BIO
It is likely that Harry Christian was the Victorian who played at least three games for Norwood in the rebuilding year of 1895. After its exciting premiership win in 1894, Norwood lost half a dozen good players to the Western Australian goldfields and tried no fewer than 44 men in 1895. Among the recruits mentioned by Goalpost in The Evening Journal of4 May 1895 was “Christian, who comes with a reputation from Melbourne”. He was presumably the “Christian from Wesley College (Melb)” that Goalpost had named as a newcomer to South Adelaide in 1894 but who is not on the record as a player with that club.
Harry Christian made his Norwood debut against the Natives, a new club from junior ranks, before 1,500 spectators at Adelaide Oval on 4 May 1895. Norwood was untroubled to win, 7.8 to 1.3, but Harry then experienced defeat at the hands of South, 6.9 to 5.4, on 8 June.
In an era of poor attendances, there was some excitement when many thousands poured into Adelaide Oval for the Monday holiday match between Norwood and Port Adelaide on 24 June. Harry came into the Norwood team in the absence of the Daly brothers and Patrick Kelly. Players on both sides rose to the occasion and the crowd did not leave disappointed. Alby Green and ‘Boots’ Stuart led the way for Norwood, which scored 3.10 to Port’s 3.8. It was a draw because behinds were not counted in the score before 1897. Norwood lapsed later in the season, with the average attendance at training down to four players a night, and finished second to South.
Harry next appears on the public record in 1908 as captain of the Chalmers Church tennis team. A jeweller, Harry married Minna Elvira (Ellie) Radestock of Eudunda on12 April 1911 at Chalmers Church, North Terrace, Adelaide (later called Scots Church). They had one son, Bruce Oscar, born at Unley.
Born at St Kilda (Vic) on 11 November 1876 to Robert Christian and his wife Agnes, née Kennan, Harry was the youngest of four boys and three girls. He died in Adelaide on 29 July 1943 and is buried at West Terrace Cemetery.
P. Robins, D. Cox, G. Adams Sept 2021