Harry Gaylard BEM*
Life Membership conferred 26 November 1973.
Life Member: 1.
Harry was born 12 February 1903 at Colac, Victoria, Harry came to Canberra from Terang in 1925 and immediately became associated with Australian Football, playing for Blandfordia, one of the early teams. He was present at the formation of the Eastlake Football Club in 1926 and transferred to Ainslie when the Club was established in 1927. He played in their first competition match on 21 May 1927.
He coached Ainslie in 1932 and later took an interest in junior football, coaching and managing many Ainslie teams.
He was the driving force behind the building of the first clubrooms on Ainslie Oval in 1952 and the construction of the Ainslie Football and Social Club in 1957.
Harry was President of both Clubs continuously from 1957 to 1971. Much of the credit for the early success of the Social Club may be attributed to his influence over this long term. Probably more than anyone else he personified what the Ainslie Club stands for. A dedicated but fair supporter he was always willing to give his time and energy to the progress of the Club and sport in the ACT.
For his services he received many awards including the National Football League Merit Award in 1956, Life Membership of the ACT Australian Football League (1949) and ACTAF Junior League (1954), Life membership of the Ainslie Football Club (1947) and Life Membership of the Ainslie Junior Football Club.
He became the first Life Member of the Ainslie Football and Social Club in 1973.
In 1971 he was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the community. Until his death in 1986 he was patron of the Ainslie Football Club.
Lionel James
Life Membership conferred 28 November 1982.
Life member: 2.
Lionel was born 8 March 1933 in Canberra and grew up in Ainslie. Lionel was encouraged by his father, L D James (former first grade captain, coach and Ainslie stalwart), to commence playing Australian football in junior grades as soon as competitions resumed after the war in 1946. In that year he was the Junior League Best and Fairest in the Sub Junior grade.
Lionel continued through to senior ranks and was a member of the 1952 Championship side, winning the Best and Fairest Award in that year.
Injury shortened his football career but he continued to serve the club in the administrative field. In the early formative years of the Ainslie Football and Social Club Lionel filled the position of Hon. Secretary from 1959 to 1961 and again from 1963 to 1968. In that position he had overall responsibility for all aspects of Club operation. It was a time consuming, onerous and often thankless task but one that was vital to the success of the organisation.
Lionel was Vice President of the Social Club from 1969 to 1971. He became President of the Club in 1972 and remained in that position until 1982.
Over this long period he displayed great knowledge of the club movement and the ability to engender teamwork and a strong corporate spirit within the Club.
During his Presidency the Club moved from a relatively small entity to a major sporting and social organisation with facilities second to none in the ACT. He stamped his own cheerful personality on the Club and set high standards of performance and service which the Club has endeavoured to follow ever since.
He was awarded Life Membership of the Ainslie Football Club in 1965 and the Ainslie Football and Social Club in 1982.
John Barry McCabe
Life Membership conferred 24 November 1985.
Life Member: 3.
Barry was born 12 June 1931 at Collie, Western Australia, Barry came to Canberra from Western Australia via Mildura where he attended Mildura High School. Barry commenced playing football for Ainslie in the under 18 grade in 1948 and in 1949 won the Club Under 18 Best and Fairest. In his first year of Senior football, 1951, Barry was successful in winning the Club Best and Fairest and ACT Australian Football League Best and Fairest Award, the Mulrooney medal. Barry was also runner up in the Club Best and Fairest in 1952 and represented Canberra AFL on numerous occasions.
Although his football career was cut short by a serious knee injury in 1954, Barry returned to play a few games in 1958 and 1959. Barry became involved in Club administration and was an active participant in the formation of the Ainslie Football and Social Club of which he was Hon. Secretary in the first Committee of Management in 1958. In this position he was responsible for the overall operation of the club in its first difficult year of establishment and the Club's progress at that time was largely due to his efforts.
He again occupied the position of Hon. Secretary in 1964 and from 1969 to 1976. In addition he was Vice President from 1965 to 1968 and again from 1983 to 1985, and Treasurer from 1977 to 1982.
By the end of his term of service he had seen the Club advance from humble beginnings to a large and successful organisation and a leader in the Canberra club scene. His enthusiasm, insistence on correct procedures and accounting, and sound business acumen were invaluable to the management of all aspects of club operation.
Barry was made a Life Member of the Ainslie Football Club in 1974 and the Ainslie Football and Social Club in 1985.
Alan Ray
Life Membership conferred 25 November 1990.
Life Member: 4.
