PRESTON CRICKET CLUB
PRESTON AND GOWERVILLE PARK
Updates
This document contains a series of updates to the
original release of "Preston and Gowerville Park".
Depending on the time of purchase, your edition may
or may not have theses update - the research into the
history of the Park remains and ongoing process and
additional material is progressively being added.
Contents
Farewell Jaga Jaga ................................................... 1
War Service Homes ................................................... 2
A Depression, But Record Crowds ............................. 2
The City of Darebin : Cazaly Ward............................. 2
Memories of Cazaly................................................ 3
Civic Pride ................................................................ 4
Let Loose the Dogs of War ..................................... 4
The Price of a Park .................................................... 5
Crispe Park - A Second Home ................................... 6
On surrounding Grounds.......................................... 8
Cockroach Flats .................................................... 8
Meanwhile in Westgarth Street ... .......................... 8
Preston and the Park : A TimeLine ........................... 9
The public were invited to a gathering following the
February Council meeting to hear arguments for and
against the name change, but it was the Council
meeting itself where it became obvious how low the
rights of clubs to use of the Park for sporting activities
rated in the minds of some councillors.
After discussions as to suitable sites for new offices,
most of which were dismissed as being outside of the
Council's limited financial resources, Cr. John O'Keefe
came up with the startling suggestion of building the
new Shire offices "at the eastern entrance to Preston
Park", presumably the corner of Cramer and Mary
Street.
O'Keefe suggested "… the building would be an
ornament to the Park and the trees and shrubbery
would enhance the building".
Fortunately with a crowd of ratepayers waiting to
express their opinions on changing the Shire's name
to Preston, the matter was adjourned without
discussion.
The Shire of Jika had since its inception in
September, 1871 been divided into three ridings;
Northcote, Preston and Gowerville (South Preston),
No details remain of the public meeting, but the swell
of support for a change was such that the Shire had
agreed to proceed with the change to Preston,
officially gazetted on 19 June to be effective from 15
July, but with Shire elections due in mid-August, the
Council meeting a fortnight beforehand noted the
name could not be changed until after the election.
With Northcote having a population more than double
that of the two northern sections combined, there
were many concerns amongst the local residents that
they were being under-represented in Shire matters.
"So poor old Jika has been given another month to live"
... commented the Mercury. The name was officially
changed on September 7, the first meeting of the
Shire of Preston held the same evening.
A somewhat clumsily organized move in 1882 to have
Northcote divided into two Ridings (Middle and South
Northcote) failed, but in 1883, the residents
successful petitioned the Government and Northcote
was proclaimed an independent Borough on 22 May.
O'Keefe's grand plan for the Park was never heard of
again, the Council at the July meeting opting instead
to purchase a three acre site with two chains fronting
High Street on the Gower Street corner from Mr. A. D.
Griffiths at £170 per acre.
Although most of the rate revenue collected within the
Northcote Riding had been spent there, the
breakaway left the Jika Shire that still represented
Preston and Gowerville with a revenue problem.
Having the funds to buy the land was one thing, but
the cost of construction was another and following a
severe economic crisis in the early 1890s, the Shire
Hall wasn't "completed" until 1895, and although
additional sections were later added for the Returned
Soldiers and Sailor's Imperial League and an
expanded library, the building still lacks the clock
tower in the original design of the architects
Birtwhistle and Scanlon.
Farewell Jaga Jaga
Early estimates had just £50 budgeted for parks and
gardens and perhaps not even that was actually
spent; in March, 1884, the Council applied to the
Department of Agriculture for an annual grant
available for expenditure on parks.
The Shire's
application was refused, the Department noting that
Jika had actually spent less than the previous year's
grant on parks and gardens, and in fact had expended
none of its own funds.
With Northcote now a separate Borough, the pressure
was beginning to mount for the Preston name to be
officially recognised.
The Shire Offices at the time were in rented premises
behind the Junction Hotel, but with the growth of the
district and the establishment of the Preston Court in
the
same
building
in
August,
1877,
the
accommodation had become overcrowded, and with
several other inner northern councils either building
or planning rather grandiose Town Halls, the
thoughts of some councillors were also turning to a
new base of power in the Preston district.
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War Service Homes
Although coming in the years immediately following the Armistice, the First World War had a significant effect of
the surrounds of the Park with many of the double-fronted bungalow style houses to the immediate west and
south-west (especially Arthur and Edith streets) constructed for returned servicemen as part of a War Service
Homes scheme sponsored by the Federal Government.
"... the first houses that the War Services Homes built in Australia are down between Bell Station and the football
ground, Arthur Street, 'round that area. They go back to 1919. I know that because at one stage in the fifties we
were making a big thing of the 100,000th house that we'd lent money on, and we were looking for the first one and
it was one of those places down there in Arthur or Gertrude Street, There's another bit, Esther Street alongside of
Bell Station ..." 1
A Depression, But Record Crowds
Almost paradoxically, the economic downturn of the late 1920s and early 1930s proved something of a blessing
for the Victorian Football Association as a source of cheap entertainment.
In 1930, general admission to the Park was still sixpence, the same as when charges were first made on a regular
basis way back in 1900 (for those still fully employed there was the additional option of a grandstand seat at a
shilling, plus a penny in a new entertainment tax introduced in July, 1932).
The sixpence admission compared more than favourably with League matches at ten pence, plus, of course, the
cost of travel to Victoria Park or Brunswick Street depending on whether the 'Woods or 'Roys took your fancy,
and the Association cashed in on the difference by opting from around 1928 to not only kick of the season a week
earlier than the League, but also to introduce a system where neighbouring clubs played each other in the
opening round.
