R.I.P – Peter Lane
With the passing of Peter Lane yesterday, Monbulk FNC has lost one of its oldest and most respected past players and administrators.
Peter was a third generation Monbulk identity. His grandfather Henry was one of the original settlers in The Patch when the district was first opened up in 1893. His uncle Hector became one of Monbulk Football Club’s first secretaries in 1907 and his father Fred was a member of at least four Monbulk football premierships in 1912-13-14 and 1921.
With this family connection to the Monbulk Football Club and community, Peter was soon involved with the club. When interviewed for the club centenary in 1995 he provided the following insight:
“As we lived at The Patch, my first recollections of football at Monbulk were when I started school in 1936. The dressing shed was unpainted weatherboard with an earthen floor. My first efforts in playing football were in 1947. Due to a lack of tall players, I usually played ruck, changing in the back pocket.The introduction of 2nd XVIII football was most welcome, as I was assured of a regular game, although I did have more senior games when I returned to live locally and train regularly. I continued playing until 1957, fluctuating between 1sts and 2nds and was fortunate enough to be awarded the Most Improved player in 1953.
Peter’s playing career with Monbulk between 1947 and 1957 consisted of 130 games, 80 of which were played in the Seniors. Peter was a member of the 1953 and 1956 Monbulk Senior Grand Final teams which lost to Belgrave and Emerald respectively and was a member of Monbulk’s first Reserves premiership in 1951. He donated the Seniors Most Improved trophy that he won in 1953 back to the club in 1995 to be used as a perpetual trophy and this has been the trophy presented to the senior Most Improved player for the last 25 years.
In 1956 Peter joined the Monbulk FC committee and took on the Treasurer’s position in 1957. Due to getting married and his taxi business taking off, he left the club for a few years. He rejoined the committee in 1966 and was the Club Secretary in 1968 and 1969. He was to be on the committee for 15 years where he was involved with fund-raising as one of the original group running the ‘Hawkers Golden Casket’ which was very successful in the 1970s. The accumulation of these funds helped towards getting the Log Cabin built.
Peter was made a Life Member in 1978. From the early 1980s he started to pursue his other interests of golf and bowling more but would always be at home matches at Monbulk on a Saturday afternoon where he would gather by the fence in front of the Log Cabin with his old playing mates such as John Mitchell, Maurie Jennings, George Gray and Harry Seamer. Peter loved the company of his mates and telling a joke or two.
Peter moved to Queensland about 10 years ago to be closer to his daughters but still followed the Hawks from afar.
R.I.P Peter 
