In Memory Of
John H Edmonds

John died on Wednesday January 11, 2012, after a brief illness.

There will be hundreds of Briars who will be saddened by his death.

John, or Ed or Edo was born to be a Briar. He joined the club straight out of Newington College and became instantly immersed in the club’s culture, ethos and standards as they were in those days. The Briars was invented for blokes like Edo.

John joined to play cricket and rugby and became an itinerant cricketer in the B Juniors and the City & Suburban, but a committed rugby member.

The first note about Edo that I can see in the Annual Reports is in the 1960 edition, when the coach of the Burke Cup side, Cliff Dodds, wrote that he was “generally asleep or yawning”. In jest maybe?

That laconic style didn’t prevent Edo from progressing to the Five Eight’s position in the Kentwell Cup side in 1963, and he went on to play with distinction in the premiership winning sides in 1964 & 65. By then he was described as having “ deceptive speed, change of pace well concealed and a long stride hard to hold” He had good hands and a prodigious boot.

John’s total immersion in the club’s operations, saw him occupy positions on several committees over the years. He was Social Chairman and produced many memorable events. He sat on the Management Committee and was a Director for several years, culminating in his accepting the Presidency in 1981. He was one of the driving forces behind the club’s first rugby tour of the USA.

The decades of the 60’s and 70’s were, sport aside, highly memorable for the camaradie at 30A George Street. It was a mecca for an after work beer, and no matter where John was at the end of the day he would turn the famous VW towards Burwood. Mixing with his peers and with senior members on those nights, is where John’s love and respect for The Briars was nurtured, and where so many of us became his lifelong friend.

As he aged, he became cantankerous and argumentative (just like the rest of us old buggers) but he was never dull and he kept up the rage against the forces of change.

Good on you Ed. See you later.

Col Dennis and all your mates.
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it