Almanac Life: Local Hero, Local Champion, Or Both – C. W. (Bill) Darke

 

 

This piece is inspired by three things. Firstly, a conversation I had with Col Ritchie some months ago about how more should be written recognising the contribution that local heroes make to their communities and sports. Secondly, my love of reading articles by Martin Flanagan and Tony Wright both of whom have often written about local community heroes. I have always been moved by Martin’s wonderful piece on former Moyston Willaura Football Club and Mininera and District League President, Ruth Bain: ‘The passing of a grassroots champion’ (‘The Age’, September 13, 2014 p.51). Thirdly, my recent piece for The Footy Almanac titled ‘Mulga and Ye Old Buckland Inn’.

 

I remember a number of local heroes from my boyhood past – both men and women – of similar ilk to Ruth Bain. In particular, I remember Mr Bill Darke.  We kids never called him Bill; it was always Mr Darke.  That’s how it was in my day.

 

One could write a book about Mr Darke’s (Bill’s) contribution to the Swansea Football Club, the former Fingal District Football Association (FDFA), and the Swansea region more generally. Bill is but one of the countless people in country towns and localities across AFL land who give so much of themselves to assist local sporting clubs. They all deserve our gratitude and acknowledgement. This piece is my attempt to honour the enormous work that Bill Darke did for the town community of my childhood – especially the local football club.

 

Bill Darke was a pillar of the Swansea community in Tasmania – a true community champion and tireless giver. Without his dedicated efforts, the resurrection of the local football club – which had been dormant for several years following the demise of the East Coast Football Association in 1958 – might never have happened. Bill paved the way for Swansea to be admitted to the FDFA (then comprising Rossarden, Avoca, Fingal, St Marys, Mathinna, and St Helens) in 1961, following an unsuccessful attempt to join the Midlands Football Association (MFA).

 

Rumour has it that Campbell Town delegates to the MFA foiled Swansea’s bid to join because they didn’t want to lose several very good players from Swansea who had joined its ranks after the East Coast Association folded.

 

In the Swansea Football Clubrooms there is a framed photograph of Bill alongside another old friend and also former Swansea stalwart, the late H.P.T.(Pat) Cusick. The caption reads ‘…club stalwarts credited with re-establishing the Swansea Football Club.’ The clubrooms are named The Bill Darke Clubrooms in honour of Bill who not only drew the plans, but had them approved by the local council and supplied the timber – most of it donated by him. He did the same for the two-story timekeeper’s box.

 

Bill was born in December 1919 and raised in Campbell Town. His mother, Matilda, came from a prominent local sporting family – the Richardsons. The sporting prowess of that family included Fred Richardson who played for Collingwood.  Beyond his football skills, Fred achieved local fame for coaching the Campbell Town school to state premiers in 1925 and 1926 defeating strong teams from Invermay (Launceston, Northern Tasmania) and Albeura Street (Hobart, Southern Tasmania) schools. Beating the city teams was a significant achievement for a small rural school town in central Tasmania.

 

Other notable members of the wider Richardson family includes world class cyclist Graeme Gilmore, and his son Matty Gilmore, Olympic cycling silver medallist at the 2000 Olympics.

 

Bill’s wife Ailie was related to the famous four Graham players from Swansea (Des, Tas, Lyell and Stan) who played for North Hobart in the Tasmania Football League during the 1950s – early 1970s.

 

As a junior, Bill captained the combined Midlands State School team in Hobart and was a regular opening batsman for the midlands team in Tasmania’s annual Country Week Cricket tournament. Known as ‘Blocker’ or ‘Stonewaller’ Bill was renowned for his stubborn defence – much like England’s Trevor Bailey and Geoff Boycott – often staying at the crease for hours frustrating the bowlers.

 

Bill’s great nephew Tom recounted the story of one match when Bill, as the opening batsman for Campbell Town, scored only four runs by lunchtime and ended the day with nine not out – a testament to his stonewalling style.

 

In the mid 1950s Bill moved to Swansea to purchase the Pier Milk Bar. Before that, he and his brothers ran a hardware store and a local building firm, Darke Bros, in Campbell Town. In Swansea, Bill acquired the transport business connecting Campbell Town to Swansea and later started a farm supply business affiliated with Farmers and Graziers of York Street, Launceston.

 

This business allowed him to distribute fertiliser and farm supplies along the east coast and between Campbell Town and Swansea, including rural localities like Quorn Hall, Windfalls, Daisy Banks on the Lake Leake road. Over the years Bill employed many locals – young and old – in his various business ventures in the town providing jobs and fostering community spirit.