Northcote officials must have thought all their dreams had come at once in 1929 when a reported 17,000 turned
up at Westgarth Street for the first of what was to become a traditional series of clashes between Northcote and
Preston in the opening round.
Northcote went on to become premiers for the first time, but perhaps nerves in front of the big crowd overcame
them a little with Preston lowering their colours by 38 points in the season opener.
Northcote had their revenge by 11 points in front of 8,000 spectators in the return match, but it was the opening
match the following year that saw the largest crowd ever assembled at Preston Park.
15,000 turned out to watch Preston pip the 1929 premiers by four points - and unless we accuse the Leader of
getting a little excited in reporting the crowd figures, the number was verified by both the Sporting Globe and
Melbourne dailies. Whether Preston were still making payments to gatekeepers to be donated back at the end of
the season is uncertain, but Brunswick and Coburg also attracted a crowd of 15,000 and gate takings of £260,
the total at Preston was given at £160.
(As an aside, after the first round, Camberwell were in last place on the ladder - hardly a surprise given their
record over the years, but readers of today would be astonished to see they had a percentage of 317% - the
system in place then expressed the figure as a proportion of points against (111) divided by points for (35).
The matches continued to attract large crowds up until the Second World War - the biggest attendance port-war
is believed to be in July, 1984 when an estimated 13,000 watched Preston defeat Port Melbourne by 21 points
(and the brawl in the Market car park afterwards).
The City of Darebin : Cazaly Ward
Darebin City Council was created by an Order of the Governor in Council published in June 1994
incorporating the former municipalities of Preston and Northcote (north of Heidelberg Road) and a small section
of the former municipality of Coburg (from the Merri Creek east to James Street, primarily Coburg General
Cemetery).
One of the by-products of the forced amalgamation was the rezoning of the former cities of Northcote and Preston
into nine new Wards. Most of the names adopted were fairly mundane, except for a central area of Preston
(including the Park) that was deemed Cazaly Ward.
The name was, of course, taken from one of Australian footballs most revered names, Roy "Up There" Cazaly who
was captain-coach of the Preston Football Club in 1931.
1
Ron Ashworth, a former public servant with War Service Homes, quoted from "Back In Them Days"- An Oral History of Preston edited by
Roger J. Jones, City of Darebin, 1994.
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PRESTON CRICKET CLUB
PRESTON AND GOWERVILLE PARK
Much has been written and spoken about what Cazaly did and didn't do at Preston - but now is the time for some
facts!
First and foremost, Cazaly and Preston were very much a marriage of convenience.
Cazaly in 1930 had been captain-coach of the City club in Launceston, and although 37 years of age, his form
was good enough for him to be named vice-captain of the Tasmanian representative team at the A.N.F.C.
Carnival.
He left Tasmania for Melbourne in late November, Tasmanian newspapers suggesting that he had a coaching job
in Melbourne - given his experience and the fact that he had been captain-coach of South Melbourne in 1924, the
assumption could only be that Cazaly had secured a contract with a League club.
What club it could have been may never uncovered - it is known that he trained with Melbourne and in fact
played half a practice match after competing in a cricket final earlier in the day, but there was no further mention
of him.
Preston meanwhile had problems of its own. The club initially appointed giant North Melbourne ruckman and
1930 captain-coach Johnnie Lewis, but the deal went sour after it was discovered he was still under a long-term
suspension imposed by the V.F.A. before North switched to the League in 1925.
Preston then appointed Collingwood full-back Charlie Dibbs who had just moved into the area with his family.
Dibbs conducted the few weeks of what in those days constituted a pre-season, but at just 26 years of age and
having already played in four premierships, Collingwood refused to clear him a week before the season began.
Nothing was ever documented as to how the two parties came together, but Preston breathed a sigh of relief on
the Tuesday before the opening match when it announced that it had secured the highly-prized services of Cazaly
and were hopeful of obtaining a clearance from his Tasmanian club in time for him to play in the opening round.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the clearance didn't arrive - Preston losing the opening match to Northcote on
the final kick of the day.
Most fortuitously, the second Saturday of the season fell on Anzac Day, then sacrosanct with no football played,
but it wasn't until the Thursday of the following week that Cazaly's clearance was approved by the City club fortunately a special meeting of the League Permit committee was scheduled for the Friday evening and after a
delayed air-mail flight to Essendon and a desperate motor-cycle dash by a committeeman, Cazaly was cleared on
the eve of the match.
Cazaly inherited a team which had been noted pre-season as having a lot of new players after a couple of seasons
where it had been described by one commentator as "a little long in the tooth" and by promoting younger players,
he managed to win eleven straight matches (with a draw) before Preston were defeated in a semi-final and
eliminated.
Research into his season at Preston suggests that other that an early season dance at the Town Hall where he
and his wife Agnes competed in a fox-trot competition, Cazaly had little to do with the local community. The
couple along with their five children lived in a modest four-room rented house in Dundas Place, Albert Park Cazaly shown in electoral rolls as a mechanic on the docks.
He supplemented whatever he was earning at Preston by captain-coaching the Waterside Workers team in the
Wednesday Industrial League - Preston at one stage after another player had been injured in a mid-week game
moved to ban players for playing in the Industrial League, but did a quick about-face when they discovered
Cazaly's dual role.
