Gnowangerup History

This article was written in October 2009

TIME FOR RETIREMENT

A special presentation was made by the Gnowangerup Football Club at the Senior Sport Windup on Friday 11th September, to Mr. Alwyn Freegard, retiring football time keeper of 53 years, and life member.
Mr Freegard became involved in the Gnowangerup Football Club in 1950, and began time keeping full time n 1956 after doing a few previous games. Alwyn remembers when he first started time keeping with a large kitchen clock.

Dave Bassanelli used to always checking the time as he had to light the fire for Mrs Searle in the kitchen to have hot water to make afternoon teas. Alwyn was involved in the change of the Central Great
Southern Association to the Ongerup Football Association, was president of the GFC in the years 1981, 1982, and 1984, and was a regular committee member. In 1992 after 42 years, he was nominated for a volunteer award, for which he received a certificate and an honorary badge, and was invited to a function at the Burswood which he was unable to attend. This was a great honour treasured to this day, along with the letters from Wilson Tuckey and the President of the Ongerup Football Association he received after.

Upon winning the Grand Final at Nyabing against Borden in 1996, Alwyn handed the clock he used for the game back to then president Ross Parnell. Ross handed it back to Alwyn and told him to keep it. Alwyn still has it.

The Best Club Person Award, a perpetual shield awarded since 2006 to a person who has given great service to the club, is named after Alwyn.

Club president Richard Poulish presented Alwyn with a professionally framed historical, red, woollen, Gnowangerup Football Club jersey, signed by the 2009 league players.

Alwyn spoke about the highlights of his fascinating career with humour and affection, and after a standing bvation, daughters Betty Brown and Shirley Stewart tearfully said a few words, having thought their Dad would not say anything.

Betty thanked the football club for the presentation and said not only was it very special to him but to the whole family. She told the story of as daughters playing netball and hockey, not ever remembering dad watching them play. Football was always his first priority, a little mystifying as he had four daughters.

Betty then went on to thank Terry Lamont, who in the later years always made sure Alwyn was fed and watered with afternoon tea up in the time keeper's box.

Betty on behalf of mum Marj, Rosemary, Merrilyn, Shirley, and herself, thanked everyone who had been around bver the past 50 years for making this award so special.

Betty said we all love you Dad, now it's time to sit back in the car and put your finger on the horn every time Gnowangerup score a goal instead of on the stop watch, and enjoy it.

To mark the occasion of Mr Freegard's retirement from time keeping, and in recognition of his 59 years of service to the club, the football club is naming the time keepers' box 'The Alwyn Freegard Timekeepers Box'.

Sadly Alwyn has now passed away, and is missed by many local people.

Alwyn Albert Freegard

Born: 25 Nov 1920 Died (aged 90): 5 May 2011

Gnowangerup Cemetery

Headstone Description

"Loved husband of Marjorie

Father of Helen (dec.), Rosemary,

Merrilyn, Lionel (dec.), Shirley,