Clarrie Lonsdale

Clarence Alexander Lonsdale (13 September 1906 – 6 December 1971) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]

Clarrie Lonsdale
Personal information
Full name Clarence Alexander Lonsdale
Nickname(s) Bluey
Date of birth (1906-09-13)13 September 1906
Place of birth Berrigan, New South Wales
Date of death 6 December 1971(1971-12-06) (aged 65)
Place of death Moe, Victoria
Original team(s) Cheltenham
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 78 kg (172 lb)
Position(s) Halfback
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1927–1937 Hawthorn 109 (22)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1937.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early life

The seventh of eleven children born to George Lonsdale (1866–1962) and Elizabeth Lonsdale (1868–1951), nee Moncrieff, Clarence Alexander Lonsdale was born in Berrigan, New South Wales on 13 September 1906.

He was schooled in Henty, New South Wales and moved with his family to Cheltenham in Victoria when he was a teenager.

Football

Clarrie Lonsdale played for Cheltenham in the Federal Association for four years before getting recruited by Hawthorn. While at Cheltenham he played mainly as a full forward and on one occasion kicked 100 goals in the season. He played in their 1925 premiership.[2][3]

Moving to Hawthorn in 1927, Lonsdale made his debut in round three against Footscray at the Western Oval.[4] At Hawthorn Lonsdale mainly played on the half back line, his ability to take strong overhead marks was a feature of his game.

He hurt his knee against Essendon in 1929[5] and subsequently returned to Cheltenham. He also played for Cheltenham in 1930 and 1931. He had two games on permit with the Mayblooms in 1931, before returning to Hawthorn in 1932. Lonsdale was the fifth Hawthorn player to play one hundred VFL games.

After playing in the first 3 rounds of 1937, Lonsdale requested and received a clearance to Darling in the Federal League and he helped Darling win a premiership that year.

War service

In October 1942, Clarrie Lonsdale enlisted in the Australian Army and at the time of his discharge in November 1945 was a member of the 14/32 Australian Infantry Battalion.[6]

Later life

Returning to civilian life after World War II, Lonsdale moved to Moe where he worked as a plasterer.[7] Clarrie Lonsdale died in Moe on 6 December 1971.

Honours and achievements

Notes
  1. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. p. 526. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
  2. "OTHER MATCHES". The Age. No. 21, 986. Victoria, Australia. 21 September 1925. p. 15.
  3. "LONSDALE NOT BLUE". Sporting Globe. No. 1245. Victoria, Australia. 7 July 1934. p. 7.
  4. "1927 - THE GOSSIP OF THE HOUR: NEWS FROM ALL CLUBS". The Herald. 13 May 1927. p. 13. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  5. "Football Gossip and Club Personalities". Sporting Globe. No. 712. Victoria, Australia. 22 May 1929. p. 8.
  6. "Clarence Alexander Lonsdale". Department of Veterans Affairs.
  7. "Bluey Lonsdale of Cheltenham". Kingston Local History.
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