1931 was Cazaly's only year at Preston and just why he didn't continue is something of a mystery.
Preston advertised twice for a coach early in 1932, but Cazaly didn't apply (he was at one stage noted as
nominating for the Melbourne coaching role), and although a couple of committeemen claimed to have spoken to
him, by the middle of March he was back in Tasmania and captain-coach of the North Hobart club.
With the world in the grip of the Great Depression, it has been suggested that Cazaly may have asked for an
excessive amount which the club could not afford.
There is no definite evidence to suggest this, but Cazaly did have something of a reputation for coaching for a
year and then either holding out for more money or departing abruptly - stints at Minyip in country Victoria, at
North Hobart, and even Hawthorn in 1942-43 ending in much the same way.
Memories of Cazaly
In 1939, The Sporting Globe's senior writer, Hec. DeLacy nominated Roy Cazaly as the best all-round footballer
that he had ever seen. Two years later, he wrote an article on Cazaly and included some reminiscences of a game
he had watched at Preston:
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PRESTON CRICKET CLUB
[PRESTON AND GOWERVILLE PARK
"In one game, a big opposition follower stood off and threw a punch at a clever Preston wingman. Cazaly left the
forward line and ran the follower to earth, spun him around and smacked him across the face with an open hand.
While this was going on, another opponent and a former League man ran up behind and gave Cazaly a rabbit-killer
and dropped him. He was up in a split second".
"The ball was kicked into a pack in which Cazaly and his assailant were the principals. Despite my closest watch,
all I can report is that Cazaly came away with the ball, loping along in the long-striding way he had, while his
assailant lay in a heap on the ground with his tongue hanging out over his cheek and was obviously seized
suddenly with some sort of violent spasm".
"The rough stuff stopped in a trice".
The Sporting Globe, April 19, 1941
Civic Pride
Although now rarely used for anything other than cricket or football (and the latter dwindling), Preston Park paid
a central role in many of the celebrations of civic achievements in earlier times.
The first major celebration was the declaration of Preston as a Town by the Governor, Lord Stradbroke on
Wednesday, 24 May, 1922. The crowd was estimated at 7,000, of which The Argus suggested some 4,000 were
school children.
That celebration of Preston becoming a Town coincided with Empire Day, a half-holiday and the crowd inflated as
a result - just 5,000 were at the Park on the afternoon of 11 July, 1926 (again a Wednesday) when the
declaration of Preston as a City was performed by His Excellency, the Governor, Lord Somers
The celebrations included a children's sports carnival at the Park, but were relatively subdued compared to the
week between 7 and 13 September, 1935 was set aside for Preston's Jubilee celebrations - "Jubilee" in this case
being the 50th anniversary of the original Shire of Jika opting to change the name to Preston - and it produced
undoubtedly the most frantic week in the history of Preston Park.
Let Loose the Dogs of War
Undoubtedly over the years a few umpires in winter months have been
called "dogs", but the term was more appropriate when the Park hosted a
greyhound coursing meeting as part of the celebrations.
The evening was conducted by the Maribyrnong Coursing Club
unfortunately nothing remains as to exactly how the meeting was
conducted (true "coursing" involves two dogs matched against each other
in the pursuit of a hare), but there were nine events held, seemingly all
over the same distance, with the winning dish-lickers recording times
between 17¼ and 18½ seconds for the flat races and 20 seconds for a
hurdle event. 2
Most of the races appear to have been sponsored by local businesses; the
crowd was put at around 1,000 (the meeting does not appear to have
advertised), and should it come up in general conversation, the last greyhound race ever to be run at Preston
Park was a Consolation Stakes won by R. B. Parson's Glenainsley (Andico - Moonlight Rose) by a length in a time
of 18 seconds for the unspecified distance.
The Jubilee also featured a Military Tattoo at the Park the following evening, arranged by the 57/60th (Merri
Regiment), a voluntary force drawn from the Preston and Northcote districts.
While it was suggested that the underlying principle of a tattoo was to give
a demonstration of the country's military capability, it was noted "the
park oval was a stage setting and conditions were nothing like they would
be in a time of war", but that didn't stop around 5,000 spectators arriving
to watch trick motor-cycling (including one where a pillion passenger
changed the wheel of his side-car while the bike continued on two wheels,
always handy in a time of war), massed bands, a 12-pound naval field gun
courtesy of the Naval Reserve from Port Melbourne, a bridging display, a
naval hornpipe and various marching drills.
There was also a recreation of a trench raid made by the 57th Battalion at
Messines in March, 1918, complete with machine guns, barbed wire
entanglements and a bombardment of "minniewerfers", but 3
A British Bulldog Mark II aircraft attacks
the unsuspecting crowd at Preston Park.
2
Based on today's times, this would have involved a track of around 280 yards, over half a lap of the oval, so obviously a circular track was
used
3
Minniewerfer German trench mortar. From German Minenwerfer, mine thrower
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PRESTON CRICKET CLUB
PRESTON AND GOWERVILLE PARK
"Probably the most spectacular event of the evening was s display of bombing by three Bristol Bulldog 'planes from
Point Cook. The ground was set in darkness and a Very light gave the signal for the attack. Swooping over the
ground, the 'planes in turn "bombed" a cook-house and the shooting was remarkable accurate. Soon a direct hit was
made and the cook-house went up in flames. In the meantime, the 'planes were counter-attacked by machine guns.
A display of formation flying was then given, after which the 'planes zoomed away to their base".
The Leader did not publish casualty lists for the evening!
