Late 1950s Continued
(c) Maitre d’Armes Michael A. O’Brien. Use only with permission.
Victorian Team Members
L-R: R. Winter, J. Winter, V. Winter, H. Sommerville, E. Crawford, A. Szakall
L-R: Ricky, Joh, Val, Winter
Val Winter, Coach O’Brien, Joh Winter
Coach O’Brien
Joh Winter (First), Jill Glandville (Second), Mingion Holmes (Third)
L-R: Ricky Winter, Joh Winter, Jill Glandville, Mingion Holmes
Team Members Back L-R: Cheryl Saunders, Mingion Holmes, Susan Pizzey, Rosemarie Sandford. Front L-R: Ruth Wheeldion, Penelope Curtis
Barbara McCreath (First), Denise O’Brien (Second), Joy Hardon (Third)
Richard Porebsky (First), Laslo Tornallay (Second), Ivan Lund (Third)
1958 Sabre Championships. Graham McKenzie vs Richard Porebsky. Presiding E. Santo. Far Left: Jock Gibson Professional Fencing Coach (Ex. Olympian)
L-R: Helen Seal, Joh Winter, Denise O’Brien, ??, ??, Louis McGrath
Julie Sandford (First), Wendy Kemp (Second), Denise Brockwell (Third), Caroline Katel (Fourth). All fencers from coach O’Brien Salla Bella Vista
Denise Brockwell and Wendy Kemp
Back L-R: Brian McCowage, David Doyle, Ivan Lund, Michael Sichel. Front L-R: ??, Barbara McCreath, Denise O’Brien, Alex Martonffy
On the way to Cardiff games. Taken on the “Roma” (Liner). Both finalists in foil, McCreath taking silver medal. Both found romance overseas and married. Lost to Australian fencing.
Sichel and his Coach O’Brien
1958 Open Foil Mtr. Feathers Defeats Alan Jay
Presentation of the Duval Trophy to Mtr. John Feathers
Right: Mignon Holmes A Leading Sala Bella Vista Fencer
L-R: Ian Bowditch, Jan Fransen, Josh Forsyth
L-R: Tim Owen, ??, George Foenander, ??
L-R: Jill Wellstead, Linda Hancock, ??
Junior Club to O’Brien’s Sala Bella Vista
L-R: Maree McGregor, Wendy Kemp
L-R: Caroline Katel, Sally Blandford, Megan ?, Wendy Kemp, Pam Heraudes, Maree McGregor, Sue ?
Julie Samford and Coach O’Brien
Display by Merton Hall Girls
Merton Hall Girl – Period Display Choerographed by Coach O’Brien
Victorian Champions Training
New Zealand Visiting Varsity Fencers Melbourne 1959
Left Tim Owen Melbourne University
Melbourne University Inter Varsity Rep. (Cheryl Saunders)
New Zealand Inter Varsity Fencers Melbourne University
Wedding Bells for Epee Champion Cornel Vena and Paula
Newspaper Article
The O'Brien Academy of Fencing 
great pictures from george and lorraine foenander, and Frank Liu
I am in desperate need to contact george henry foenander, i have some extremely important family information for him. please contact me on 0409 025 542. My name is Amy Spicer.
I am really hoping to make contact with George Foenander – there is some vital information I can only discuss privately with him – I would appreciate a reply as soon as possible.
unexpected blast from the past, is mike o’brien still alive ? would contact him to say hi if i knew where he was. also hi to anyone else who may remember me from all those yers back
Do you have a family ?and what sort of work are you involved with ? I would have thought that you would have secured a millionaire and maybe offered me a job as chauffeur .Anyway contact me again soon and make me aware of all your up to date foibles Your now senile old coach Mike
Hello Mike and former fellow fencers.
