On March 8 Elsie Kulhane, who has followed the Hawks since 1928, celebrated her 100th birthday. The previous Sunday more than 70 friends and relations met at the Christ Church hall in Hawthorn to pay their respects to Elsie on achieving this remarkable milestone.
The day was full of highlights for Elsie. Not only did she have her family with her and her next door neighbours who so willingly look out for her, but she was delighted with the three unannounced guests who arrived to wish her all the best for her special day.
The first guest was TV identity, Bert Newton whose career Elsie and her sisters had followed since he starred on Channel Nine’s In Melbourne Tonight with Graham Kennedy. Bert engaged in enlightening the audience about his role in the annual Logie Awards.
Elsie’s reaction to the second guest belied her years. It was as though she was a young teenager again. Her all-time favourite Hawk, Shane Crawford with his son, Harry entered the hall. Elsie was overjoyed to chat all things Brown & Gold with Shane, asking about the welfare of his mother and his four boys and when they would start playing footy for Hawthorn.
The third guest was a star from the 1950s, John O’Mahony. Elsie was delighted to recall her days at Glenferrie, barracking for Bones, as he was known, alongside rover, Roy Simmonds and ruckman, John Kennedy. She recalled the fun of singing the Club song with the Bugle Squad whenever the Hawks kicked a goal.
The candles on the cake were lit and a rousing Happy Birthday, led by Shane Crawford, was sung. During the speeches, Elsie was presented with birthday cards from the Queen, the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull and former Premier and Hawthorn Football Club President, Jeff Kennett. The MC then handed Elsie a small parcel. Inside was a letter from her current favourite player, Jarryd Roughead and one of his guernseys with the instructions that whenever she watches Hawthorn play on TV, she is to wear his Number 2 guernsey. An excited Elsie said, ‘Yes of course I will and I can’t wait!’
Elsie receives Jarryd Roughead’s guernsey. She said, ‘This is the best birthday present I’ve received.’
Elsie came from a family of five girls and one boy. All the girls enjoyed long lives. Mary, the eldest, lived to 96, Alice was 97, Kathline and Norma were both 84 with Elsie bringing up the magic 100. Unfortunately, their brother, Maurice lost his life at the tender age of 18. He had joined the RAAF in late 1945. Whilst on a training mission the plane he was flying in disappeared over Port Phillip Bay. He had only been a member of the RAAF for three months when he disappeared prior to the war ending.
The family has lived in Majore St, Hawthorn since 1928. Elsie never married and worked in the boot trade in Richmond, retiring at the age of 75. Since then she, along with two sisters, have followed the fortunes of the Hawks and AFL football on TV, including all the football shows that may mention Hawthorn.
A special thank you must go to her niece, Val Goodman, a Hawk member for 34 years, who made the initial contacts with the Hawks Museum to help put this memorable day in place. Val was part of an extended family that filled the front two rows in the old red-brick stand (The Tuck Stand) throughout the 1960s until the Club moved home games to Princes Park.