The Friday was devoted to children's sports at the Park, the
Education Department granting a half-holiday to all Preston
schools for the occasion and some 6,000 children either
participated in the sporting events (won by South Preston) or
marching, enjoyed the free rides on the merry-go-round and ocean
wave, devoured their free bag of lollies and perhaps gazed in
wonderment at the free souvenir ruler distributed at the schools
during the morning
It was noted that rain fell late in the day and wet conditions
impacted the almost-obligatory Athletic Sports Carnival, the
highlight of which was the concluding laps of a 160 mile road race
which had taken riders through Healesville, Alexandra, Yea, the
Plenty Ranges and Whittlesea.
The carnival proved a flop
financially, organisers insuring against 10 points or rain falling in
the morning, nine points were recorded.
The Park also hosted a fireworks display on the previous Saturday
night, and a Pleasant Sunday Afternoon the following day
featuring several bands and an address by the Prime Minister, Mr.
Joseph Lyons..
Although it received little coverage in the Leader, Gower Park (now
Blake Park) was used for a gymkhana on the Wednesday, photos
of some of the jumping events appearing in The Argus.
(Gower Park was acquired by Council around 1930, originally
intended to be the home of the Jika Cricket Association, who
rejected the offer because of its remoteness and uneven surface.
A Week in the Park, September, 1935
Saturday, 7th
2.30 p.m. Children's Originality Procession;
3.30 p.m. Novelty Sports. Admission 6d or
Preston Jubilee button.
Sunday, 8th
3.00 p.m. Pleasant Sunday Afternoon. Hon.
J. A. Lyons, Prime Minister, speaker. Musical
selections.
Monday, 9th
8.00 p.m. Boxing and Wrestling Tournament.
Admission, 1/-, children 3d.
Tuesday, 10th
8.00 p.m. Speed coursing, Admission, 1/-,
children 6d.
Wednesday, 11th
MONSTER GYMKHANA, Gower Park,
commencing 11.15 a.m. £50 in prizes.
Monster Drag Hunt, spectacular display by
mounted police, musical chairs, etc. 8.00
pm. Boy Scout display, Preston Park,
admission free.
The trotting track arrived by sleight of hand - two men got the goahead from Council to lay "a running track" around the park and
it wasn't until some months later that the Council realised the
"runners" were of the four-legged trotting variety)!
Thursday, 12th
The Price of a Park
2.00 p.m. Children's Sports, (free merry-goround, etc.) Admission free.
8.00 p.m. Carnival in Preston Park,
admission free.
Friday, 13th
Saturday, 14th.
John Clinch mentioned in a couple of interviews that ratepayers
considered the price paid for the Park (£215) excessive.
The real reasons for his and a number of other Councillors neardefeat at the following election was two-fold, but neither involved
the Park
Sports program in Preston Park, numerous
trophies. Admission 6d. 8.00 p.m. Scottish
dancing, Cramer Street Park, Admission free.
If the activities at the Park weren't enough for
Joe Citizen, the week also featured (mostly at
Hall) two civic
receptions,
two card
In January, 1892, Preston Council released their financial figures the
for Town
the previous
year,
the Balance
Sheet
nights, three concerts, a returned soldiers reincluding Preston Park at a valuation of £4,600, by far the biggest asset the Council owned with the thenunion dinner, a football club reunion Smoke
undeveloped land for the Shire Hall next at £3,800.
Night, two Back-To-Schools (South Preston
andsince
Tyler 1875
Streets)ofa aMilitary
Ball,
a Jubilee
Based on the purchase price of £215, that represents a capital growth
fraction
under
20% per
Ball under the patronage of the Governor
annum.
General, a guided tour of the City, and the
crowning of the Queen of Preston.
The same report showed the Council paying 5% on funds it had borrowed!
Special
Churchtoservices
were heldthe
on both
on
The backlash against the Shire Council came as a result of funds
allocated
constructing
northern
the Sundays.
approach to the new Merri Creek bridge being used for general road works.
Funds from all the functions went a
The Council also lost a court case against its rate collector after it unsuccessfully
brought
fraud
charges
against
Technical School
Fund set
up by
the Council,
him following a fire that destroyed most of the Shire's rate records.
although it wasn't until 1937 that plans for a
school in Frank Street (the western side of
today's St. George's Road) were announced.
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The Council eventually donated the land for
the school (and later for the girl's technical
school in Cramer Street. Whether it then
carried today's title of H. P. Zwar Park is
uncertain, reports on Jika matches in the
early 1930's simply call it the Cramer Street
Park.
PRESTON CRICKET CLUB
[PRESTON AND GOWERVILLE PARK
Crispe Park - A Second Home
ORIGINS
Preston Oval has been a spiritual home for thousands, of
senior players over the years since it was acquired in 1875,
but for practical purposes, Crispe Park has been the week-toweek Saturday destination for many others of more modest
abilities.
Sadly, not a lot is known of the history of the acquisition of
the Park.
Preston Council in 1972 commissioned a publication
"Preston's Parks and Reserves" which gave a description of all
the recreational areas and their facilities - it also gave a brief
history of all except one - Crispe Park!
Confusing the issue are reports in 1925 of Preston Council
acquiring around nine acres of land for £1,600 as part of the
Leslie Estate "near the Reservoir railway station" for a
recreational reserve with references to it as "Reservoir Park".
Other reports, however, refer to the Leslie Estate as connected
to Broadway, and "Reservoir Park" seems almost certain to be
the T. W. Andrews Reserve wedged between Cuthbert and
Strathmerton Street.
