Arthur Leach

Arthur Thomas Leach (2 March 1876 – 1 October 1948) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon and Collingwood during the early years of the Victorian Football League (VFL).

For the English historian, see Arthur Francis Leach.

Arthur Leach
Leach in 1902
Personal information
Full name Arthur Thomas Leach
Date of birth 2 March 1876
Place of birth Heidelberg, Victoria
Date of death 1 October 1948(1948-10-01) (aged 72)
Place of death Surrey Hills, Victoria
Original team(s) Boroondara
Debut Round 9, 1897, Essendon
vs. Collingwood, at Victoria Park
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1897 Essendon 004 0(2)
1898–1908 Collingwood 173 (92)
Total 177 (94)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1908.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Family

The son of Thomas Leach (1847-1916),[1] and Emma Bunkin Leach (1847-1893), née Stuckey,[2] Arthur Thomas Leach was born in Heidelberg, Victoria on 2 March 1876.[3]

Brothers

His two brothers, John Frederick "Fred" Leach (1878–1908) and Edward Hale "Ted" Leach (1883-1965) also played for Collingwood.[4]

Football

Leach was used either on the ball or up forward.

Essendon VFL)

He joined Essendon in 1897 (the inaugural VFL season). His first match was Essendon's defeat of Collingwood (the team included his brother Ted) 6.10 (46) to 5.7 (37) at Victoria Park on 3 July 1897.[5] In all he played in four games for Essendon and kicked 2 goals.[6]

Collingwood VFL)

In 1898 crossed to Collingwood where he would spend the next 11 seasons. Leach played in a total of four Grand Finals, for premierships in 1902 and 1903.

He captained Collingwood for part of the 1906 season and for all of 1907.[7]

Law

On 15 July 1897, the Full Court ("consisting of the Chief Justce, Mr. Justice Holroyd, and Mr. Justice Hood") admitted Leach to practice as a barrister and solicitor in Victoria;[8] and, along with William Rogers Thomson (1872-1932)[9] — who was also treasurer of the Moonee Valley Racing Club and, later, Lord Mayor of Malvern (in 1914/15) — Arthur Thomas Leach was a partner in the firm of Leach and Thomson, Solicitors, 386 Bourke Street, Melbourne.[10]

Death

He died at Camberwell on 1 October 1948.[11]

Footnotes
  1. Deaths: Leach, The Argus, (Friday, 6 October 1916), p.1.
  2. Deaths: Leach, (Saturday 9 December 1893), p.5.
  3. Births: Leach, The Australasian, (Saturday, 11 March 1876), p.25.
  4. The three brothers appear in the photograph at File:Collingwood_1902_premiers.jpg of 23 Collingwood First XVIII players, taken in 1902 (the same photograph, with all individuals identified by name, is at ).
  5. The Football Season, The Argus, (Monday, 5 July 1897), p.6.
  6. Maplestone (1996), p.440.
  7. A Retiring Footballer, The (Box Hill) Reporter, (Friday, 3 April 1908), p.4.
  8. News of the Day, The Age, (Friday, 16 July 1897), p.5.
  9. William Rogers Thomson was admitted to practice in Victoria as a barrister and solicitor in 1897 (More Lawyers, The Herald, (Monday, 1 March 1897), p.1); obituary at: About People, The Age, (Thursday, 19 May 1932), p.6.
  10. Notice of partnership between Arthur Thomas Leach and William Rogers Thomson at: Judicial and Law Notices, The Argus, (Saturday, 10 March 1900), p.11; (News Item), The Argus, (Monday, 8 March 1920), p.6.
  11. Deaths: Leach, The Age (Monday, 4 October 1948), p.9.

References
  • Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.
  • Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. ISBN 0-9591740-2-8
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