Recent Articles
The Earliest Boyles Football Photos- Published 2012-11-27 18:26 - (5636 Reads)The earliest known Boyles football photos were also published in major newspapers in 1928 and 1929. This leads to a number of questions about Boyles's work in the 1920's. Jim Edema - Cartoons from the Argus 1950- Published 2012-10-09 05:51 - (8050 Reads)Jim Edema was a regular contributor to the The Sun News Pictorial (Melbourne), but in 1950 worked for the Argus. The images on this page are from the 1950 Argus. Jack Collins - Footscray’s ‘Jack Of All Trades’- Published 2019-02-09 13:40 - (4688 Reads)Seven Goals in the 1954 Grand Final, 154 VFL Games, Footscray Team of the Century, Club Secretary, Club President, fightback in 1989. Jack Collins was a great player with a great story. Ken Mansell discussion with Harley Boyles, Tuesday October 16, 2012- Published 2013-11-02 13:04 - (10776 Reads)Football Humour- Published 2013-01-28 23:01 - (4691 Reads)While researching information for this website I often come across odd football stories. The stories vary from funny, to odd, to 'what the..?' moments. I have seen many variations on a theme. There are many stories of stolen goal posts or of kicking a ball into a moving train. I have tried to include a list that is not repetative. |
Random Articles
Ted Hopkins – ‘The Stats Revolution’ (a review)- Published 2016-07-05 07:00 - (11720 Reads)PART THREE OF ‘CATS STATS AND THE STATS REVOLUTION’. A Review of 'Ted Hopkins, The Stats Revolution'. Tom O'Halloran - The Tiger From Timaru- Published 2018-11-11 14:49 - (5268 Reads)Tom O'Halloran’s dedication and love for his club should be acknowledged and it is hoped that this story may stimulate new interest in the dynamic high flyer from Punt Road. Roger's article lets you see why Tom O’Halloran was introduced into the Richmond FC Hall of Fame in 2013. The Earliest Boyles Football Photos- Published 2012-11-27 18:26 - (5636 Reads)The earliest known Boyles football photos were also published in major newspapers in 1928 and 1929. This leads to a number of questions about Boyles's work in the 1920's. ‘Changi’ Football 1942-43- Published 2016-07-17 08:45 - (7115 Reads)In 1945 the Sporting Globe published Jim Makeham's record of football at the Changi Prison Camp. Further articles and books have followed but few appear to have been aware of this early article. This is a new look at football at Changi. Football links in the Australian Dictionary of Biography- Published 2013-02-19 04:47 - (7580 Reads)The Australian Dictionary of Biography (ADB) attempts to provide biographies of prominent Australians who have contributed to Australia. This article provides a brief overview of who the Australian Dictionary of Biography regard as the most important footballers, as well as identifying a substantial number of other prominent Australians with links to Australian Rules Football. |
Historical Articles (Reprinted)
Recent Articles
'Tracker' Forbes - Footballer And Comedian- Published 2023-07-01 00:27 - (0 Reads)Reginald William Ernest Wilmot, wrote under the pseudonym ‘Old Boy’ in the Australian and the Argus for over 30 years from the early 1900s through to the late 1930s. He was a keen sportsman. He had played for Essendon in the premiership years of the early 1890’s, and was later a strong supporter of school and amateur sports. He was secretary of the Melbourne Athenaeum 1909 to 1949. In 1922 the the death of Charles ‘Tracker’ Forbes led him to pen an obituary under his own name, a rare occurrence. Queerest Final Of All! Only Three Goal For Whole Match- Published 2023-06-18 18:05 - (0 Reads)1927 VFL grand final - Collingwood - Richmond. Torrential rain and freezing winds before and during the match. Lowest scoring VFL game in the 20th or 21st century. Women, Boxes and Barrackers- Published 2023-06-18 18:01 - (0 Reads)Portable Grandstands and a snapshot of crowd life in the 1920's Dan Minogue Tells Why He - Gave Up Mining for Football- Published 2019-03-10 14:22 - (3148 Reads)Dan Minogue begins today his own story of his distinguished career. And a human, gripping story this great football personality has to tell! It is brimming with all the incident, thrills, humor and pathos which he has encountered during a quarter of a century as crack player and successful captain and coach. Turning back Time, Dan takes readers behind the scenes with him; into club rooms and on to playing fields as he lives again his hours of triumph —and disappointment. |
Random Articles
Dan Minogue Tells Why He - Gave Up Mining for Football- Published 2019-03-10 14:22 - (3148 Reads)Dan Minogue begins today his own story of his distinguished career. And a human, gripping story this great football personality has to tell! It is brimming with all the incident, thrills, humor and pathos which he has encountered during a quarter of a century as crack player and successful captain and coach. Turning back Time, Dan takes readers behind the scenes with him; into club rooms and on to playing fields as he lives again his hours of triumph —and disappointment. Women, Boxes and Barrackers- Published 2023-06-18 18:01 - (0 Reads)Portable Grandstands and a snapshot of crowd life in the 1920's Old Football Days. Teams and Men.- Published 2018-11-16 08:33 - (2239 Reads)Originally appeared in The Argus 2-May-1908. Observer (Donald McDonald) the great Australian Journalist looks back at the best players in his 30 years writing on football. Forty Years of Football: Turning back the Pages of Time- Published 2017-09-30 17:35 - (2318 Reads)Reminiscences of Tommy Wilson, captain of North Melbourne and a founder of East Fremantle. Covering the period from the 1890's to WW1. |
