A supporter’s generosity the Key to solving 100-year mystery

THE CARLTON footballers of today, the likes of Patrick Cripps, Harry McKay and Sam Walsh, are photographed and filmed ad nauseum. But there was a time when cameras were not in plentiful supply and players quite literally disappeared into the ether.

The Carlton Football Club’s digital archive boasts images of 1103 of the 1224 men to have donned the famous Dark Navy guernsey in senior League competition – from Jimmy Aitken in 1897 to Brodie Kemp in 2021 – which means 121 more aren’t represented by a single photograph.

That number has now been whittled down to 120 with the discovery of an image of one-game senior player Alf Key, by way of a team photo in which he appeared precisely 100 years ago, and thanks to the generosity of a lifelong Carlton supporter (more of that later).

Born in North Carlton in November 1897, Key was recruited to the club from local team Carlton District. On the end of a turbulent week in which Charlie Fisher resigned as captain, Key completed his debut for the old dark Navy Blues against Melbourne at Princes Park in Round 6 – Saturday, June 5, 1920.

Not surprisingly, the home team lost by 18 points, on a day incessant rains left Princes Park under water and prompted a delayed start.

In 1921, Key crossed to neighbouring Fitzroy and featured in two senior matches with the Maroons, before returning to Carlton District in 1922. That year, Key (as resident vice-captain) posed for the team photographer wearing the Carlton guernsey with the CFC monogram as opposed to the CDFC monogram – and it’s worth noting that seven other players including the captain Dee, Harry Bell, Rowley Faust and Vern Wright are all pictured wearing Carlton Football Club guernseys.

Key passed away at the age of 80 in November 29, 1977, some 44 years before his image found its way the club’s archive thanks to Lorraine Gillett, whose father Percy was a long-time Carlton trainer of the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s.

Prior to being struck down with ill health, Lorraine instructed her partner Gordon Archer to forward her father’s precious items of Carlton memorabilia to the club – including her father’s trainer’s cap and blazer which she treasured, a trophy awarded to him by the VFL in recognition of his services to the club in the 1947 Premiership year, and various certificates and photographs like the one featuring Alf Key.

Now in her late 70s, Lorraine’s propensity to horde items of Carlton memorabilia, amongst other things, has proved to be a godsend for the club, but Lorraine and her loved ones are equally thrilled that Percy’s items have found the right home.

“Lorraine has lost most of her memory now, but she still remembers most of the Carlton theme song . . . and she is thrilled to pieces to know that Percy’s items may one day be displayed at the club for everyone to see, as she’d always promised that the items would go to Carlton – a place where they would be wanted.

“Lorraine treasured her father’s blazer and cap in particular,” Gordon said. “As a young girl, she and her brother Robert would accompany their mother to Carlton games, as their father had left for the ground early to fulfil matchday duties.

“Lorraine’s mother would take them to Princes Park by bus from Ivanhoe Station to the Sarah Sands Hotel, then walk down Royal Parade to the ground. At Carlton their father would meet them afterwards, but during the matches the children would sit by themselves and watch.”

Gordon, a fellow teacher who met Lorraine at the Glen Waverley Special School for the Mentally Disabled more than 40 years ago, said that Lorraine was a lifelong Carlton devotee – “but she had no choice” in terms of her allegiance, given her father’s presence.

As he said: “Even after Percy gave training away, Lorraine continued to support Carlton. She was a Social Club Member and she just loved everything about it”.

The following is a list of those Carlton players whose images are still outstanding. If you can provide an image of any of the following players, please feel free to contact Tony.DeBolfo@carltonfc.com.au.