Vale Ken Melville

[Big Col 1,349]

Dual premiership player and 1953 Bluey winner Peter Kennedy Melville (Ken) passed away today.

He played 71 games for the Demons between 1953 and 1956 - at the start of Melbourne's golden era. He won the Bluey in his first year and eas named vice-captain in 1955.

In an era not seen nowadays, Ken played as an amateur and retired in 1956 a the age of 25 to pursue studies in the UK  to become a Presbyterian Minister. On returning to Australia he played some amateur football again (but not VFL)  and made the team of the century for Old Scotch and possibly University Blues.

In 1973 when Norm Smith passed away, Ken was the Minister at the funeral.

Around the same time, Ken returned to the club as a selector. 

He was also my uncle - my mother's brother.

And what an awesome experience for a young kid. I remember being handed over the fence to my Uncle Ken at the end of games as he carried me into the Demons room full of sweaty giants who had just been walloped by their opponents (it was the mid-70's) and i met my heroes Greg Wells and Stan Alves and Gary Hardeman.

Ken had lived in Perth for most of the last 50 years (excluding a period running a B'n'B in Beachworth in the 1990's) but I only got over there once in 2014 to watch the Demons play West Coast. It was a disaster and i have a photo I'll dig up later of Ken with his hand in his face watching the c**p we used to ditch up then.

It was remarkable that he was able to see the 2021 Grand Final win. He was already quite frail and would never have considered travelling to Melbourne (like he had in 1988 and 2000) but had actually decided in 2021 that he would stay home in Perth and watch it on TV!!! That's when Ch7 and the AFL stepped in and picked up in a limo and gave him el primo seats for the game.

For all the angst and regret that I have (we all do LOL) about missing out on seeing the Dees in 2021 this one gesture gives me comfort. 

Proud to have had you as my uncle, Ken (and apologies to any of my cousins who might be on DL if I jumped the gun with this).

Go Dees.

[Call Me What You Will 751]

Vale Ken. He was my Politics/Social Studies teacher in Year 11 (1974), when he was Chairman of Selectors. Quite a few of us were Demon supporters and Ken would get us into the rooms after a number of games. We actually spent far more time discussing team selection during the week, than the impending constitutional crisis of 74/75. Interesting times and seems just like yesterday. Ken was a true gentleman.

 

[Big Col 1,349]

3 minutes ago, Call Me What You Will said:

Vale Ken. He was my Politics/Social Studies teacher in Year 11 (1974), when he was Chairman of Selectors. Quite a few of us were Demon supporters and Ken would get us into the rooms after a number of games. We actually spent far more time discussing team selection during the week, than the impending constitutional crisis of 74/75. Interesting times and seems just like yesterday. Ken was a true gentleman.

 

Haha. That would have been fun.

[Whispering_Jack 31,129]

22 minutes ago, Big Col said:

Dual premiership player and 1953 Bluey winner Peter Kennedy Melville (Ken) passed away today.

He played 71 games for the Demons between 1953 and 1956 - at the start of Melbourne's golden era. He won the Bluey in his first year and eas named vice-captain in 1955.

In an era not seen nowadays, Ken played as an amateur and retired in 1956 a the age of 25 to pursue studies in the UK to become a Presbyterian Minister. On returning to Australia he played some amateur football again (but not VFL)  and made the team of the century for Old Scotch and possibly University Blues.

In 1973 when Norm Smith passed away, Ken was the Minister at the funeral.

Around the same time, Ken returned to the club as a selector. 

He was also my uncle - my mother's brother.

And what an awesome experience for a young kid. I remember being handed over the fence to my Uncle Ken at the end of games as he carried me into the Demons room full of sweaty giants who had just been walloped by their opponents (it was the mid-70's) and i met my heroes Greg Wells and Stan Alves and Gary Hardeman.

Ken had lived in Perth for most of the last 50 years (excluding a period running a B'n'B in Beachworth in the 1990's) but I only got over there once in 2014 to watch the Demons play West Coast. It was a disaster and i have a photo I'll dig up later of Ken with his hand in his face watching the c**p we used to ditch up then.

It was remarkable that he was able to see the 2021 Grand Final win. He was already quite frail and would never have considered travelling to Melbourne (like he had in 1988 and 2000) but had actually decided in 2021 that he would stay home in Perth and watch it on TV!!! That's when Ch7 and the AFL stepped in and picked up in a limo and gave him el primo seats for the game.

For all the angst and regret that I have (we all do LOL) about missing out on seeing the Dees in 2021 this one gesture gives me comfort. 

Proud to have had you as my uncle, Ken (and apologies to any of my cousins who might be on DL if I jumped the gun with this).

Go Dees.

Commiserations @Big Col.

I posted the 1954 Preliminary Final teams from the Melbourne Age today and your uncle was named in the middle for the game won by the Demons against the Cats that got them into the Grand Final against the Bulldogs, the first of seven in a row from ‘54 to ‘60. The prelim was played exactly 70 years ago today. As you mentioned, he was there at the start of our golden era and retired far too young at 25 to take on his calling.

I think he became a minister at the church in my neighbourhood on the corner of Bambra and Neerim Roads, Caulfield  - ironically very close to the site of the long hoped for future home of the Melbourne Football Club which was announced today. I can still remember the board outside the church bearing his name.