 

Bill was instrumental in widening the Swansea football oval. First, he convinced the Presbyterian Church to reduce its cemetery property by six feet on one wing (the Oyster Bay side). Then, he persuaded local home owners bordering the opposite wing (town main road side) – himself included – to donate the same.

 

Bill also renovated the local clubrooms creating a new frontage and kiosk. His sign-painting/writing son designed football sketches for the ends of the rooms.

 

For several years Bill served as the Swansea Football Club’s delegate to the Fingal District Football Association (FDFA) before eventually becoming the FDFA President. At various times he held positions such as the Chairman, executive committee member, club delegate, President and Patron cementing his long and distinguished association with the Swansea Football Club.

 

In terms of his community service, Bill was also a local Shire councillor, an Elder of the Presbyterian Church and an active member of various other local committees and groups. Even after moving from Campbell Town to Swansea, Bill maintained his role as Bandmaster of the Campbell Town Brass Band.

 

Bill and his wife Ailie were deeply dedicated to the Swansea Football Club. In the early 1960s, they made it possible for country champion and Campbell Town and Midlands Football Association ruckman David Davidson to purchase their Pier Milk Bar business on interest free easy terms. This arrangement was contingent upon Davidson coaching the Swansea ‘Bulldogs’ for an agreed period.

 

When Bill owned the Pier Milk Bar it was the hangout for the town’s youth. Many including myself, remember meeting friends there, flirting with girls, listening to the juke box, and drinking spiders. It was a time when the likes of the Master’s Apprentices, Kinks, Normie Rowe, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones ruled the airwaves and when we thought we were ‘cool’ and that everything was ’gas’ or ‘grouse’. It was an era of coming of age.

 

The saying goes, ‘Behind every great man is a great woman,’ but for Bill’s wife, Ailie, the phrase might be more aptly reworded as, ‘Behind every great country football club is a great woman’. For many seasons Ailie washed the entire football team’s guernseys and officials’ uniforms, wearing out two washing machines due to the sand, grit and dirt in the apparel. She provided this service at no cost to the club.

 

I still remember the excitement around the club when a new siren replaced the long-established bell in the timekeeper’s box which was common to country football clubs at the time. It was Ailie who arranged and paid for the club’s new siren as a donation.

 

Bill’s two sons Graham and Neville both played for Swansea as did his grandsons Simon and Nathan and great – nephews Tom and Nick Darke. In honour of his father’s memory, Graham initiated an annual match for the ‘Bill Darke Trophy’ between a Lindisfarne/Hobart school boys’ team, which he coached, and a Swansea schoolboys’ team

 

In my research for this piece I heard many stories about Bill, but one stands out for its humour. When Bill owned the Pier Milk Bar, which also served as a supplier of groceries and farm supplies (out of a back shed), he once instructed his son Graham to buy a bottle of Scotch whiskey from the local RSL Club. Bill then hid it in a sack of pollard for safekeeping,  intending to enjoy it later while working. However, Graham accidentally sold the sack – Scotch and all – to a local farmer. Fortunately, the farmer turned out to be Pat Cusick, Bill’s mate (and football club committeeman) who promptly returned the Scotch without a dram lost.

 

When Bill passed away in late January 2012 he was laid to rest in the Presbyterian Church cemetery near the eastern wing of his beloved Swansea Football Club oval. This was near the scoreboard he once manufactured from a door so the homeowners on the western side of the oval, who had donated land to the club, could easily see the scores during home matches.

 

Around 300 people from all over Tasmania and interstate attended Bill’s funeral; a testament to his standing and outstanding contribution to the Swansea region.

 

As it did in the late 1950s – until Bill’s earnest efforts resurrected it – the Swansea Football has since followed the path of many country footy clubs today and is no longer a playing club. This would sadden the Mr Darke I knew in my youth.  (note: ‘A memory of Swansea Swans/Bulldogs: Gone, but not forgotten’ The Footy Almanac, April 15, 2020,) 

 

I borrow from Martin Flanagan’s tribute to Ruth Bain, referenced earlier:

 

‘To those people who talk about the football “industry” and profit lavishly from it, I would like to point out that Ruth did all that she did for nothing. She acted out of the pride she had in the place she was from and her belief in the sort of world she wanted her kids to grow up in’.

 

This sentiment sums up Bill – and all those like him. No more needs to be said.

 

Allan Barden

 

 

More from Allan Barden can be read Here.

 

 

 

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