Barry Purvis with the King Parrot Football Association Minute Book

The Purvis family has uncovered a century-old Minute Book that reveals history of the long-forgotten King Parrot Football Association.

The Minute Book, written in the hand of Hon. Secretary W.G. Purvis, commenced from the first days of the Association in May 1913.

A meeting was held with representatives from Homewood (W. Purvis, G. Forbes), Strath Creek (G. McLeish, S. Doherty), Kerrisdale and Yea. Mr C. Hillear presided.

Later, Mr D.L. Doolette was made President, and Mr Gordon Lang became Vice-President.

Mr Doolette had recently purchased the Kerrisdale Estate, started to make a large number of improvements, and had employed a big number of men.
Mr Doolette was described in a local press report as a keen racing man: “his stock of horses is very valuable”.

The first-ever game, between Kerrisdale and Homewood, was played at the Yea Recreation Reserve. (Strath Creek played Flowerdale at the ‘Dale.)

Horwood umpired the game, and spectators had to pay sixpence to gain admission.

The newspaper said: “At a meeting of the delegates of the Yea, Alexandra Association, on Monday. it was decided to play with three teams – Alexandra, Thornton, and Yarck. Yea Club was “passed out”.”

A Yea newspaper clipping from July 1913 notes: “A meeting of delegates to the King Parrot Creek Football Association was held in the Homewood Hall last evening.

“Mr Stanley presided and all the Clubs were represented. Messrs Davoren and Dinner were present on behalf of the Yea Club and asked to be allowed to join the Association.

“After over an hour’s discussion, it was unanimously agreed to admit Yea, and a fresh draw was made.

“Six applications for the position of umpires were received, and W. McLeish of Yea, and R.A.Ross of Broadford were selected; the secretary’of the Association to appoint a third if necessary

“Owing to the short notice of Yea’s admission to the Association, it has been found impossible to call a meeting of the Club to pick a team, etc, but all players are requested to meet at The Chronicle Office on Saturday
at 12 30 to go by drag to Strath Creek.

“It has also been found necessary to change the colors. The Trades’ Club has come to the rescue, and will lend their uniforms for Saturday’s match. Players are requested to be be punctual.”

Soon, however, times were not good for the Kerrisdale club: they had to forfeit a match against Flowerdale, and were fined £1/1/-.

The July meeting saw Kerrisdale being asked to resign from the Association.

The resignation was handed in on the same night and Kerrisdale players were given permission to transfer with the other clubs in the Association.

But the troubles did not stop there. The meeting moved that the Yea Football Club’s Dave Curtain be severly reprimanded for his conduct in the Yea-Homewood match.

Strath Creek’s protest against Yea was upheld.

Association officials ruled that players must register with their nearest clubs.
The team colours were described as:
• Flowerdale, red and black,
• Homewood, blue and white,
• Strath Creek, red stockings, blue jerseys, white trousers,
• Kerrisdale, red and white,
• Yea, black and gold, or yellow and black.

The first season’s fixture was:
• June 14. Kerrisdale v Homewood, Flowerdale v Strath Creek, Yea – Bye.
• June 21. Strath Creek v Yea, Homewood v Flowerdale, Kerrisdale – Bye.
• June 28. Yea v Homewood, Flowerdale v Kerrisdale. Strath Creek – bye.
• July 5. Homewood 9.13 (67) d Strath Creek 1.1 (7).
• July 12. Flowerdale 5.12 (42) were defeated by Yea 6.4 (40).
• July 19. Homewood 4.10 (34) d Flowerdale 1.7 (13).
• July 26. Homewood v Strath Creek, Yea v Flowerdale.

The final was set down for August 9.

R. Ross and W. McLeish carried out the umpiring assignments in that first season, although sometimes there was debate and split votes about which matches each should conduct.

By Final time in August 1913, umpire McLeish submitted his resignation.

Ross was prposed a payment of five shillings for expenses to attend Association meetings regarding umpiring, however the motion was overturned.

Hand-writing is often hard to make out, however the team lists include some familiar names. (Apologies for those names which could
not be deciphered.)