Sadly, we’ve lost another club icon from the greatest period in the club’s history.
 

[Bobby McKenzie 2,401]

15 hours ago, Big Col said:

Dual premiership player and 1953 Bluey winner Peter Kennedy Melville (Ken) passed away today.

He played 71 games for the Demons between 1953 and 1956 - at the start of Melbourne's golden era. He won the Bluey in his first year and eas named vice-captain in 1955.

In an era not seen nowadays, Ken played as an amateur and retired in 1956 a the age of 25 to pursue studies in the UK  to become a Presbyterian Minister. On returning to Australia he played some amateur football again (but not VFL)  and made the team of the century for Old Scotch and possibly University Blues.

In 1973 when Norm Smith passed away, Ken was the Minister at the funeral.

Around the same time, Ken returned to the club as a selector. 

He was also my uncle - my mother's brother.

And what an awesome experience for a young kid. I remember being handed over the fence to my Uncle Ken at the end of games as he carried me into the Demons room full of sweaty giants who had just been walloped by their opponents (it was the mid-70's) and i met my heroes Greg Wells and Stan Alves and Gary Hardeman.

Ken had lived in Perth for most of the last 50 years (excluding a period running a B'n'B in Beachworth in the 1990's) but I only got over there once in 2014 to watch the Demons play West Coast. It was a disaster and i have a photo I'll dig up later of Ken with his hand in his face watching the c**p we used to ditch up then.

It was remarkable that he was able to see the 2021 Grand Final win. He was already quite frail and would never have considered travelling to Melbourne (like he had in 1988 and 2000) but had actually decided in 2021 that he would stay home in Perth and watch it on TV!!! That's when Ch7 and the AFL stepped in and picked up in a limo and gave him el primo seats for the game.

For all the angst and regret that I have (we all do LOL) about missing out on seeing the Dees in 2021 this one gesture gives me comfort. 

Proud to have had you as my uncle, Ken (and apologies to any of my cousins who might be on DL if I jumped the gun with this).

Go Dees.

I had the pleasure of meeting Ken at the Perth Demons support group. We were of a similar age and having watched him play at the G  with Barassi, Spencer Cordner Williams etc etc we had plenty to talk about. I might be living in WA now but I will always be VICTORIAN through and through. He was such a pleasant man and it was my honour to have known him. Vale Ken.

[Ditcha 688]

RIP Ken, and my deepest sympathies to Ken's family and friends. 

[Bobby McKenzie 2,401]

18 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Commiserations @Big Col.

I posted the 1954 Preliminary Final teams from the Melbourne Age today and your uncle was named in the middle for the game won by the Demons against the Cats that got them into the Grand Final against the Bulldogs, the first of seven in a row from ‘54 to ‘60. The prelim was played exactly 70 years ago today. As you mentioned, he was there at the start of our golden era and retired far too young at 25 to take on his calling.

I think he became a minister at the church in my neighbourhood on the corner of Bambra and Neerim Roads, Caulfield  - ironically very close to the site of the long hoped for future home of the Melbourne Football Club which was announced today. I can still remember the board outside the church bearing his name.

Sadly, we’ve lost another club icon from the greatest period in the club’s history.
 

Nicely put WJ, the  much valued wordsmith of our forum.  I knew Ian McLean was small but 10 stone 6 lbs and a champion wingman, that's amazing. Can't think of any present day player who would weigh anywhere near that. Also knew the late Ralph Lane as he was in the Frankston Athletics club with me.  As a kid, I watched him have the big job of playing on the great John Coleman from the Hastings Football club. Nice bloke 

[Deeoldfart 8,104]

Vale Kenny.  You will have a great catch up with many team mates from our Golden Era.

[DeeZone 10,394]

RIP Ken Melville sounds like a great Melbourne Player and a gentleman in every way.❤️💙💕

[Phil C 730]

Did he work at the Scots School in Albury in the early to mid nineties, maybe as the school chaplain? I did year 11 and 12 there in 95/96 and I reckon he might have left there just before I arrived. Apologies if I’ve got that completely wrong. 

[Timothy Reddan-A'Blew 5,556]

5 hours ago, Bobby McKenzie said:

I had the pleasure of meeting Ken at the Perth Demons support group. We were of a similar age and having watched him play at the G  with Barassi, Spencer Cordner Williams etc etc we had plenty to talk about. I might be living in WA now but I will always be VICTORIAN through and through. He was such a pleasant man and it was my honour to have known him. Vale Ken.

Thanks, Bobby.

Re my highlight, it continues to surprise me how many of 'our' (broadly speaking) generation contribute on here. It is a great leveller, this new-fangled intreenet thingy: we all seem 'of an age' be we actually 20, 40, 60 or 80.

[Big Col 1,349]

36 minutes ago, Phil C said:

Did he work at the Scots School in Albury in the early to mid nineties, maybe as the school chaplain? I did year 11 and 12 there in 95/96 and I reckon he might have left there just before I arrived. Apologies if I’ve got that completely wrong. 

I think you're right. Beachworth is less than 40 mins from Albury and the timing, school and occupation lines up.

[Whispering_Jack 31,129]