The first definite reference to Crispe Park is in September,
1931 with a re-formed Regent Cricket Club using the ground,
but there is a suggestion that the Prestonite club from Zwar's
Tannery may already have played there.
A Pavilion?
Facilities must have been sparse - it wasn't until August, 1938
that the Regent Football Club requested the construction of
changing rooms as part of a bid to join the Melbourne
Amateurs competition.
Reports on Council meetings of the day suggest that there
were plans to fence the oval as part of the construction
project, but there is no record of the Regent Football Club ever
playing in the Amateur Association (they appear to have
fielded under-age sides prior to the application) and the only
available photograph from around that time is not of sufficient
quality to suggest one way or another whether a fence exists.
Whether a pavilion as such was erected appears doubtful with
Council under pressure to complete more important projects road construction, sewerage and the provision of electricity in
the rapidly developing city
Crispe Park, 1945
The aerial photograph mentioned is of too poor quality
to attempt to reproduce, but with the aid of Google
Maps and some limited drawing skills, we've reproduced
a facsimile of how the Park looked in 1945.
The first surprise is that it extended south to Locksley
Avenue, the stretch along here obviously sold off for
housing at some stage.
The playing area appears to have covered nearly the
entire area with the exception of the north-west corner
where today's pavilion is located - the conifer trees were
around the playing area and not the Park itself. The
approximate position of the two cricket pitches is
shown.
Just to the north of the "dog leg" appear to have been a
few small buildings; probably the shed in Bob Chandler's
description.
There was one house (number 1) on the south-west
corner of Gloucester Street and Locksley Avenue - other
than this, the closest neighbours were scatterings of
houses about 60 metres north in Gloucester and Pine
streets, ending on a parallel with Wright Street.
None of the streets appear to have been made and
there were no houses to the east.
Pine Street and Coleman Crescent did not connect.
Coleman Crescent just ended about 20 metres west of
Clinnick Street; Pine Street turned into a dirt path
connecting to Gloucester Street at the northern corner
of the Park and then through to Gilbert Road. Clinnick
Street appears to have extended south as a walking
track on the eastern side of the Park.
Although still a paddock in 1945, Preston Council had
owned the land in Wright Street where the Senior
Citizen's Club now stands since around 1929
Our local Leader newspaper may have given readers of the day
an update on Crispe Park (especially when it was so-named) but
unfortunately, no copies of the Preston Leader remain after April, 1939 - prior to this date, the Northcote
and Preston editions were identical, but around this time, the Preston Post became a separate publication and it
appears with no copies ever sent to the State Library for archiving.
Some recollections passed on by Reservoir Football Club historian, Bob Harris and provided by Bob Chandler,
whose family have been involved with the club since the mid-1940s suggested that the "pavilion" around 1944
was the old caretaker's shelter transferred from the Preston Tip - with no showers and just a hessian curtain
strung across the centre to divide the two teams (as Bob suggested, a bit "testy" after the game if there had been
any ill-feeling).
After a year, a group of the club members led by Fred Birchall, Alan Chandler's future father-in-law and a local
builder) added a small canteen and divided the shed, adding a concrete floor and showers (cold) at each end,
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PRESTON CRICKET CLUB
PRESTON AND GOWERVILLE PARK
The pavilion at this time was on the Gloucester Street side of Crispe Park with the ground running east-to-west,
although the aerial view of the ground from around 1945 suggests there were two crickets pitches running north
to south at either end.
The goalposts were shifted to their current position around 1950, and in 1952, club members including Birchall
and now son-in-law Alan Chandler drew up plans for new rooms to the southern side the Park, roughly
where today's cream-brick toilet block stands.
The Council erected a scoreboard on the present site, later with a make-shift canteen underneath.
Two or three years later, the Reservoir club approached the Council again
with an offer to extend the rooms and add a proper canteen with the umpire's rooms replacing the earlier
canteen. Again it was Fred Birchall and Alan Chandler that controlled the construction under the supervision of
the Council's Building Inspector, erecting two large change rooms, canteen, umpire's rooms and a small
secretary's office, all enclosed within a ten-foot high cyclone wire security fence.
According to Dick Norris, Preston Cricket Club first used the ground for Third XI matches in 1944 and then for
the new Fourths competition in 1948. Crispe Park was also for many years a pre-season training ground for the
Preston Football Club over the summer months when Preston City Oval was being used for cricket.
The iconic cypress trees remain along the western side, but up until the 1970s, they surrounded the playing
area, perhaps removed when today's pavilion was built.
Cr. Charles Thomas Crispe
The park derives its name from Cr. Charles Thomas Crisp (1852-1932), who served on Preston Council from 1897
to 1930, was Shire President four times and the first Mayor when Preston was elevated to the status of a Town in
1922. He was also Mayor of Fitzroy in 1890-91 before moving to Preston.
He was Preston's first representative on the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works and a founding member
of the Fitzroy, Northcote and Preston Tramway Trust which was responsible for establishing the link from North
Fitzroy along St. George's Road to East and West Preston.
In private life, Crispe was a real estate agent, primarily in North Fitzroy and lived in a large residence in
Northernhay Street for many years.
Evan Luly and Osbert Wright
The remarkable photographs of Preston Park taken at the Thanksgiving Service at
Preston Park on the Sunday following the announcement of the cessation of
hostilities in the Great Wary are part of an extensive collection of the works of local
identity and photographer, Evan Luly donated by his family to the State Library of
Victoria.