Amongst the Yea list are surnames including Johnson, Steuart, Redwood, Frazer, Coles, Willis, Gow, Lacey, McCormack, Simmons, Curtain, Edwards, Sheppard, Drysdale, Oliver, Clark, McLeish, Phayer, Kidd, Jameson, Forbes, Stephens, George, Burke, Hickingbotham, Petch, Borrie, O’Connor, Nicholls, Carter and Murray.

Final registrations for players at Flower-dale included: Stewart, Bates, Warnock, Moore, Doherty, Bainbridge, Hatty, Grant, Hall, Kaye, Embling, Collins, Carver, Franklin, Peel, Yorston, Coonan, McFarland, Forbes, Grant, Gilligan, Higgins, Cunningham and Parker.

The Homewood list comprised McCarthy, Purvis, Johnson, Drysdale, Stanley, Williamson, Hamilton, Slavin, Francis, Bett, Johnston, Woodhouse, Borrie, Oliver, Redmond, Edwards, Ball, Gilbert, Weekes, Quinlan, Davies, Bell, Gardiner and Kennedy.

Strath Creek players included Neil, Green, Doherty, Reid, Forbes, McLeish, Smith, Walters, Bruce, McPharland, Keays, Sutter, Morrison, Lowe, Plummer, Lane, Hillear, Hay, Peel, Musgrave, Hatty, Borlean, Hoskins, Weekes, Smedley, Baird, Hamilton, Brace, Wentworth, Finn and White.

Mr A. Doherty chaired the meeting held on July 18, 1913 at the ‘Glenfern Hotel, Flowerdale’.

Yea player Coles was disqualified for “two Saturdays” for foul play.

There was argument about a goal umpire’s decision in the Strath Creek-Flowerdale match but the Association’s representatives voted to affirm the official’s call.

Strath Creek player Parnett was asked to sign an affadavit confirming that he lived in the area.

A press report says McLeish fought hard for a conviction, “but wiser counsel prevailed”.

Parnett refused to sign the document. Strath Creek was asked to forfeit the match, and the matter was “referred to the League”.

Two players were reprimanded for using “foul language” in the same match.

The Association’s financial statements for 1913 showed receipts totalling £3/0/6, with £1/11/0 in hand after expenses.

It was agreed that Homewood be allowed to use these funds to buy a pennant flag.

May 1914 saw the first meeting of the Association for that year held at the Kerrisdale Station.

A vote to disband the Association for 1914 was lost 4-3. The competition now comprised three clubs: Flowerdale, Strath Creek and Homewood.

Matches were fixed with six contests in the first round from June 13-July 18, three games from July 25-August 8.

A meeting held at the hotel at Flowerdale in August 1914 heard protests from Strath Creek (upheld) and Flowerdale (held over for “further evidence”.

The ‘Dale protests were later dismissed “unanimously”.

One of the final entries in the Minute Book recorded that the Semi-Final was to be played at Homewood.

Homewood won the first flag

Homewood won the 1913 flag of the King Parrot Creek Football Association.
Homewood played Yea on the Recreation Ground.

“A good number of spectators put in an appearance of a good game, but they were sadly disappointed, as the locals only falttered their supporters during the first 10 minutes, after which Homewood was the only team in the hunt.

“The visitors were minus Davern, Johnston, Drysdale (2) ad Bett while McLeish was absent from Yea. Shirley captained the visitors, and Stewart the locals.

Homewood 4.3 (27) d Yea 0.7 (7).

Press correspondent ‘Goal Post’ wrote: “Homewood were best served by Shirley, Purvis (2), Francis, Quinlan, Kennedy and McCann, in fact all played well and deserve their win, and ‘Goal Post’ takes this opportunity of congratulating them on securing the first premiership under the new Association.

“Yea’s best were Kean, McConville, Wentworth and stewart, but the team on the whole appeared to lose heart.

“Vernon, a league umpire, controlled the game, and his decisions gave general satisfaction. Albert Franklin officiated as boundary uimpire.”