Olympic Year 1956
(c) Maitre d’Armes Michael A. O’Brien. Use only with permission.Olympic Year 1956 was the commencemt of 32 years coaching in Victoria by Michael A. O’Brien.
Maitre d’Armes Michael A. O’Brien
Engaged to coach by: Julius Pollack (Melbourne Fencing Club), Harry Sommerville (Salle Fluret), Andy Szakall (VRI Fencing Club), Hans Steinacher (Swiss Club), Cynthia Letts (Excalibar Club) and The Coach’s Own Club (Sala Bella Vista)
L-R: Michael Sichel vs. Eric Crawford
L-R: Sommerville vs. Sichel. Tom Cross (President)
Injuries, Regular, Catastrophic but never serious
Joanna Winter vs. Jill Glanville, Judges Denise O’Brien (Left), Michael Sichel (Right)
L-R: Michael O’Brien, Joanna Winter, Helen Seal, Heather Allen, Loraine Hanger, Loraine Skinner, Jill Glanville, Sonya Allen, Annette Igulden
L-R: Denise O’Brien and Fencer from Hungary
L-R: Nori Minz (NSW), Barbara McCreath
Barbara McCreath Victor over Denise O’Brien (Left), Foreground: Winter Family. (All fencers and spectators from Salla Bella Vista Club)
L-R: Tom Cross, Denise O’Brien, Joanna Winter
L-R: Denise O’Brien, Kate Baxter
Barbara McCreath (Left)
L-R: Denise O’Brien, Joanna Winter (Training)
L-R: Barbara McCreath, Joanna Winter
L-R: Joy Hardon, Joanna Winter
Barbara McCreath (Left), Ruth Barnes (Right) and Andy Szakall (Presiding)
Barbara McCreath unimpressed with president
Vist by Swiss Club to Roberston House Residents of QLD SBV Members
David McKenzie vs. Michael Sichel
Local Competition Crawford v Cross
L-R: David McKenzie, Brian McCowage, Kate Baxter, Ivan Lund, Keith Hackshall
Denise O’Brien and Coach Michael O’Brien Training for 1956 Olympics
Geroge Foenander (Regular Australian Foil Finalist) Training with his Coach O’Brien
L-R Back: Tom Cross, Rod Steel, David McKenzie, Michael Sichel, Ray Buckingham. L-R Front: Denise O’Brien, Coach Mtr. O’Brien, H. Hardon, Lois Joseph
St. Kilda Town Hall
Christian D’Oriola fencing Raymond Paul
Christian D’Oriola fencing Raymond Paul
Christian D’Oriola fencing Raymond Paul
Christian D’Oriola fencing Raymond Paul
Four Gold Medallists from Hungary. Left-Right. Gerevich, Kovacs, Karpati, with Manager Piller, 1932 Champion.
Cohen ( U.S.A.) and Kouznetsov ( U.S.S.R.) in the Sabre Team Event.
Mr. Guiseppe Mazzini presents the Medals in the foil teams event.
The Australian Epee Team after its first win. Left- Lund, Hackshall, Van Dijk, and Wolfensohn.
Rylskii (U.S.S.R.) congratulates Gerevich (Hungary) at the sabre teams Victory Ceremony.
The French Sabre Team. From left- Gamot, Lefevre, Morel, Roulot.
Bukantz (U.S.A), left, and Mc Cowage (Australia) during foil team event.
The Italian Team after receiving their foil medals.
In the first round of the epee teams, Lund (Australia) meets Delfino (Italy).
The Italian team their captain after winning the epee teams event.
Pew (U.S.A), Left, and Pavesi (Italy), during their epee bout. Pavesi won the Gold Medal and Pew was equal fourth.
Silver Medallist, Delfino, left, and Carleson of Sweden.
Karpati and Pawlowski, sabre Gold and Silver Medallists.
The three Sabre Medallists. From left- Pawlowski, Karpati, and Kouznetsov.
Kate Delbarre (France), left, competing against Olga Orban (Rumania) in the ladies foil. Orban won Silver Medal.
Gold Medallist, Gillian Sheen, competes against Renee Garilhe (right), winner of the Bronze Medal.
The O'Brien Academy of Fencing 
amazing pictures….. david McCowage
Truly fabulous images. Most fencing in Australia remains unseen by the general public. !956 was a seminal moment for fencing in Australia.
