The Hawks Museum is pleased to announce that the four members of the Bunce family, Russell, wife Maree and their two children Jarman and Scott all recently joined the Glenferrie Gold Life Patrons of the Hawks Museum.
Russell and Maree are two popular and fanatical Hawk fans who played an active role within the family of friends who met weekly on Thursday Training nights at Glenferrie during the golden era of the 1980s. They also hold a very unique record at Hawthorn being the only known couple to have celebrated their marriage on Glenferrie Oval.
The February 1993 issue of Hawk Talk recorded their special occasion.
“Most marriages are conducted in holy places. While Glenferrie Oval has never been consecrated it had similar status for two fanatical Hawthorn supporters, Russell Bunce and Maree Meadows who were married on the oval on December 12, 1992”.
Maree and her wedding party walked down the players race with the entrance to the ground adorned with brown and gold streamers to meet Russell who was waiting in the middle of the oval. Celebrant, Gwenda Foard, (a member of the Thornbirds) officiated. The reception was held in the Social Club with the Premiership Cups adorning the guest’s tables.
Such is their dedication to the Hawks, they named their daughter after 1991 Premiership player Darren Jarman and their son after Don Scott, who lead the team as captain in the 1976 and 1978 premierships.
Russell Bunce, a fourth generation Hawk has enjoyed a lifetime association with Hawthorn. He was born in 1959 at the Allandale Hospital a drop kick from the oval. Family folklore tells us that his uncles visited his mother after she gave birth to Russell whilst the Hawks were playing Geelong. They then hurried back to the Glenferrie Oval for the start of the third quarter. For the record, the Hawks went on to beat the Cats that day by 39 points with Les Kaine starring with 4 goals.
Russell joined the Social Club in 1985 and served as secretary for the WASH group for 10 years. Maree, originally from the small country town of Boort and from a family with no football allegiance decided to follow the Hawks from afar.
She later moved to Melbourne to further her schooling. This enabled her to attend Hawthorn matches on a regular basis and to watch training on a Thursday night where she was to meet Russell another avid Thursday night attendee.
Maree also offered her services, becoming the first female to assist with the running of the Hawthorn Incentive Club (HIC) and as an active member of the Social Club’s In-house Committee.
Russell’s great-grand father R. Bell was a Club Treasurer and was part of the committee that oversaw Hawthorn joining the VFL in 1925. His longstanding service to the Club was recognized when he was awarded Life Membership in 1924.
His grandfather; Merton Hayes played eighteen games for Hawthorn in 1921 - 1923 when the Club played in the Victorian Football Association and he can be seen in the 1921 team photo on display in the Hawks Museum.
The family connection continued with Russell’s two uncles, Geoff and Bobby Hayes who both played many games with the Second 18 teams during the late 1940s through to the 1950s. Bobby somewhat of local character who worked as a Milkman gained lasting notoriety at Hawthorn when he drove his milk cart up to the front door of the Social Club when it opened in 1962. He then took his horse inside to the bar for a drink. Cousins Ian Maynard and Robert Hayes representing the Hawks in the Little League as 10 year olds during the 1970s with Ian’s brother Peter serving as a statistician under coaches, David Parkin, Allan Jeans and Alan Joyce.
The Bunces have always offered their support to the Club and when the Hawks Museum opened at Glenferrie in 1994 Maree willingly offered her Duffle Coat and Player badge collection for display. Her Duffle Coat is presently on display in the Supporters Cabinet with part of her very large player badge collection displayed in the Thornbirds Cabinet.
The Hawks Museum would be interested to learn if there are any other families that can boast being fifth generation Hawks like Jarman and Scott can claim. The Bunce family we again offer our warmest thanks.
If you an enquiry about Glenferrie Gold please contact the Hawks Museum on 9535 3075 or hawksmuseum@hawthornfc.com.au
The Bunces - Maree, Russell, Scott and Jarman .
Jarman admires her mother’s player badge collection.
