could tell you who it was , but I know his son — it was Cliff Fankhauser’s father, and they were very strict Methodists. And when the hall opened he said none of his children would go there because it was the “Devil’s Playground’.

Years after, Chiff (Jr) went to dancing. It was always a joke, you know. Us young ones used to say we were going to the “Devil’s Playground’. You see Methodist people were very agamnst dancing™.

Barbara : “When [ was young (bormn 1940), the people around, they nearly all went to church.”

(Then follows short discussion about the religion)
(How long had husband Stan played football?.)

Lorna: “ I reckon eight years. I think he gave up — well he was 17 then, I think until
he was 26. He got the butcher’s shop you see. He was frightened of getting injured
cause he was i it on his own, so he gave up for that reason. It was down where the
Chemust shop s here”. (Burwood Highway, East Burwood, almost opposite Newhaven Road.) |
“We had the house next door. We bought a block of land off Mr. Perc. Tainton, eventually, after we had been marned four years. They’d built the shop (Taintons) and then my brother (Victor Hunter), and another footballer, Alf Gough -they didn’t do any good m 1t because Victor’s partner was hopeless. He’d clear off and leave him. And Stan
was out of work of course - depression times - and he knew the one (butcher)in there because he came from Surrey Hills and he (Stan) used to come and help him, and he said ~one day to him would you like to buy the shop? And Stan bought it! He didn’t know a thing about butchering cause he’d been a carpenter. Then he taught himself to be a butcher with the help of another fellow he knew, and we had the butcher shop for about 26 years I think™.

(Talking about the three years (1933, 1936 & 1937) where no officials are listed, so assuming that football was suspended for ‘The Depression’ )

Lorna: * | thought we always had a football team. I mean there were depression times and you went to the dances and paid one and six. They only ever trained of a Thursday night. I remember that! I think they kept going. Have they still got that big silver cup down there? I looked after that for years because Stan found it under the - he was caretaker of the East Burwood Hall for 20 odd years - he found it under the stage and it was all black and everything and I cleaned it up and kept it here for vears. That was given in the Federal League by a hotel™. (Best Conducted team)


Lorna: “It might have been the Second World War they didn’t play.

They wouldn’t have had a team some part of the second world war. The army took over the hall and the grounds and everything there They were called the Engineers. They had that, (the hall) and they had the back of Fred Tainton’s— they had about 20 or 30 acres of bush and paddock up the back of where we lived because 1 used to stand and watch them drilling and they were all part of the army and they took over the hall. so there were no dances or anything then, but they used to let us use the tennis courts. I think of a Saturday - and we didn’t have a competition but they used to let you play, but you weren't I think they always had the euchre but the mob that didn’t dance — see most of the Taintons weren’t — in those days the older ones couldn’t dance, but the younger generation came along and learned to dance. The ladies - when [ was a girl - when I was
young and in my teens going to the dances, Charlie’s mother and that Mrs. Fankhauser, they used to work i the kitchen all night. They used to make the sandwiches and make the coffee and make the tea. They worked in the kitchen all night. They couldn’t dance.
Florrie’s father (James H. Tainton) like, none of them danced, but all the kids danced, you know.

(Why didn’t they dance? )

Lorna: “Methodists didn’t believe in dancing m those days -when they were born.
I’m not going to mention the name of the person who said it, but there was a young man in East Burwood - his father called the hall “The Devil’s Playground®. Well I could tell you who it was , but I know his son — it was Cliff Fankhauser’s father, and they were very strict Methodists. And when the hall opened he said none of his children would go there because it was the “Devil’s Playground’.Years after, Chiff (Jr) went to dancing. It was always a joke, you know. Us young ones used to say we were going to the “Devil’s Playground’. You see Methodist people were very against dancing™.

Barbara : “When [ was young (born 1940), the people around, they nearly all went to church.”

(Then follows short discussion about the religion)
(How long had husband Stan played football?)

