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George Coppin’s Biographical Omission
President, Carlton Football Club
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The biographies of George Selth Coppin
(1819–1906) - “father of the Australian theatre” - fail to mention he was
also President of Carlton Football Club for seven years. I look
into what appears to be a curious biographical omission.
 Click on this link to a Trove list: George
Coppin’s Biographical Omission - President, Carlton Football Club to see
resources for this article, including online links, sources and newspaper
reports. It’s footnotes but much more.
Dedication
Remembering Dad, who
despite later (although not sole heartedly) following the Swans in Sydney
(as did I), originally followed Carlton (as did I). He told me his father and his father’s
father and … you know … all followed the Blues. I have no doubt they did,
though my great-great-grandfather was born in Norwood, Adelaide, and his
cousin played for the Red Legs, so I’d say they would’ve been his first team.
Anyway, I reckon if Dad was still alive he’d be pretty pleased I wrote a
little something about Carlton’s history. DC.
 Father of the Australian Theatre
(Image left:
"Mr George Coppin, the Australian comedian and manager" by Samuel
Calvert. National Library of Australia
nla.obj-135978055)
George Coppin is
best known as a comic actor, theatre company owner, entrepreneur and some
time publican for several decades from the 1840s. From English stages, in Australia he strode across Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Geelong and Launceston and also toured the United States. So if the man known as the “father of the
Australian theatre” was also President of Carlton Football Club for seven
years you would think that this was something generally well-known.
However the
Australian Dictionary of Biography (ADB) entry for George Selth Coppin
(1819–1906) doesn’t mention the Carlton
connection.
Why not? This
question, at least, is quite an easy one to answer – ADB appears largely
reliant on Alec Bagot’s biography “Coppin the great : father of the
Australian theatre”. But that begs the question, why did Bagot – who had
excellent access to family papers and Coppin’s daughter Lucy – not mention
the Carlton presidency? It seems a curious omission
and I’ll seek to explain it.
 My primary research of colonial artist
Samuel Thomas Gill (1818–1880) sometimes takes me on tangents, this one being
to his contemporary George Coppin. Dutton (1981) suggested Gill and Coppin
were friends. But although Coppin was the subject in 1849 of the very first
of Gill’s humorous “Heads of the People”, and the two men shared a strong
interest in horses, I can find no direct evidence of the friendship.
(Image right:
"Acting Purveyor General" (George Selth Coppin) from "Heads of
the People" by S.T. Gill, State Library of South Australia B 46875/1).
But back to
Coppin. Although his biographer showed no interest in the Carlton connection, the football historians do.
The Carlton
Football Club history site – Blueseum – notes Coppin’s presidential
role. At time of writing Blueseum lists George Coppin as President in
“1866?, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872” and has James Linacre as a more
likely president in 1866. I’ll investigate 1866 and more.
While exploring
the biographical omission, we’ll also see the connection between Coppin and
one of Carlton’s pioneer and famous players, Frank
Hillsden.
Coppin and Hillsden
The Coppin and
Hillsden connection is about as strong as you can get.
George Coppin
married Mrs Harriet Hillsden and then, after her decease, married her
daughter Lucy Hillsden.
George Coppin’s
second wife was Mrs. Harriet Bray Hillsden. Harriet, a widow, was the
sister-in-law of G.V. Brooke, the well-known actor who was under engagement
to Coppin. While in Sydney in 1855 Mrs Brooke asked Coppin to help
Harriet and the family. Coppin visited them and found Harriet “existing in
direst poverty, trying to eke out a living for herself and four children, two
girls and two boys”. The eldest Lucy, 14, “helped look after her sister,
Harriet, and younger brothers Charles and Frank.” (Bagot 185-186)
Harriet died in
1859. Then in 1861 Coppin married Lucy Hillsden, Harriet’s eldest. “There
were many headshakings as to the propriety of the match and forebodings of
the outcome, but neither of the parties was perturbed” (Bagot 233).
This made Lucy’s
brothers and Harriet’s sons – Frank and Charles – at the same time Coppin’s
step-sons and his brothers-in-law.
Both Hillsden brothers
were pioneer players and committee members for Carlton Football Club. But
Frank was a star player.