Luly, listed as a 21 year-old clerk, volunteered for war service in 1916, but was
rejected on medical grounds.
Several of the images in his collection are of the departure of the embarkation of
HMAT Aeneas from Port Melbourne on 30 October, 1917 with a close family friend,
Air Mechanic Alfred Livingstone Freeman.
Thanksgiving Day must have been a bitter-sweet occasion for Luly.
His great friend Alf. Freeman died in a London Hospital on November 6, 1918 from
complications following an appendix operation and his death was announced in
the Leader the very day before the celebrations at the Park.
By a remarkable coincidence, the man in the suit on Freeman's left in the image is Osbert Wright, the last known
occupant in 1920 of the caretaker's residence in the south-west of Preston Park.
Wright also enlisted in August, shown as English-born and having previously served three years with the British
Army with his occupation listed on volunteering as a painter and decorator, although shown as a labourer in
electoral rolls - neither calling would suggest that he was employed by the Shire Council at the time of his
occupancy.
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PRESTON CRICKET CLUB
[PRESTON AND GOWERVILLE PARK
On surrounding Grounds
Cockroach Flats
Few will realise it but the Coburg Cricket Club for most of its early life played on the reserve on the north side of
Bell Street adjacent to the walls of Pentridge Prison.
There are one or two reports in the Mercury of warders returning cricket balls to the club and one byplay for
visiting teams was batsmen regularly attempting to lob the ball over the wall on the basis that, as one wag
suggested, " none of the fieldsmen ever seem keen to go and fetch it".
For reasons unknown (and perhaps best left that way), the area was originally known as the Cockroach Flats.
The current Coburg City Oval is, by comparison to its counterparts in Northcote and Preston, a relative newcomer
in terms of recreation reserves.
Cricket was first played there in early November, 1915, a Sub-District match between Coburg and Camberwell
after the local club was given permission to lay a turf wicket in August.
The area between Bell and Harding streets is now the G. A. Bridges Reserve, but previously known as
Henderson's Paddock, was acquired in December, 1912 after many months of debate which led to a special
referendum on the purchase being included in the Coburg Council elections in August, 1912.
Rather than a recreation ground, the main stimulus for the acquisition was a reputed promise by the Education
Department to construct a Higher Elementary school (i.e. extending to grade eight rather than the six at State
schools) if the purchase went ahead and the Council made a frontage along Bell Street available for a school site.
Ratepayers at the referendum voted 843 to 451 for the purchase, but remarkably three councillors who had
earlier vetoed the proposed contract were re-elected and two new candidates who actively canvassed the purchase
were soundly defeated.
No purchase price was disclosed, although it is known that a deposit of £400 was paid. The site was variously
put at between 13½ and 15 acres.
After the land was acquired, there was a predictable squabble over who should control the reserve, the Coburg
Football Club in particular asking for both a section of the area and an oval to be fenced in their bid to gain
access to the Victorian Football Association after two consecutive premierships in the Northern Suburbs
Association, the cricket club's more modest ambitions of an oval and a turf wicket to replace the old Cockroach
Flats ground.
And, of course, many ratepayers wanted the land to remain as a reserve for passive recreation.
The grandstand was officially opened on 28 March, 1926, the year following the Coburg Football Club's
admission into the Victorian Football Association.
The ground will be remembered by older football fans as North Melbourne's home in in 1965 after the local
council agreed to a request to re-develop the facility to bring it up to League standard, but pressure from the local
club (who played at Port Melbourne and trained at Preston) saw the lease cancelled after eight months and North
returned to Arden Street'
The record attendance at the oval was 21,695 when Collingwood defeated North of 26 June, 1965. The current
capacity is estimated at 15,000.
"The one recreation reserve of Coburg has an interesting story. It was called Cockroach Flat when young Coburg
led by Mr. Lilburne, cast desiring eyes upon it. They say Dean O'Hea wished to buy the land, but young Coburg
wanted a cricket ground, and had the land reserved and vested in the Road Board ".
The Argus, 23 March 1910
Meanwhile in Westgarth Street ...
We have covered Preston's highly optimistic bid to join the original District cricket scheme prior to the 190607 season (Turk Comes To Preston) and Northcote's admission and subsequent promotion, but what of the
background of the turf square at Northcote?
Like the other new clubs, Northcote teams were admitted to the Second and Third Grade on the promise of
meeting the primary requirement for a club under the district scheme – the availability of a turf wicket.
Again, there was nothing reported locally regarding Northcote's move to the District competition and anyone not
following the Melbourne dailies would have had no inkling of the club's move to a higher grade until the
Northcote Leader reported on a routine Town Council meeting held on 20 August.
"PARKS COMMITTEE - The Chairman of the Parks Committee, Cr. Thomas presented a report re preparation of the
ground to enable the Northcote club to be admitted into district cricket and form a senior team. Moved that the sum
of £25 be provided in the estimates of the ensuing year to cover the cost of preparing a portion of the ground about
30 yards square for such purpose".
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PRESTON CRICKET CLUB
PRESTON AND GOWERVILLE PARK
It wasn't until 12 September that a report appeared announcing Northcote's intentions and it was noted that they
would be able to draw players from Fairfield and Alphington (both then part of the Shire of Heidelberg), Preston
and Heidelberg as well as Northcote itself - "the provision of a turf wicket one of the most important
considerations".
"V.C.A. officials visited the ground some weeks previous and were surprised to learn there was such a
magnificent ground to play upon … better than any ground they had visited outside the metropolis … without
hesitation they passed the ground as suitable".