Lorna: “ I reckon eight years. I think he gave up — well he was 17 then, I think until
he was 26. He got the butcher’s shop you see. He was frightened of getting injured cause he was i it on his own, so he gave up for that reason. It was down where the Chemist shop s here”. (Burwood Highway, East Burwood, almost opposite Newhaven Road.) | land off Mr. Perc. Tainton, eventually, after we had been married four years. They’d built the shop (Taintons) and then my brother (Victor Hunter), and another footballer, Alf Gough -they didn’t do any good m 1t because Victor’s partner was hopeless. He’d clear off and leave him. And Stan was out of work of course - depression times - and he knew the one (butcher)in there because he came from Surrey Hills and he (Stan) used to come and help him, and he said ~one day to him would you like to buy the shop? And Stan bought it! He didn’t know a thing about butchering because he’d been a carpenter. Then he taught himself to be a butcher with the help of another fellow he knew, and we had the butcher shop for about 26 years I think™.

(Talking about the three years (1933, 1936 &19 37) where no officials are listed, so assuming that foothall was suspended for ‘The Depression’ )

Lorna: I thought we always had a football team. I mean there were depression times and you went to the dances and paid one and six. They only ever trained of a Thursday night. I remember that! I think they kept going. Have they still got that big silver cup down there? I looked after that for years because Stan found it under the - he was caretaker of the East Burwood Hall for 20 odd years - he found it under the stage and 1t
was all black and everything and I cleaned it up and kept it here for vears. That was given
in the Federal League by a hotel™. (Best Conducted team) allowed to go any other day. So they probably didn’t play football but I think they might have only been there for about 18 months or so, and then they went off to the war.
Barbara: “The hall was bigger then. It had another part. They added on to it!”
Lorna: “They had lavatories along King’s fence. 1 remember the officer-in- charge - remember our little club house? Well, that was his boudoir — he slept in there! He had his bed in there! He was the captain or whatever he was of this whole platoon thing. I don’t think possibly they might have played football then but it wouldn’t have been for long I don’t think™.

(Shown a five year gap in the records)

Lorna to Barbara: “You were born in (1940 and you were only six weeks old when we came over here to live”. ( Newhaven Road)

Barbara: ” 1 remember the army blokes being here and so they must have been there toward the end of the war”.

(Asked about following East Burwood to support the club and watch them play)

Lorna: “We went every Saturday. Before Stan and [ were married he used to work in the shop - work on Saturday - take out the meat. Everything was delivered. He used to deliver meat, come back to the shop, then I don’t know what he did then because his mother lived in Surrey Hills, and then he’d play football and then he must have come to our place, and then we went to the dance. He never went to bed on Friday nights.

Barbara: * He used to have to get the meat ready on Friday nights. It was a bit like Bob Shaw and his milk round”. (East Burwood player of the 1960°s)

Lorna: “He (Stan) used to deliver on Saturdays. He had a motor bike and side-car. | reckon he did that for a season, or a couple of seasons. Cause” he would have been only 22 or 23 then”.

(Discussion about relationships between East Burwood families )

Lorna: “ I'm not related actually, but my brother would have, because there’s lots of Taintons but there’s a lot more Fankhausers. There's hundreds of Fankhausers. Victor's (Hunter) wife’s mother was a Fankhauser, so I sort of got to know all about how they all came out here from Germany. And there was all branches of them. There was cousins and uncles. They came out because of some religious thing. They were Methodists and there must have been an upheaval or something in Germany.

(Discussion about religion follows)

(Once again referring to the 1922 date as the most likely beginning of the East Burwood Football Club) Lorna: “ I reckon that’s when they started. Because 1 can remember the football club
and I remember my brother Victor (Hunter) was 14 when he played football for
Burwood. At Warrigul Road, there used to be the Burwood Football Ground.”

(General conversation re some East Burwood football families- already mentioned).)

Lorna: “Rosalie Nankervell of Croydon had information. She certainly has a book of information on the Fankhausers™.

(A later snippet — not taped.) Lorna: “When they went in to the Federal League they played Mordialloc, Moorabin, Edithvale, I think Mentone — that’s where they got that big cup from - the one they got for being the best conducted. I don’t think it was for a premiership™.

End of Interview.