In the 1865
season Frank Hillsden was regularly in the Carlton squad as well as once in the Royal Park squad. In 1866 he played predominantly
for Carlton but also for Melbourne. Mark Pennings, in his “Origins of Australian Football”, says “it
was not unusual for players to turn out for two or three clubs during the
season.” (Pennings 37). But the Hillsden’s were definitely Carlton Football
Club players. Frank Hillsden played for Carlton 1865-1872 and brother Charlie Hillsden 1867-1869. (Pennings)
This all
suggests the possibility that Coppin’s first presidency at Carlton in 1866 was actually a by-product of Frank’s
playing.
Early Carlton Presidents
Newspaper
reports help resolve some of the confusion over Carlton’s early presidents.
In May 1864,
just as the football season was starting, Coppin left Melbourne for America and he didn’t return until January 1866.
Carlton Football Club began in his absence.
Some recalled a Carlton club in existence in 1861, but the present club was formed in July
1864. There is however no record that it played any games in that season. It
has been claimed that Carlton’s first AGM
recorded the results of the 1864 season, but these results actually refer to
the 1865 season. It thus appears that Carlton was formed in 1864 but did not play until 1865. It is also likely
that Carlton and Royal Park were virtually interchangeable at this
time for every player in Royal Park’s
1864 team turned out for Carlton in 1865. (Pennings 35)
Carlton’s 1865 annual general meeting – its
first according to Pennings – failed to elect a president.
A meeting of the Carlton Football Club, was held at
the University Hotel, last Wednesday, for the purpose of electing office
bearers for the season, and adopting a code of rules for the guidance of the
club. Mr Waugh occupied the chair. The secretary was requested to communicate
with James Linacre, Esq., asking him to accept the office of president of the
club. Mr John Walls was duly elected vice-president; and the following
gentlemen the committee, namely: — Messrs Waugh, McLean, McHarg, Richardson,
Bowen, Byrne, McFarland and Adamson; Mr B. James, secretary. After some
consideration it was resolved to adopt the Melbourne Club rules.
Leader (Melbourne, Vic.) 20 May 1865: 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197036298
Did James
Linacre accept the club’s invitation? The end of season general meeting
suggests the possibility that he may not have, as McFarland chaired that
meeting.
A meeting of the Carlton football club was held at
the Rifle Brigade Hotel, Lygon-street, last evening, for the purpose of
receiving the committee’s report for the past season, and for disposing of
other business in connection with the club. Mr McFarland occupied the chair.
The Age (Melbourne, Vic.) 16 September 1865: 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155039220
It is possible
Linacre had accepted the presidency and McFarland had just chaired this
meeting in his absence, but I find no direct newspaper evidence for Linacre’s
acceptance.
President Coppin
On 17 January 1866 George Coppin returned from overseas and Melbourne marked his return with a celebratory banquet. On 13
March at Carlton’s annual general meeting, George Coppin
was elected president. “It was also arranged that a uniform cap of white and
blue should be worn by the players.”
Immediately
Coppin in his enthusiasm arranged a pre-season trophy – one which would be
vied for by young Frank Hillsden.
FOOTBALL.
CARLTON CLUB.— The following letter from the
president has been sent to us for publication:—
“Melbourne, 9th April, 1866. — Gentlemen, — In presenting ‘the president’s
ball’ to the Carlton club, I desire, if it meets with your approval, that the
president and vice-president should each appoint a captain to contest for the
possession of the ball in practice games by members of the club, that the
holder of the ball be entitled to the first choice in the selection of sides
and shall have the kick off. An account of practice play to be made at the
termination of the season, and the side winning the greatest number of games
shall hold the ball to present to the elected officer for the following year.
Mr. Frank Hillsden will act as the ‘president’s captain’ for the present
season. With the hope that the ‘president’s ball’ may be considered worth
your acceptance, and that it may stimulate play and give an additional
interest to your practice games,
yours respectfully, GEORGE COPPIN, president.”
Bell’s Life in Victoria and Sporting Chronicle (Melbourne, Vic.) 14 April 1866: 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article199057077
The pre-season
scratch match began on 5 May.
Carlton Club.—The opening match of the season took
place on Saturday last, in the Princess Park, between sides chosen by the president
and vice-president, and after a very well contested game victory was declared
in favour of the latter, they having obtained two goals, which were
splendidly kicked by J. E. Clarke. The play of Hillsden, Guy, T. Gorman, W.