Northcote had played on matting for many years but a turf expert, Mr. Capewell of East Melbourne (the highly
regarded curator at the Richmond Cricket Ground for over 20 years), confirmed the suitability of Northcote Park
for a turf wicket in glowing terms.
His report to the V.C.A. after inspecting the Park suggested a turf wicket could be established quickly and at
comparatively little cost given the nature of the existing surface and the fact that the preferred base for wickets the prized black soil of the Merri Creek - was “within wheeling distance”.
Capewell apparently was so impressed with the material on hand that he suggested he “would be happy to take
40 loads at six shillings per load”.
The report concluded by revealing that work had started on laying the wicket and that would be available for
practice "within a few weeks", but "a few weeks" proved overly optimistic.
The new season was scheduled to commence on 13 October, eventually washed out, but the Leader on the
morning of the proposed opening against Brighton at Northcote Park revealed that the turf wicket "will not be
available".
The work was carried out by Capewell in conjunction with the regular curator, Thomas Ahearn, and in fact the
turf wicket was not used until a match against the Melbourne Second XI on 8 December, won by Northcote, 144
to 129.
Perhaps Capewell’s prophesies as to the eventual quality of the wicket proved a season or two premature.
Cricket followers were a little bemused at Northcote's success in their first season and considered the eventual
runners-up Malvern a somewhat superior team.
The draw seems to have a significant impact with Northcote somehow managing to play ten of their 13 matches
at home, and as “Observer” noted:
“… most visiting teams have found the Northcote ground peculiar in that the ball keeps very low … it was hardly to
be expected that a club that has hitherto played on matting should be able to get the best of turf wickets in the first
season”.
(To be fair to Northcote, it should be pointed out that they had already won their three opening matches before
the turf wicket was used).
Northcote managed to finish four points clear of Malvern (effectively two first innings wins), the margin a little
flattering as they managed to grab points against the third-placed Carlton on the first day of the final round with
the second day being washed out and other key games drawn.
Northcote’s thirteen matches gave them 20 points, resulting in four outright wins (+12), five first innings (+10),
one first innings loss (-2) and three pointless draws (in mind and actuality).
Preston and the Park : A TimeLine
1838-39
The lands that were to become Preston are sold off at public auction - 12 lots ranging from 312 to 1,117
acres at prices ranging from 8/3d per acre to £2.1.6d (High, Bell and Miller Streets to Merri Creek).
1853
Land between today's Westgarth Street and Merri Creek set aside as a site for a township; 14 acres in
Westgarth Street gazetted as a public park in 1867; Shire of Jika appointed as managers of Northcote Park in
1873.
1854
The name Preston chosen after the establishment of the first post office at Wood's store
1860
The first Preston Cricket Club noted in matches against Phillipstown (south-east Brunswick) behind the
Preston Arms Hotel. Later race meetings on the same site.
1874
Proposals to establish a recreation reserve behind the Shire of Jika offices at the Junction Hotel rejected
1875
At the instigation of Cr., J. C. Clinch, Shire of Jika acquires nine acres in Cramer Street after the partial
subdivision of Shepherd's Run; Preston and Gowerville Park. A Preston Park Cricket Club noted as offering to
plough and sow grass if the area is enclosed.
1877
A five-foot high picket fence completed around the Park at a cost of £86. Moves by ratepayers to acquire the
vacant land east to High Street.
1880
A wooden "pavilion" costing just £16 is erected on the eastern side. Remarkable, this humble structure
remained until 1925! Gowerville Cricket Club formed and allocated use of the Park. Running water laid on to
the Park.
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PRESTON CRICKET CLUB
[PRESTON AND GOWERVILLE PARK
1885
The Shire of Jika becomes the Shire of Preston after Northcote was proclaimed an independent Borough in
1883. Requests for use of the Park by the Preston and Gowerville Football Club rejected. Two cricket wickets
are known to have existed, at the north and south ends, running north-south.
1887
Preston Football Club granted access to the Park on a two-month trial.
1888-89
Caretaker appointed to the Park at a contract rate of £10 per annum. The Preston Leader introduced (1888).
Spencer Street to Whittlesea railway via North Fitzroy, Carlton and Royal Park opens (1889).
1892
Admission charges first allowed at the Park for a series of football matches in aid of a fund supporting the
families of 15 players and officials of the Mornington Football Club drowned in a boating accident in Port
Phillip Bay
1895-97
"Draconian restrictions" on access to the Park. Bans restrict access to hours between sunrise and sunset,
shooting and hunting banned. A "full-time" caretaker (also Inspector of Health) appointed at £100 per
annum.
1899
Plans to move the financially-stricken Preston Reading and Recreation Rooms from Clifton Grove to the Park
as an alternative pavilion thwarted after the Catholic Church buys the site for use as a school.
1901
After considerable controversy, an inner picket fence was erected around the playing arena at a cost of just
over £57. Today's Preston Cricket Club formed (as Preston Districts).
1904
Following Preston Football Club's admission into senior V.F.A. ranks, three ticket boxes, a press box are
erected and a member's reserve at the northern-western corner of the Park was fenced off. A cycling track of
around 15 feet width was laid inside the oval at the behest of the Preston Cycling Club.
1907
The two-pitch usage of the ground ended in controversial circumstances.
1914
Underground sewerage laid on to public conveniences at the north and south end of the Park (date of
connection to the pavilion remains unknown).
