Alec Eason and Sadie Huggett

Birth

Alec Eason was born c 1887 in Geelong, the youngest of eight children (although the first baby Alexander had died in 1886). Alec was the son of Richard and Annabella Eason

Sadie (Sarah Isobel) Huggett was born in on the 22nd January 1885 at Ceres near Geelong. Sadie was the daughter of Thomas and Esther Huggett.

Alec became a well known Australian Rules footballer and was elected a reserve player in the 2001 Team of the Century celebrations. Alex was a class rover and was known as Bunny because he ran as fast as a rabbit. It is also noted that he talked constantly on the field.

He played 150 games for Geelong between 1909 - 1915 and 1919 - 1921 and kicked 80 goals. He also played 12 games for Richmond in 1916. He represented Victoria twice and was captain in 1919. Alec had strong muscles and performed well in wet weather. In 1922 he became coach for Footscray and received the biggest pay at that time. Later he was non-playing coach for Essendon.

There is a letter in Alec's war records from an Edith Burness who was seeking him for the promised lump sum payment for their child who was born before her marriage. So far no trace of this child is found. Edith married and William Ross married in 1912. She was born in 1891 in Collingwood adn died in 1932 at South Melbourne.

Marriage

In 1911 Alec and Sadie marriedat Barabool Hills / Richmond. Alec was 23 years old and Sadie 26.

They lived in Maidstone but ran into financial problems and sold the house and car and moved to 7 Tucker Street Footscray.

It was a difficult era and a difficult marriage. Alec was feted as a footballer and apparently did not care for the family as he should have. He appears to have been a bit of a lad and a playboy.

Alec did not like his wife's Newell relatives and Sadie was not able to visit them as much as she wanted to. Sadie’s mother Esther was a Newell before marriage to Thomas Huggett.

A postcard from Sadie to her mother perhaps around 1914, reads says that she is not feeling well, that Alec is still home off work but getting better (perhaps this was when he lost fingers in and accident at work), that the two little ones are well and she hopes to see her soon.

Family lore says that Sadie was ill after the births of the children.

Alec was good looking and sounds like a bit of a lair. During his WW1 service in England he once let all his prisoners out to go for drinks on condition that they return, which they did. He was arrested in France for breaking a tram window.

A family story is that Alec visited South Africa by ship but was not able to stay long as he was called back to the ship as there was a mutiny. The word mutiny suggests an earlier generation and the story has not been confirmed.

Alec eventually left the family and they found it very difficult to manage. The older boys had to help support the younger children and Bert left home in order to help support the family. Unfortunately he had already drifted into petty crime.

Later in life Alec stayed at his daughter Kathleen’s and husband Jack. His grandchildren have fond memories of him buying them Kool Mints and banana icy poles. At the time he was quiet and balding, nothing like he must have been in his younger days. This was probably after Sadie died.

He is listed as a plasterer on his death certificate.

Children

Unknown child of Alec and Edith Burness, born before Alex married Sadie
Ronald Alexander Eason 1912-1980 age 68
Richard Thomas Eason 1913-1979 age 66
Herbert Kingsley Eason 1915 – 1956 age 41
Jack Lawrence Eason c 1920
Dorothea Eason c 1922
Kathleen Mary Eason 1924 –1993 age 69
Margaret Eason c 1926
Frances Myrtle Eason c 1928 - 2002 age

Go to Eason-Huggett children page for more information on the children

Death
Sarah died in 1950 aged 64 after a battle with cancer. The following items record her death:

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Eason - On Oct 20 at Austin Hospital, Sarah Isobel Eason of 7 Tucker
Street, West Footscray, the dearly beloved wife of Alexander; loved
mother of Ronald, Richard, Herbert, Jack, Dorothea (Mrs Denny), Kathleen
(Mrs Byrne), Margaret (Mrs Stoops) and Frances. Aged 64 years. In God's
care.
-----------------------------------------
Eason - The funeral of the late Mrs Sarah Isobel Eason of 7 Tucker
Street West Footscray, will leave Nelson Bros Chapel 7 Droop st, Footscray
on MONDAY, at 2pm for the Footscray Cemetery. Nelson Bros, Footscray.
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Alex collapsed at Geelong railway station and died at Geelong Hospital on the 5th of May 1956 aged 69. He had gone to watch a football match, against the advice of his doctor. He died three hours after admittance, his diagnosis was Coronory Occlusion, Arteriosclerosis and Cardivascular disease. He was buried at Footscray Cemetery.

The following items record his death:

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Former Rover Star Dies
Former star rover Alex Eason, 67, collapsed at Geelong station today and died later in Geelong Hospital. Mr Eason, of Williamstown Road, Yarraville, had travelled to Geelong to
see the Cat's match against Richmond. He played with Geelong for many years and in 1920 transferred to Footscray.
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Eason - On May 5th (suddenly) at Geelong, dearly beloved husband of the late Sarah Isobel and loved father of Ronald, Richard, Herbert, Jack, Dorothea (Mrs Denny), Kathleen (Mrs Byrne), Margaret (Mrs Stoops) and Frances. Aged 69 years.
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Alex Eason was a "great personality"
Geo Hale of 193 Mont Albert Road Canterbury writes:
"Old timers in Victorian football will be grieved at the news of Alex Eason's death.

"Apart from his superlative ability he was one of the personalities in the game, splendidly maintaining the tradition of "Tracker" Forbes, of Essendon.

"Alex, like "Tracker", talked unceasingly througout any and every contest, the only difference being that he maintained a running commentary on his own play according to its merits or lapses; whereas "Tracker" would talk his oponents "off" their games.

"But he and "Tracker' shared one comicality in that, a few minutes after the start of play, their stockings would slip down to their ankles and be there for the rest of the afternoon.

"I shall never forget a final quarter's magnificient display of roving given by him at the old East Melbourne ground against Essendon when he and Henry Young, Geelong's captain, carried the rest of the team for that memorable 25 minutes.

"Henry Young, in addition to being one of the greatest ruckmen the game has known, was a champion oarsman and amateur boxer, being the best heavyweight in the class for several years, and, if my memory does not fail me, he was captain of Victoria in the first comprehensive Australian Football Carnival, held in Melbourne.”

Sadie with, back left: Frances and Margaret, front from left, Thea and Kathy

Team of the century awards

Sadie older

Who are these? On the back it says me, Kathleen and Mary. Kathleen could be in the front. It looks like Myrtle behind her.