Thank you for this trip down memory lane- the photos are delightful. I did not have the ones of me so it is nice to show my children and grandchildren (only one so far). Best wishes to all, Julie Sampford (now Julie Barrington)
Memory Lane indeed. My own five children have thus far given me five grandchildren. As my youngest are only 17 and 12, I dare say the tribe will increase in the years ahead. Odd how they could never get your surname right – often Sandford and even – as I vividly recall – one letter addressed to Sister Sapfoot!
Hi Julie Great to know that you are well and have a nice family .I have had a number of pupils and friends of long ago contact me because of the website .Recently Penny Curtis and Mignon Holmes made contact It gave me much pleasure to know that they still had happy recollections of those balmy days Carolyn Ketels also was in touch I’m sure you remember them all Take care and keep in touch Mike
Dear Mike, I’m so pleased to have found your web-site today!! Blast from the past and delightful photos of you as a very young man. I can’t wait to show this to my two grandchildren. Maybe you and Joh connected at the recent 60 Olympics reunion in Brisbane….Cheers, Riki (Winter) Vogt
Hello Mike, Having another nostalgic look at all the old photos and wishing I’d been able to keep up the fencing. My son, Trevor googled me and found your great website. Have been telling friends how you used to pick me up and drive me to the Salle. Am married (again) and living on RACV Cape Schanck Golf Course, playing lots of golf. I also paint and teach from home and am the resident artist here. Life’s pretty good. Great to know that you’re still very much involved. Take care, Jill Glanville
Hi I am hoping you can help me please. I am the daughter of Emeric Santo (Szanto or even Santos in some reports) who was a sabre fencer in 1956 olympics and long term friend of Hil van dijk. My father died last week at age 90 and i am trying to get some information about him organised. Over the years all his old trophies have gone missing. My brother thought he was australian (sabre) champion in 1948 and 1949 but i found a document that said he didnt arrive in australia from Hungary until 1949 so now i am confused. I know he wasnt in 1952 olympics as he didnt get his citizenship until 1955… any info or anecdotes (and pics or anything) would be really welcome!! thanks a million. by the way, your interet sight is by far the best i have come across. my email is francesca.stanton@gmail.com thanks
i will scan the photos i have and can send them to you if you tell me where 🙂 your site is an inspiration
Hello everyone,
I’ve just found the site too, thanks to an email from Mike. It is terrific to see the photos (I still have some of these!) and to be in touch. I now have 10 grandchildren (!) one of whom, aged 7, occasionally makes noises about being a fencer – which I encourage. This site will be a big help.
Cheryl Saunders
Hi, I have a friend, Rob Stansen, who has always claimed to be involved with the 1956 Olympic Fencing team. He was not fencing for the team but may have had a support role?
Rob probably trained with the foil team for the 52 Olympics .I am happy to know that he is still on the planet regards Mike O’Brien
Hello, I am trying to obtain more information on Barbara McCreath, to whom I believe I am related by her Mother’s line. Could anyone help me in confirming if her father was Ronald Walker McCreath, her mother being Henrietta (nee Stokes) . I believe she attended a school in Perth whilst her parents lived in Malaya until moving to Australia in the 1950’s. Any help appreciated, even confirmation that this is not the same lady.
No Violette .I phoned Barbara ,who resides on the Gold Coast.She said that definitely she is not the lady you know ,If you want confirmation Barbara Mc”Creath( Perugino )s phone no. is 55981648 794 Pacific Rd. Currumbin Gold Coast
Very many thanks for checking, and also for such a lovely informative website. Shame I cannot claim Barbara as a family member, such a talented lady. I will try and give her a call / drop her a line from the UK when I have a moment.
Mike, are you still there??? I know it is a long shot, but I can’t imagine you giving up so easily. Just been watching a few Gold medal bouts at the Olympics which has brought back some ‘serious’ memories. I’m sorry I didn’t feel confident enough to follow through on your suggestion (some years ago now), to take up coaching (or maybe at least officiating) in the sport. I still love it. Deborah Ashby (nee Stewart).
Thanks for this. Harry Sommerville was my coach in the late ’60s and early ’70s.