Gorman, McFarland, O’Brien, Barfoot, and Lock, for their respective sides,
was also exceedingly good. Mr. George Coppin, the president of the club, was
on the ground, and opened the proceedings by kicking off the ball. The match
will be continued to-day at half-past two p.m.
Bell’s Life in Victoria and Sporting Chronicle
(Melbourne, Vic.) 12 May
1866: 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article199059375
The game
continued the following Saturday when the president’s side scored two goals.
This seems to be
the only report of Coppin’s active football involvement.
For Carlton and
Hillsden even better was to come in the season proper.
The best game of the year [1866] was played between
Melbourne and Carlton on June 30, and was officiated by two goal umpires and
a central field umpire. Neither side let up from go to whoa and produced an
intense and exciting game… Frank Hillsden and Harry Guy were excellent for
Carlton… A new rivalry was born and this was the first football game that
truly captured the public’s imagination. Indeed, it can be argued that this
game was a major turning point in football’s transition from leisurely
pastime for a sporting clique towards a major spectator sport. Carlton also
gained newfound respect in the football community and thereafter grew from
strength to strength. (Pennings 42-43)
Carlton was
ascendant and Coppin was elected president in each of the ensuing years 1867
to 1872. However he never presided at annual general meetings, these being
chaired almost exclusively by vice-president John Walls. In 1874 Coppin was
made one of three club patrons and was re-elected as a patron in 1875, 1876
and 1877.
In 1877 Coppin
was the subject of Punch’s satire:
FOOTBALL.
A very interesting match was played upon the South
Melbourne ground between twenty-two gouty players from different clubs and
twenty-two sufferers from sciatica. Mr. George Coppin was captain of the
gouty team, and Mr. Ben Rolls of the enemy. It was a preliminary condition that
no crutches were to be used; but as both sides remained stationary after
taking their places for nearly half-an-hour, it soon became evident that if a
goal was to be kicked, means of locomotion must be afforded to the players.
Eighty-eight crutches were accordingly brought on the ground and distributed
in equal numbers between the two teams and the game commenced with great
spirit...
Melbourne Punch (Vic.) 6 September 1877: 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article174552204
That year – 1877
– was Coppin’s final known involvement with Carlton.
In 1878 he was
elected vice-president of Richmond Football Club. However, but that club
seems not to have been active the following year and Coppin’s major football
involvement ended.
One wonders
whether there was some rift between Coppin and Carlton in 1877-78 to cause
his departure from the club.
Now back to the
question of the biography.
Not a Cradle to Grave Biography
What did Alec Bagot’s
biography say about this time? The answer is: very little.
Alec Bagot’s
book has 49 chapters and 340 pages of text. Chapter 47 begins on page 317
with Coppin’s January 1866 return to Melbourne at the age of 46. Coppin died
in 1906 at the age of 86. So 93% of the book relates to 53% of Coppin’s life.
It’s a meaningless statistic except to somewhat quantify the observation that
Bagot’s focus is clearly on Coppin’s early and theatrical life.
Bagot admitted
he did not “pretend to cover all phases of George Coppin’s life, otherwise
various citations would read like a catalogue. He was founder of the St. John
Ambulance Association in Australia, the Gordon Institute for boys with its
accompanying ‘Excelsior band’, libraries, free dispensaries, and a Grand
Lodge of Freemasons in Victoria, he himself being elected, after several
times declining, as the first Grand Master.” (Bagot 330)
Bagot’s main
source was Miss Lucy Coppin (1873-1960) and much family material. Perhaps
this is where the omission began.
Coppin’s public
profile made him a popular candidate for his many roles as president / chair
also of the Licensed Victuallers’ Society, Old Colonists’ Association,
Victorian Humane Society, Richmond Municipal Council, Richmond Cricket Club
and the Dramatic and Musical Association. Bagot mentions all these interests.
Coppin was also
a member of Victoria’s Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. Bagot
mentions these too.
But not the
football.
David Coombe
25 March 2020
CITE THIS: David Coombe, 2020, George Coppin’s
Biographical Omission: President, Carlton Football Club, accessed dd mmm
yyyy,
<http://coombe.id.au/research/George_Coppin_Biographical_Omission.htm>
Original: 25 March 2020.
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