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. The Story of Night Football in Victoria - Part Three - The Brisbane Connection- Published 2013-03-08 13:31 - (5923 Reads)In this third article on the history of football under lights in Victoria, we move to the 1940's and early 1950's. Early trials had proved the concept and 1950 would see the first ANFC Carnival to include night games followed by the first night game as part of the VFL regular season. Alex Duncan - The Brilliant Aerialist Of Carlton- Published 2015-07-02 16:00 - (6205 Reads)The pity of yesteryear is that it is often lost in the glitz and razzmatazz of modernity. It would be wonderful if there were films to assist in showing the high marking skills of players like Alex Duncan in those earlier days of VFL football. Word pictures can never really do such players justice; however this story tries to shine a light on one of the best overhead marks in the history of the game. 1931 VFL v VFA Match- Published 2013-11-15 11:47 - (18977 Reads)This is the story of the first VFA v VFL game in twenty-nine years. The VFL won the match, a charity game, comfortably. Nevertheless, the contest was full of meaning to all involved. ANFC Football Carnival - Sydney 1933- Published 2013-01-13 14:09 - (10588 Reads)ANFC Interstate Football Carnivals had been held since 1908. These events were widely reported and provided many rare opportunities. Players had a chance to travel, The game of football was promoted and celebrated, scouts were able to measure players in other competitions and important rivalries could be revisited. The 1933 Carnival was won by Victoria. |
Random Articles
Geelong - Season 1956- Published 2017-01-21 21:28 - (8568 Reads)‘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. The Longest Kick in Football History....or not- Published 2013-09-01 14:44 - (36806 Reads)One of the most rubbery statistics in Australian Rules football is the ‘Longest Kick’. An investigation of a set of records, referred to in this article as the 3AW records, shows that many the records listed are not as clear cut as they first appear. This article examines a few of these records and uncovers some interesting stories behind them. Football Street Names- Published 2014-01-20 19:16 - (10843 Reads)Football has provided Australian suburbs with a significant number of street names. Streets named after footballers appear in clusters in some of our newer suburbs. Others appear beside football grounds. This article is about some of these streets. Hopefully other people will contribute street names I have missed. 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)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
Great Football Dramas—No. 9 First League And Association Clash Was A "Grisly" Affair- Published 2016-06-17 11:18 - (2600 Reads)In this, the ninth of a series of great football dramas, is described the first League-Association clash — St. Kilda v North Melbourne, in 1915. It was a hectic, grisly affair, reeking with spite and roughness, and with only occasional flashes of real football. Great Football Dramas—No.5 Vital Kick to Decide Honors- Published 2016-06-17 12:22 - (2900 Reads)This article describes the Fitzroy v Collingwood final to determine the 1903 VFL premiership. A very close affair between the two great teams of the era. A game decided by the final kick of the day. Forty Years of Football- Published 2016-10-14 07:19 - (3950 Reads)Jack Worrall, (Fitzroy player, Carlton/Essendon Coach), Test Cricketer and journalist, looks back at forty years of football. The original articles from 1923-24 appear over a number of weeks. (Formatting and sub-headings have been added to make to article easier to read.) Great Football Dramas—No.7 - Revolutionary Strategy That Won 1928 League Flag For Collingwood- Published 2017-11-04 13:13 - (3653 Reads)Re-told by an eye-witness, this is the seventh of a series of great football dramas. It describes how, in the 1928 final against Richmond, Collingwood, with audacious match-winning strategy, set giant Percy Rowe to spoil Donald Don, dreaded champion full-back; and how, under Rowe’s clever protection, Gordon Coventry kicked nine goals – a record. |
An Introduction to Charles Boyles
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
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.