Alan was born 6 January 1932 in Canberra and grew up in Ainslie. Because of the suspension of activities during the war he did not commence playing football with Ainslie until competition recommenced in 1946. In that year he captained the premier under 15 side and received the Best and Fairest award of the Junior League in that grade.
After progressing through junior ranks he commenced senior football in 1951 and went on to play 186 senior games, receiving the Club Best and Fairest award in 1953, 1955 and 1961.
While still playing he joined the Ainslie Football Club Committee as Secretary in 1958 and continued in that position until 1968. He was President of the Club from 1972 until 1975.
In addition to serving on the Football Club Committee he was a member of the Management Committee of the Ainslie Football and Social Club for 45 years from 1959 until retirement in December 2003. During this period he was Vice President from 1972 to 1982, President from 1983 to 1990 and had seen the Club grow from an organisation with 300 members to a facility with in excess of 40000 members and assets approaching $50,000,000.
He recognised that as clubs developed in Canberra it was necessary to present strong policies to government on common issues and he played an active role in the establishment and management of the Licensed Clubs Association of the ACT, being President from 1994 to 1996.
For his services to football, the Ainslie Football and Social Club and the club movement he was awarded Life Membership of the Ainslie Football Club in 1963, the Merit award of the Australian National Football Council in 1970 and Life Membership of the Ainslie Football and Social Club in 1990.
In 2004 he was awarded the Sport Employment Australia "ACT Contribution to Sport" award at the Clubs ACT Sportstar of the Year presentations. Since 1996 he has been patron of the Ainslie Football Club.
George Arthur Bennett MBE*
Life Membership conferred 25 November 1990.
Life Member: 5.
Born in Sydney in 1922, Arthur Bennett came to Canberra in1948 and despite a Rugby Union background, played for Ainslie between 1949 and 1954. While never a football star, Arthur gave over 40 years of administrative support to the Ainslie Football Club, the ACT Australian National Football League and the Ainslie Football and Social Club.
Arthur was on the committee of the Ainslie Football Club from 1950 to 1972 and as well filled a number of positions on the ACTAFL and as delegate to the Australian National Football Council.
He was made a life member of the Ainslie Football Club in 1958, a Life Member of the League in 1967 and was awarded the Merit Certificate of the Australian National Football Council in 1968.
He received his award of Member of the British Empire in 1970 for his outstanding service in administration with the ACT Police Force.
Arthur was deeply involved in the establishment of the Ainslie Football and Social club and was a member of the first committee of management in 1958. He was instrumental in the drafting of the Club's Constitution under which provision was made for control always to remain with the Club's football identity. The foundation set through his foresight has served the Club well ever since.
Arthur served on the Management Committee of the Social Club from 1958 to 1961 and again from 1981 to 1989. This period saw the expansion of the Club from a small organisation to a leader in the club scene in Canberra. His (sometimes colourful) advice and guidance were of significant importance to the Club's progress.
He had a broad appreciation of the importance of the club movement in the Canberra community and was instrumental in the establishment of the Licensed Clubs Association of the ACT which he served in an executive capacity for many years.
Arthur's work was acknowledged with Life Membership of the Ainslie Football and Social Club in 1990.
Reg Venables*
Life Membership conferred 10 December 1995.
Life Member: 6.
Reg was born 3 February 1930 in Adaminaby. Reg came to Canberra in 1944 and lived in the Kingston area. Although not having an Australian Football background he was a prominent sportsman in other fields, particularly golf, billiards and snooker. He became a member of the Ainslie Football Club and the Ainslie Football and Social Club in 1962 and subsequently gave long and valuable service in the administration of both organizations.
He was on the Committee of the Ainslie Football Club from 1969 to 1971 and was Secretary of the Club from 1972 to 1975. He was a member of the Board of Management of the Ainslie Football and Social Club continuously from 1968 to 1995 being Treasurer from 1983 to 1988, Vice President in 1989, Senior Vice President in 1990 and President from 1991 to 1995.
Over this period Reg was involved in a number of major developments including the acquisition of holiday units at Coffs Harbour and Club building programs in 1978, 1984, 1993 and 1995. In addition he assisted in the smooth introduction of poker machines to the Club in 1976 and the management of the additional revenue available for the advancement of the Club.
Reg was one of those people who back up their interest in the Club with a willingness to work and contribute to the best of their ability. Appropriately, Reg's special contribution to the organisation and playing of billiards and snooker in the Club is commemorated by the naming after him of the Snooker Room at the Canberra City Bowling Club.
