George Henry Johnston (12 February 1877 – 11 August 1945) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in its first-ever match (1897) in the Victorian Football League (VFL) competition,[1] and with Prahran in its first-ever match (1899) in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) competition.
| George Johnston | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | George Henry Johnston | ||
| Nickname(s) | Cheerful | ||
| Date of birth | 12 February 1877 | ||
| Place of birth | Sandridge, Victoria | ||
| Date of death | 11 August 1945 (aged 68) | ||
| Place of death | Hobart, Tasmania | ||
| Original team(s) | Albert Park | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1897 | Carlton (VFL) | 1 (0) | |
| 1899-1900 | Prahran (VFA) | 22 (2) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1900. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
|
Inaugural team captain: Prahran (VFA) 1899. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Family
editThe son of John Johnston (1836-1888),[2] and Susannah Johnston (1844-1914), née Knight,[3] George Henry Johnston was born in Sandridge, Victoria on 12 February 1877.[4]
He married Edith Florence Button (1873-1933) in 1900.[5] They had four children.[6]
Football
editCarlton (VFL)
editRecruited from the Albert Park Football Club, Johnston only played once for the Carlton Football Club: against Fitzroy, at the Brunswick Street Oval, on 8 May 1987, in the first-ever round of the new Victorian Football League (VFL) competition. Three weeks later he was cleared back to Albert Park.[7]
Prahran (VFA)
editRecruited from Albert Park, Johnston played in the first-ever match that Prahran played on its re-entry into the VFA — against Richmond, at Toorak Park, on 6 May 1899 — at full-back, and as the team's captain.[8][9][10] He played in 17 matches (scoring 1 goal) in 1899, and in 5 matches (scoring 1 goal) in 1900.[11]
Recognition
editHe was a Life Member of both the Prahran Football Club and the Victorian Football Association.[12]
Military service
editHe enlisted in the First AIF in November 1915. He served overseas, and was wounded in action twice: in 1917,[13] and in 1918.[14][6]
Death
editHe died at the Repatriation General Hospital, Hobart, on 11 August 1945.[15]
Notes
edit- ^ Holmesby & Main (2009).
- ^ Deaths: Johnston, The Age, (Tuesday, 16 October 1888), p. 3.
- ^ Deaths: Johnston, The Age, (Wednesday, 25 March 1914), p. 1.
- ^ Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria Births Registration no.5251/1877.
- ^ Deaths: Johnston, The (Hobart) Mercury, (Monday, 17 April 1933), p. 1.
- ^ a b Service Record.
- ^ 'Wing', "Junior Jottings", The (Melbourne) Herald, (Friday, 28 May 1897), p. 7.
- ^ The Association: Prahran v. Richmond, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Saturday, 6 May 1899), p. 4.
- ^ ' Rover', "Opening of the Season at Toorak Park", The Prahran Telegraph, (Saturday, 13 May 1899), p. 2.
- ^ Prahran Football Team (Photograph), (Melbourne) Punch, Thursday, 29 June 1899), p. 25: Johnston is in the centre of the second row, holding the football.
- ^ The VFA Project.
- ^ Millard, P.J., "Port Melbourne need better home-game Ground", The (Melbourne) Herald, (Monday, 16 April 1945), p. 10.
- ^ Roll of Honor: Casualty Lists—Nos.336 & 337: Tasmanian Casualties: Wounded in Action, The (Launceston) Examiner, (Thursday, 13 September 1917), p. 7: note that he is listed as "Johnstone".
- ^ Roll of Honor (Casualty Lists Nos.448 & 449): Tasmanian Casualties: Wounded in Action, The (Launceston) Examiner, (Tuesday, 3 December 1918), p. 5: note (a) that he is listed as "Johnstone", and (b) that his wounding-in-action is "second occasion".
- ^ Deaths: Johnston, The (Hobart) Mercury, (Monday, 13 August 1945), p. 10.
References
edit- Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2009). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (8th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. ISBN 978-1-921496-00-4.
- First World War Embarkation Roll: 2nd Corporal George Henry Johnstone (sic) (1052), collection of the Australian War Memorial.
- First World War Nominal Roll: Sergeant George Henry Johnston (1052), collection of the Australian War Memorial.
- First World War Service Record: Sergeant George Henry Johnston (1052), collection of the National Archives of Australia.
External links
edit- George Johnston's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- George Johnston at AustralianFootball.com
- George Johnston's profile at The VFA Project.
- George Johnston's profile at Blueseum.