1877 or 1883?

[Eastdog]

I had a question what year was our club actually formed?

[mjp]

This is a bad answer, but I have forever been told it was 1883.

[bornadog]

According to the wiki page, in 1877, a junior football club was formed - Footscray.


In 1880, the club changed its name to the Prince Imperials in honour of Napoléon, Prince Imperial (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napol%C3%A9on,_Prince_Imperial), the heir to French throne (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_French_monarchs), who had recently died in battle. The club reverted to Footscray a few years later. In 1886, Footscray gained admission to the Victorian Football Association (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_Football_League) (VFA) after amalgamating with the Footscray Cricket Club to form a senior football club.

I know that in 1983, we celebrated the 100 year anniversary and played Fitzroy in a celebration match as they were also formed in 1883?

[Twodogs]

I had a question what year was our club actually formed?

Darren Arthur the club historian says it was in 1877. He says Football and sport for that matter started in Footscray with the arrival of a pair of brothers called English in the mid 1870s

[azabob]

Darren Arthur the club historian says it was in 1877. He says Football and sport for that matter started in Footscray with the arrival of a pair of brothers called English in the mid 1870s

Tim looks so young though.

[Twodogs]

Tim looks so young though.

I made that joke too. The Historical Society don't have a very well developed sense of humor.

[azabob]

I made that joke too. The Historical Society don't have a very well developed sense of humor.

Not sure who that says more about, us or them?

[Twodogs]

Not sure who that says more about, us or them?

Them, for sure.

I mean, who doesn't get a fit of the giggles at a HS meeting? I dare you to keep a straight face.

[Eastdog]

1886 was the first ever jumper we had with red white and blue in it and our first season in the VFA.

[westdog54]

I made that joke too. The Historical Society don't have a very well developed sense of humor.

Either that or 'it was funny the first time'.

[ledge]

Found this amazing .. Easton Wood watching old footage of a Ww1 footy match overseas 1916 .
https://www.facebook.com/63513051416/posts/10156471538586417/

[Twodogs]

Either that or 'it was funny the first time'.

Had to be there?

[Daughter of the West]

Found this amazing .. Easton Wood watching old footage of a Ww1 footy match overseas 1916 .
https://www.facebook.com/63513051416/posts/10156471538586417/

When Easton talks about saying goodbye to his brother and how it could be the final goodbye... can't even begin to comprehend having to do that to a family member.

[Raw Toast]

Going back to the initial question,

Darren Arthur has just completed an MA with me (at VU) exploring this in further detail. Unfortunately the answer is it's complicated. Hopefully he'll be able to publish something out of it soon that gives the specific details.

I won't gazump him except to say that there were a number of teams in the late 1870s and early 1880s that were probably connected in some way, and that it is almost definitely early than 1883 (and the council seems to have mislaid some key files that could help provide further clarity).

He's written an excellent article on rowing out of his thesis (which also looks at the emergence of cricket in Footscray), so I'll see if I can get permission to post that on here.