BIO
A junior from the Kensington Gardens Football Club, Frank Hallett showed promise when he came into the Norwood team which played Melbourne at Adelaide Oval in August 1884.
He kicked Norwood’s third goal after a pass from Paddy Roachock and was named in the best players, but Melbourne hit form for the first time on tour and won a hard-fought match 5.7 to 3.6. Selected to play against Port Adelaide the following week in the game which would decide the premiership, Frank withdrew in fear of forfeiting government appointments. Norwood also lost Horace Wilson, who sprained an ankle at Friday practice, and after a run of six successive premierships passed the crown to the Mudholians for the first time in going down 3.13 to 0.11.
Frank moved to Melbourne soon after and spent his last 40 years there. He played football for Fitzroy in 1887 and for Melbourne in 1888. He played cricket for Richmond. He also competed in the Austral Wheel Race and took part in the Warrnambool and Bendigo road races, winning the latter event.
Frank became a master monumental mason and at Richmond in1889 established F. Hallett & Son, which today, with fourth generation Phil Hallett at the helm, is Melbourne’s oldest stonemasonry still owned by the original family.
As a mason Frank produced fine work in the city and suburbs of Melbourne, a few notable examples being the entrance to Carlyon's Hotel, Spencer Street, the Melbourne Mansions and the soldiers' memorial entablature at the Manchester Unity Hall, Swanston Street. He specialised in church masonry and crafted the fine altars at Our Lady of Victories Church, St. Ignatius' Church, St. Mary's Church and St. John's (Clifton Hill).
Born in Adelaide on 12 November 1865 to John Hallett and and wife Esther, née Clark, Frank had six brothers and four sisters. He married Sarah ‘Cassie’ Flanagan in Victoria in 1890. One of their four sons, Claude, was a doctor at Ceduna and another, Stanley, carried on the family business. They also had four daughters. Frank Hallett was in his 61st year when he died at Burnley, Victoria, on 21 July 1926. He is buried at the Boroondara Cemetery
P Robins, D Cox July 2020