The Kalgoorlie City Football Club recently celebrated 125 years of football, and with it came a book authored by John Terrell with heavy local research assistance coming from local club stalwart Cobber Rogers (88).
The club, through its predecessor Hannans, was established at a meeting at the Exchange Hotel in Kalgoorlie on 3 May 1895. No other Goldfields football club, at least any east of Coolgardie, can come up with a foundation date earlier than this. The Hannans District Football Association officially started in 1896 with Boulder winning the association’s inaugural premiership. Hannans won their first and only premiership the following year on 5th September 1897, and it is this achievement that the modern-day Kalgoorlie City Football Club officially recognises as the club’s “moment of arrival”. Hannans folded in 1899, and was superseded by the Kalgoorlie Football Club in 1900, and later re-named the Kalgoorlie City Football Club.
With the premiership that Hannans won in 1897 came an ornate silver cup, which is thought to be the oldest surviving trophy in Goldfield’s football. Not only is it a significant relic of the past, it now serves as a beacon of endeavour for current-day Kalgoorlie City Football Club players and club supporters.
1897 Hannans District Football Association’s premiership cup
Western Argus 11 May 1895, page 3
Hannans Football Club – A meeting was held at the Exchange Hotel on the evening of the 3rd instant when it was decided to form a football club, to be called the Hannahs Football Club. The following office bearers were elected: Patron, Mr Warden Jephson; president, Mr John Wilson (Mayor); vice-presidents, Crs McKenzie, Ward, Roberts, Lee, Fimister and Waldock, and Messrs Geoghegan, Knight, Cutbush, Morriss; working, committee, Mr Fimister and Messrs Mills, Killington, Modriss and Brooks; secretary and treasurer Mr T. B. Chaplin.
It was resolved that the subscription for playing and nonplaying members be 5s. Mr Ward presented the club with a new football which was accepted with thanks. Mr Morriss also offered a trophy for the best all-round player during the season, and this was also accepted. The following subscriptions, amounting to £8 1s 6d, were promised, via, Messrs Geoghegan, Ward, McLeod, J. Wilson, McKenzie and Morriss £1 1s each, Messrs Parsons and Edwards 10s 6d each, Mr Killington 5s 6d, Messrs Miller, Mills, Snell, Mithwell, Bathwood, and Mitchell 5s each. The colour of the club are navy blue and red gurnsey, blue knickerbockers and stockings.
However, when Hannans won their one and only premiership in 1897 they wore red-and-white coloured guernseys. By May 1900 (remembering that Hannans FC had folded in 1899) Kalgoorlie became known as “the dark blues”, wearing an all-dark blue guernsey with white knickerbockers and dark blue socks. Later, in the Kalgoorlie Miner on 18 July 1904 and 14 August 1905, the newspaper referred to Kalgoorlie’s red-and-blue colours, which are the same colours adopted at the inaugural meeting of the Hannans Football Club on 3 May 1905.
Practice has been indulged in for the past week. Mr Chaplin, the secretary, is expected to make the boys rally up, he has acted as secretary to the Richmond (Vic.) club for some years.
Moya Sharp
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