George Williamson (Australian footballer)

George Williamson
Personal information
Full name George Henry Williamson
Date of birth (1866-01-14)14 January 1866
Place of birth Launceston, Tasmania
Date of death 22 June 1929(1929-06-22) (aged 63)
Place of death South Melbourne, Victoria
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

George Henry Williamson (14 January 1866 – 22 June 1929) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]

Family

The son of William Williamson (1843-1915),[2] and Sarah Williamson (1838-1919), née Hamilton,[3] George Henry Williamson was born at Launceston, Tasmania on 14 January 1866. His younger brother, John Hamilton Williamson (1870-1956), was also an excellent footballer.[4]

He married twice: to Alice Windley (1858-1912), the sister of Bill Windley, in 1901,[5][6] and to Maud Jewson (1887-1927) in 1920.[7]

Football

Originally from the Tamar Rowing Club Football Club in Launceston Tasmania, Williamson was named second-best player in Tasmania's first match on Victorian soil against the VFA at the MCG on May 21, 1887.

He played for Williamstown in the 1888-89 seasons (29-33 matches, 2 goals). Following accusations of bribery in a loss to lowly Footscray in 1889, Williamson crossed to Footscray for the 1890-91 seasons (30 games, 9 goals), then St Kilda in 1892 (14 games, one goal), and then playing back in Tasmania, and at Albert Park Juniors before arriving at South Melbourne in 1895.

He then went on to play 29 VFA games and kick one goal with South Melbourne in 1895-96,[8][9] captaining the Club in 1896 (the Club's last in the VFA before the formation of the VFL), including the 1896 premiership match loss to Collingwood, in which he played at centre half-back.[10][11] Williamson then played 12 VFL games with South without kicking a goal in 1897-98 before retiring at the age of 32.

On 9 June 1898 he was cleared from South Melbourne to Albert Park.[12]

Death

Williamson died on 22 June 1929, at the age of 63 in the Homeopathic Hospital (later Prince Henry's Hospital) in St Kilda Road, South Melbourne.[13][14][15][16]

Notes

  1. ^ Holmesby & Main (2014), p. 958.
  2. ^ Deaths: Williamson, The Age, (Friday, 12 March 1915), p. 1.
  3. ^ Deaths: Williamson, The Argus, (Monday, 7 July 1919), p. 1.
  4. ^ 'Half Back', "Football Notes", The (Launceston) Daily Telegraph, (Saturday, 18 July 1891), p. 3.
  5. ^ Deaths: Williamson, The Argus, (Saturday, 2 November 1912), p.13.
  6. ^ (News Item), The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 2 November 1912), p. 2.
  7. ^ Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria Marriages Registration No.3306/1920.
  8. ^ The Captains: A. Sykes (Ess.), Geo. Williamson (S.M.) (photograph), The Weekly Times p. 10.
  9. ^ South Melbourne Team (photograph), The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 22 August 1896), p. 10: Williamson is sixth player from left back row.
  10. ^ Football, The Australasian, (Saturday, 10 October 1896), p. 17.
  11. ^ Our Own Yesterdays, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 21 September 1935), p. 4.
  12. ^ Junior Jottings, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Friday, 10 June 1898), p. 3.
  13. ^ Deaths: Williamson, The Argus, (Monday, 24 June 1929), p. 1.
  14. ^ Former South Melbourne Champion Dead, The Age, (Monday, 24 June 1929), p. 6.
  15. ^ General Notes, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 29 June 1929), p. 1.
  16. ^ Death of George Williamson: Ex-Launcestonian, The (Launceston) Saturday Evening Express, (Saturday, 6 July 1929), p. 1.

References

  • Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.