1919
Electricity connected to the pavilion. Police presence during football matches for the first time.
1919-23
Playing surface in both summer and winter noted as badly impacted by long grass, particularly in infestation
of onion weed. Council agrees (1923) to devote proceeds from the sale of pine trees around the Park to
purchase a horse-drawn mower.
1922
A turf wicket is laid following the Preston Cricket Club's application to join the Sub-District Cricket
Association. Plans to build Municipal Baths were quickly torpedoed when preliminary drawings showed they
could not be built without impacting the playing area.
1923
Plans were announced for construction of the southern end of today's grandstand, a tender of £3,100 for the
stand, plus another £308 for tiling.
1925
The grandstand was officially in December. The pavilion of 1880 lived to fight another day - after several
applications, the building was removed to Bell Park for the use of the Preston Ladies Cricket Club and the
Preston Soccer Club. Following a re-formation of the Preston Municipal Band, a band rotunda was erected in
the north-western corner at a cost of around £125.
1926
Preston Football Club re-admitted to the Victorian Football Association. Upgrades to the Park over the next
year or two included a new press box, kiosk, toilet facilities and gates.
1928
Embankments around the oval completed. Experiments with dirt track speedway racing. Tenders called for
construction of caretaker's house in south-western corner.
1930
The opening round of the Association season attracts a crowd of 15,000, the largest ever assembled at the
Park to watch Preston defeat 1929 premiers, Northcote
1931-35
Six-feet high privet hedge planed around park as park of sustenance work during the depression. Ground
resurfacing over the summer of 1931-32.
1942
Air raid shelters dug in north-eastern corner.
1944
Moves to rename as Kingsbury Park in honour of the late Bruce Kingsbury V.C. (1943) Preston District
Junior Football Association formed.
1947
First noted usage of "Bullants" for football club.
1949
New wooden, internally-operated scoreboard erected. Electric siren installed.
1956
Extensive works to widen the ground by up to eighteen feet sees both football and cricket clubs play the
season at Coburg,
1957
First television broadcast from the Park (June 1)
1960s
Changes around the Park include opening of P.A.N.C.H. (1959), the demolition of Zwar's Tannery for a
bowling alley (1960), and closure of Broadhurst's Tannery in Murray Road (160) and Cook's Timber Yard
(1967) with construction of the Preston Market commencing the following year.
1960
First Sunday Victorian Football association matches with admission by "donation"
1961
The caretaker's house in the south-west corner of the Park (22 Bruce Street) demolished and practice wickets
moved from the south-eastern corner of the oval. Grandstand extended at northern end (minus roof).
1962
Fitzroy Football Club attempts to take over the ground fail.
1967
ATV-0 commence regular transmissions of both Saturday and Sunday V.F.A. games
1969
Plans announced for construction of Preston Football Club Social Club
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PRESTON CRICKET CLUB
PRESTON AND GOWERVILLE PARK
1970
Cantilever roof extended over northern end of stand. New brick scoreboard erected and terracing extended
around northern end of the Park. Ground further widened at north-eastern end.
1977
Social Club finally opens after many delays with planning and licensing issues. New canteen constructed
1979
Plans announced for a $280,000 auditorium, gymnasium, sauna and spa room, training area, change rooms,
kiosk, toilets, press facilities. Later shelved after State Labour Government announced plans for casino
licenses.
1981
Floodlights installed, Preston Council leases strip on eastern side from Railways for car parking
1985
PFC report includes beer sales for the first time ($14,405 net compared to canteen $11,500)
1993
Creation of elite under-18 football competition (ultimately the T.A.C Cup) sees the elimination of League and
Association Thirds.
1994
Merger of Preston and Northcote councils creates Darebin Council. Playing surface at the Park deteriorates to
an alarming level
1996
Preston and Northern Knights Football Clubs merge to become Preston Knights Football Club.
1998
Preston Knights Football Club license revoked, the decision later overturned after negotiations with the
administrator of the sacked Darebin Council saw an agreement for major drainage works for the playing
surface
2000
A.F.L. Reserves abolished and a new Victorian Football League introduced with a mixture of combinations.
Northern Bullants forced to play home matches against teams with A.F.L. players at Victoria Park due to
change rooms deemed to be inadequate
2001
Home matches return to the Park with rooms under the stand combined for opposition teams and the
Bullants using temporary rooms erected behind the scoreboard
2002
New change rooms and administration block opened to the south of the grandstand
2005
Darebin Council releases a Master Plan for wider community access and use of the Park. Initial work sees
removal of the embankment in the south-eastern corner and establishment of a children's playground and
replacement of the corrugated iron Mary Street fence with an open-mesh equivalent.
2009
A.F.L. announce $1.4 million grant for each of the stand-alone and affiliated V.F.L. clubs. Plans for
redevelopment of social areas. Surface of the oval re-sown with drought-tolerant grass, Preston Cricket Club
play all away games.
2010
Works commence on redevelopment of reception centre. Preston Football Club Social Club trades for the last
time in August.
2011
Now dining facility opens, but with no kitchen or beer available on tap due to budget overruns and design
flaws. Administration area extended to accommodate Northern Knights offices.
2012
Cramer Street streetscape redesigned. Ticket boxes and wire fence removed, frontage along Cramer Street
landscaped and new gates installed.
2013
Another gate installed behind Cramer Street goals (nobody knows why)! Change rooms extended with
medical room and small gymnasium for use by Northern Knights. Reception centre completed with
additional grant from Darebin Council.
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