BIO

Bow Read, as he was known, impressed as a 19-year-old follower with Norwood in 1898.  He served the next three years with the 4th Imperial Bushmen at the Boer War, where was taken prisoner. He returned to football with North Adelaide in 1902.

Although Norwood were defeated in the Adelaide Oval clash, Bow showed great promise playing as a ruckman/follower. A calm footballer, he looked to have the attributes to develop further with more experience.

He remained with Norwood for the rest of the season and impressed in the games he played. Unfortunately he missed some games through unavailability, including the last match of the year against Port Adelaide on the 3rd September 1898.

It was rumoured that the SA Football Association would bring in a compulsory electoral system in 1899, based on a player's residence.

In August 1900 Lance Corporal Read was taken prisoner by the Boers while attempting to assist a wounded comrade at Lindley. He was severely ill with enteric fever at Bloemfontein in April 1901. In September that year he returned to ‘Goorunga’, the family home at Port Victor, bereft of his parents who had died while he was in South Africa. Born at Encounter Bay on 18 March 1879, Bow was the eldest child of George Septimus Read and Anne Murdock Bowman. His siblings were Douglas, Florence, Elizabeth, Violet and Faith.  He also had six half-sisters and five half-brothers.

Bow kicked two goals in his four games with North Adelaide in 1902. A year later he was in Victoria, where, at St Kilda on 29 July 1903, he married Mary Ann McKenzie, the third daughter of the late John McRae McKenzie, formerly of Clonbinane and Gooram stations, Victoria.

Bow joined the Angaston Football Club in 1904 while working at Yalumba Wines. He was a member of the club’s first premiership team in 1908.  The Kapunda Herald of 21 August 1908 said: “B. Read, who was at one time in the ranks of South Melbourne [there is no record of this] and Norwood, is a good ruckman, and also plays to advantage centre half-forward.  ‘Bow’, as he is usually called, by members of the team, is also a fine mark, and is considered to be the best in the team.” 

Bow moved to New South Wales in 1910 and worked as a wool classer and clerk.   He and Mary had four children, Clive, who died in early infancy, Marjorie, John and Nancy. Bowman Read died at Newcastle on 9 January 1935 and is interred there in Sandgate Cemetery.

R Cialini July 2022, P. Robins, D. Cox December 2024

*We thank Anthony Schubert, secretary of the Angaston Football Club, for the picture and his input.