BIO

Harold Suhard was the second of six sons of Norwood foundation player Lou Suhard - the man who, in 1878, reputedly persuaded his new club to adopt the red and blue colours of his old love, Melbourne.

Harold was 20 when he broke into the Norwood league team in 1910 and in the following year he won the most improved player award, despite playing only nine games.  The Daily Herald described how in one match "he plucked the ball off the boot" of a West Torrens opponent as Norwood strolled to a 36-point victory.  In the return game against South Adelaide, however, Harold sprained an ankle and took no further part in the season. 

Worse was to follow.  He fell ill before Christmas.  On 2 May 1912, The Express and Telegraph reported that "Suhard is recovering from a serious illness, and it is not likely that he will play football again.  He was always popular with his clubmates, and sympathy with him is sincere and universal among supporters of the club."

Indeed, he did not play again and was only 27 when he died.  Tragedy was never far away. Two of his brothers died of illnesses while in army service, Keith at 27 and Noel at 20.  Noel played with Norwood in 1915.  Keith celebrated premierships with Oxford in the Royal Junior Football Association in 1909 and with Cornwall in the Adelaide and Suburban competition in 1911, when he also was chosen in the representative team which toured the South-East.  Noel's twin brother, Ivo, was only 17 when he succumbed in 1913.  Two brothers who beat the family curse were the first born, Louis, who got to 74, and Eric, who was a Norwood team-mate of Noel and lived to the ripe old age of 90.

Harold was born to Louis Suhard and his wife Emily (née Cox) at Norwood on 7 March 1890. He was baptised in St Bartholomew's Anglican Church, Norwood.  Harold was only 14 when his father died. He married Leah Symes Bright, a distant relative from Gawler, in the Adelaide Registry Office.  They had one daughter, Joyce Noeleen, born at Rose Park in September 1916 - 11 months before her father died, on 31 August 1917.

Harold was buried at Payneham Cemetery with his father and two younger brothers.  Harold was an insurance clerk and lived at 29 May Terrace, Kensington Park

P Robins, D Cox March 2019