He was awarded Life Membership of the Ainslie Football and Social Club in 1995.
Barry Browning
Life Membership conferred 2 July 2000.
Life Member: 7.
Barry was born 28 March 1934 in Canberra and grew up in Ainslie. He first commenced playing with Ainslie in1946 and moved through the junior grades before commencing senior football in 1952, the Championship year. He went on to have a distinguished career of 177 games with Ainslie and 15 games with ACT representative sides.
He won the ACT Football League Best and Fairest award, the Mulrooney Medal in 1955 and 1956, and the Ainslie Football Club Best and Fairest award in 1956 and 1957.
On retiring from football he became Treasurer of the Football Club from 1965 to 1975. In 1971 he was awarded the Australian National Football Council Merit Award.
Barry was a member of the Board of the Ainslie Football and Social Club in 1964 and then continuously from 1989 to 2007 (continuing). He was Vice President in 1990, Senior Vice President from 1991 to 1995 and President from 1996 to 1999.
Barry brought to the Board strong administrative skills and a straight forward personal approach to issues. This ensured the Club's policies and objectives were always well focused and achievable.
In 1995 Barry was a member of the working party established to examine the redevelopment of Ainslie Oval. Barry's invaluable knowledge of planning issues provided significant assistance to the Board of Management in successfully completing this project.
In addition during his term as President permanent club house facilities at the Gungahlin Lakes Community and Golf Club were completed. The success of this venture has secured the future
viability of the whole Ainslie group of clubs.
Barry was awarded Life Membership of the Ainslie Football and Social Club in 2000.
Harold Pennay
Life Membership conferred 11 December 2005.
Life Member: 8.
Harold was born 20 April 1935 in Goulburn and moved to Queanbeyan in 1940. Harold became one of the early members of the Ainslie Football and Social Club shortly after its establishment in 1958. Although not associated with football he was a keen sports person with particular interest in water skiing and was a consistent and valued member of the Social Club through the whole of its existence.
In 1988 the then Presidents of Ainslie Football and Social Club, Mr Alan Ray and Ainslie Football Club, Mr David Lalor, recognised that there was a need for greater commercial expertise on the Ainslie Football and Social Club Board. In view of Harold's extensive business background he was invited to take a place on the Board. In 1989 he accepted and he remained a Board member until 2005 being Vice President from 1996 to 1999 and Senior Vice President in 2000 and 2001.
As a member of the Board Harold's business skills, sharp intellect and advocacy were influential in all matters affecting the operation of the Club. His deep understanding of management and financial issues provided invaluable assistance to the Board during a period of rapidly changing regulatory requirements when high standards of corporate governance were essential.
His period of service witnessed significant expansion in Club membership, revenue and assets. Improved facilities through refurbishment of the Wakefield Avenue property including the function centre and extension of the Gungahlin Lakes Community and Golf Club were completed.
He was awarded Life membership of the Ainslie Football and Social Club in 2005.
David Lalor
Life Membership conferred 11 December 2005.
Life Member: 9.
David was born 1 April 1949 in Canberra and grew up in Ainslie. As the son of Cav Lalor, one of the members of the first Ainslie team in 1927( Vice Captain 1931, Captain 1935) he played junior football for Ainslie from an early age and being a representative of the Under 19Â’s ACT team. David went on to play 26 Senior games and 101 second grade games for the Club.
After retiring from playing football David continued his involvement with the Club and coached the Under 19 team for a period of 5 years from 1981 to 1984 for 3 grand final appearances (1981, 1982, 1983) with back to back premiership wins in 1982 and 1983. He also took an active roll in Football Club administration being Vice President in 1985, Senior Vice President in 1986 and 1987 and President from 1988 to 1990.
In 1992 he was elected a Board member of the Ainslie Football and Social Club, becoming Vice President in 1995 and again in 2005 and Senior vice President from 1996 to 1999.
He was President of the Club from 2000 to 2004, a period of significant development and expansion. During his Presidency revenue from trading increased to record levels, the Club became incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 and the transfer and incorporation within the Club of the Canberra City Bowling Club was successfully completed. The Club won the Clubs ACT "Club of the Year" award in 2001 and 2002.
David contributed to the success of the Club over a sustained period and through difficult economic times. He also contributed to the advancement of the club movement by being active over many years in the umbrella organisation, Clubs ACT, being President from 2004 to 2006.
For his services David was awarded Life Membership of the Ainslie Football Club in 1990 and the Ainslie Football and Social Club in 2005.
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* Denotes persons deceased