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Issue No. 105 ISSUE 112 JANUARY 2013
HIGHLIGHTS HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED
Life & Times of John Birt
1
Friends of Anglesea Coast
5
Community House Review
8
Short Story
10
Memorial Tree Planting
12
Kid’s Page
16
Poetry Competition
18
Graft & Stift Car
19
Good Summer Reads
20
Anglesea Art House
24
Susan Reilly
27
Super Sudoku
30
Bird of the Month
32
Community Billboard
33
School News
34
Council Conversations
37
Las Lomas Update
39
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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOHN BIRT
A footballer of renown, a
teacher, a footy coach and administrator, a keen golfer, and a strong Christian faith are all qualities that belong to John Birt. Seated in the lounge of his home in Anglesea, John recalled a fulfilling and adventurous life when NewsAngle visited him recently. ROOTS IN ANGLESEA John’s Anglesea roots go back to 1949. His parents had a holiday house in Evans Street where he and his siblings spent many enjoyable summers. ‘Anglesea was a different place back then,’ John recalls. ‘From our holiday house you had uninterrupted views across to Four Kings, and down to the beach caravan park. Now grown trees have blocked most of the view.’ His father, a keen golfer, joined 14 year old John up in 1952, as one of the first members of the Anglesea Golf Club. He still enjoys a game of golf there 60 years later.
When the Birt children left school in the late 1950’s, having lost interest in coming to Anglesea, the house was sold. But the roots were not destroyed. In 1974, his fatherin-law, Joe Rowbottom, bought a block in Hillcrest Avenue. Joe drove the school bus and operated the first taxi in Anglesea. When he died in the early 1980’s his widow stayed in Anglesea until the early 1990’s before moving to Geelong as the minister of the East Geelong Church of Christ. 1993 was also significant in John’s connection with Anglesea. With an inheritance from his mother’s estate, he purchased a block of land in Chatsworth Drive, and built the house in which he lives today. GO BOMBERS! John Birt is not tall. He was a fast talented rover. He played 193 games for Essendon, and represented Victoria eleven times in State games . So he is a member of the 200-game club. In his playing career, he won the club best and fairest award three times. Trophies and photos from the football world hold pride of place in his lounge room. John played in four grand finals, winning two
ANGLESEA & DISTRICT COMMUNITY HOUSE
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of them in 1962 and 1965. ‘Playing in a grand final is something special,’ commented John. ‘My most memorable grand final was in 1957, even though we lost to Melbourne.’ In that year he finished 6th in the Brownlow Medal count and topped Essendon's goal kicking chart with 31 goals. CLUB CULTURE The Essendon Football Club was well run, embracing a ‘no nonsense’ culture. John Birt says it was a privilege to play with men like Bill Hutchison, and be coached by the legendary Dick Reynolds. Essendon’s ‘no-nonsense’ culture is demonstrated in the following anecdote. In a pre-season practice game, John played on a rover whom he felt played a lot better than he did. “He was brilliant. I felt he would take my place in the side. That did not eventuate. Continued page 6
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