An Introduction to Charles Boyles
Charles Boyles SLV2008.122/451 (Cropped) Source: State Library of Victoria Photographic Collection
The website is centred around the photos of Charles Boyles, a Melbourne-based photographer. Boyles primarily took photos of Australian Rules Football teams and players. He appears to have started this football work in the late twenties. He continued through the 1930's, the years of the Second World War, and then right up to his final photos in the early sixties. Unlike most commercial photographers, Charles Boyles did not wait for customers to come to him. Boyles set up his camera on training nights, and on game days took posed team photos after the players had run onto the ground. These were sold directly to the clubs, players and general public. On Saturdays, at the games, the photographer's son Harley Boyles (and others) would take a satchel of mixed photos and sell them throughout the game. Unlike newspaper photos, therefore, a Boyles photo was something you could own, take home, and treasure. There are no action shots or photos of games in progress. Boyles specialised in team photos and player portraits, with the players looking directly to camera. Today these photos are used by clubs, by family historians, and by those interested in football history. They often appear uncredited in football history books. Boyles did not restrict himself to the leading football competition of his era, the Victorian Football League. During his working life he attended many different competitions. He covered the VFA, Wartime Services matches, the various Victorian workplace competitions, the Sunday leagues, and other competitions. Learn More about the Life of Charles Boyles
Read Ken's article on the methods, motives and life of Charles Boyles. The article includes notes from an extensive interview with Harley Boyles about his father. See Charles Edward Boyles: From Tripod to Website. |
Website Aims and Objectives
This website contains work by two independent researchers, Ken Mansell and Michael Riley. Our objective is to share our own passion for history and provide a friendly resource for family historians, football buffs and others who have an interest in the Charles Boyles photos and more generally in football photography from the 1920's to 1960's.A Football History Website
This site has grown to cover more than just football photos. There is an amazing amount to explore. You can start with articles, player pages, ground pages, team and league pages as well as information on players careers outside football.All Football Photographers Not Just Charles Boyles Photos
This site contains photos from many of Boyles's contemporaries. These contrast Boyles's style, and add to an understanding of sport, photography, and the football of the time.Football Outside the VFL
Charles Boyles took photos of VFL teams, but also took photos of VFA teams, Workplace Teams and teams in Junior Leagues. Also, for many players the VFL was just a small part of their footballing story. This site attempts to build a picture of the football world during Boyle's working period. This world is worth explored through articles and the pages thoughout the website. Sources of Images on this Website
We are not associated with any library or institution. We have received permission from a variety of people and institutions to include their images on this particular website. Each photo is labelled as to it's source. Please contact the relevant source for permission to reproduce any images. The appearance of an image on this website does not mean that it is public domain. Although many (not all) photos are out of copyright, many images are available here under 'Terms of Use' agreements with the relevant organisation. We credit the photographer and the photo source wherever possible, |
Examples of Boyles Photos
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Kew Sub Districts 1939 - State Library of Victoria Photographic Collection
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North West Suburbs Police Team circa 1935 - State Library of Victoria Photographic Collection
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Carlton Seconds, 1956 - State Library of Victoria Photographic Collection
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Bob Wilkie - St Kilda - State Library of Victoria Photographic Collection
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Do you have a Boyles Photo?
Read Michael's article on characteristics of Boyles photos that may help you identify one in your own collection. See Identifying Boyles Photos - Style and Format of Charles Boyles Photographs.