Herbert B. Grosvenor

2010

Player/Administrator 1933 to 1980
Fremantle CBC Amateur Football Club

Herbert Belgrave “Gra” Grosvenor MBE gave a lifetime to amateur football: from being a founding member of CBC Old Boys Football Club in 1933 with Tom Naylor, he served as a player or administrator in some capacity until he passed away in 1980.

Known as “Mr Football” he played a key role in sustaining the amateur game, helping grow the game from 17 teams when he started to 158 teams by 1980.

Gra began his football career in 1933 as a player and Secretary for CBC Old Boys. He relinquished his role as Secretary in 1936 and in 1937 took up the position of WAAFL Secretary which he held for 44 years. Even when he was moved to Northam for work, Herbert continued to work as WAAFL Secretary, relying on his sister Barbara to do everything he needed to be done in the office.

A revered name at CBC Old Boys and now Fremantle CBC, Gra truly excelled with his work at a WAAFL level.

In 1938 he was appointed team manager of the WA State Carnival Team which travelled to Launceston and was known as one of amateur footballs finest administrators, attending many meetings of other states, always putting the interests of amateur football in WA in a cogent, compelling way.

When World War II ended the game was calling out for astute administrators. From 1947 until he passed away in 1980, Gra served as the WA Delegate to the Australian Amateur Football Council to ensure Western Australia was at the forefront of amateur football in Australia.

Though Fremantle CBC today occupies the Morris Buzzacott Reserve, for many years the club was headquartered opposite the CBC School in Fremantle. Many important Fremantle citizens, many of whom attended the school, found themselves’ playing football for the Old Boys thanks to Gra Grosvenor.