Photographs of Carlton’s enriching history are constantly surfacing – amongst them this find from the most unlikely of locations, the Victorian Arts Centre.
Featured here is the late Don Rainsford, the three-game Carlton player of 1959, flanked by the then coach Ken Hands and President Lew Holmes.
Other photos in the collection include such luminaries as Horrie Clover, Jim Francis and Dave Crone.
The photographs form part of the Laurie Richards negative collection, which was accumulated during Richards’ career as a commercial photographer throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s. The collection comprises approximately 28,000 images relating to early Melbourne television and radio.
Don Rainsford, older gentlemen unknown, June 11, 1959. (Photo: Laurie Richards negative collection)
Richards’ photography captures many well- known Australian celebrities and international visitors. The Performing Arts Collection acquired the collection in 1991 from Henk Rem, a former employee who took over Richards business in 1976.
It is possible that some images within the Laurie Richards’ Collection were taken by his employees.
Rainsford, a former Burnie Premiership ruckman best remembered as the Seven Network’s voiceover man through the 1970s, was but a 17 year-old teenager when he savoured Grand Final success. When his father relocated to north western Tasmania with the police force, Don turned out for Scottsdale, at that time coached by the feared former Carlton Premiership captain Bob Chitty.
On the recommendation of another former Carlton Premiership player Fred Davies, then coaching Longford, Rainsford was persuaded to try his luck on the mainland. The then coach Ken Hands duly encouraged Rainsford to sign with the promise of a job in radio, probably through the support of Carlton devotee Oliver J. Nilsen owner of 3UZ.
L. to R. Horrie Clover, Phil Gibbs, Dave Crone, Doug Beasy and Jim Francis, Princes Park circa 1957. (Photo: Laurie Richards negative collection)
Rainsford’s radio commitments unfortunately impacted on his football preparations, to the point that he was making quick changes into his football gear within the confines of the radio station before racing to Princes Park to fulfill his on-field duties.
Three games into his senior career, Rainsford was given an ultimatum by the powers that be at UZ to either to chase the leather or commit his energies to the airwaves.
Amidst the turmoil of Princes Park, Rainsford pursued the latter option, and completed 10 years at UZ before switching to rival station 3AW and then embarking on a television career with HSV7 in Dorcas Street.
Sadly, cancer claimed Rainsford’s life at the age of 51 in 1989, his twin brother Malcolm having predeceased him at the age of 36.
Back in Tasmania, a memorial plaque to Rainsford can be found at Scottsdale Cemetery, co-incidentally where his old coach Bob Chitty was laid to rest.