Thanks Anthony for your interest Did you fence or compete in those years
Michael,
No I’m a bit too young for that…I’m only 50. However, Harry Somerville was my principal coach, also John Humphreys and John Feathers. It’s rare to see photographs of these people all in one place. Particularly of Olympic competition.
This brings back great memories for me and my time with The Salle Bella Vista and Mike O’Brien.
Great to hear from you Jill I will always remember my pupils who gave me so much pleasure to coach You could have been a really top class fencer and enjoyed the same success as Joh and Val . and competed at the olympics No doubt you would have been successful in any vocation .Take care Mike O.Brien
Fantastic collection. Amazing locations around Melbourne too. Other than MTH, I suspect a lot of the architecture in the background no longer exists.
Where is the shot of “Denise O’Brien and Coach Michael O’Brien Training for 1956 Olympics” taken? Enjoyed the short time that I learned to fence (1968-1969). Cannot remember my coach’s name now, but Harry S sounds familiar.
Hello to all from 1956 Olympics and to present – would anyone have any information – contact details, or photos on JOHN SIMPSON – FENCER from around 1956 (he fenced in 1956 Olympics). JOHN SIMPSON is my Uncle and I am trying to locate / make contact with his family / relatives in Australia OR possibly UK. Many thanks – Jennifer Simpson.
Jennifer,
I was in Sydney Fencing Club with John Simpson, I have a photograph of him in a group of us circa 1956. Would you like a copy ?
Len Traynor. lentraynor@optusnet.com.au
Jennifer, I don’t recall John Simpson fencing in the 56 games however I. am sure he did fence in the 1958 Commonwealth games in Cardiff. Hope this is of some help to you.
Hello Colin, I have only just noted your reply (after all this time, and passing years) I am devastated not to have had the opportunity to reply before now.
John Neville Simpson was my Uncle. I so much wanted to make contact with him. I believe he lived in the UK.
My email address is:
js3@live.com.au
I live in Perth, Western Australia.
AUSTRALIA. My Contact Numbers are:
Home Phone: +61 (08) 9364 9733
Mobile: 0401 399 366
I would so love to speak with you Colin if possible, I am happy to call you direct.
Kindest regards.
JENNIFER ANN SIMPSON
UNIT 3
1 – 3 HELM STREET
MOUNT PLEASANT
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6153
Home Phone: +61 (08) 9364 9733
Mobile: 0401 399 366
Hi Jennifer, I am presently sitting with John drinking a drop of 12 year old whisky going through past times. He lives three doors down at 1 Vallis Road, Frome Somerset UK
He would love for you to contact him
Hello Andrew, I have only just noted your reply (after all this time, and passing years) I am devastated not to have had the opportunity to reply before now.
John Neville Simpson was my Uncle. I so much wanted to make contact with him. I believe he lived in the UK.
My email address is:
js3@live.com.au
I live in Perth, Western Australia.
AUSTRALIA. My Contact Numbers are:
Home Phone: +61 (08) 9364 9733
Mobile: 0401 399 366
I would so love to speak with you Andrew if possible, I am happy to call you direct.
Kindest regards.
JENNIFER ANN SIMPSON
UNIT 3
1 – 3 HELM STREET
MOUNT PLEASANT
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6153
Home Phone: +61 (08) 9364 9733
Mobile: 0401 399 366
Jennifer, I work for an organisation called Active and In Touch. I know John would be delighted if you could contact him. If you email me I can put you in touch with one another.
Hello Jennifer, Andrew and Lucia,
I undertake Olympic research and was keen to make contact with John or his family to confirm some details. Maybe there is some sad news ?
Hope to hear from you guys.
thanks
David
PS Just confirming I understand he was a 1960 Fencing Olympian and in 1956 was an official.
Hello Lucia, I have only just noted your reply (after all this time, and passing years) I am devastated not to have had the opportunity to reply before now.
John Neville Simpson was my Uncle. I so much wanted to make contact with him. I believe he lived in the UK.
My email address is:
js3@live.com.au
I live in Perth, Western Australia.
AUSTRALIA. My Contact Numbers are:
Home Phone: +61 (08) 9364 9733
Mobile: 0401 399 366
I would so love to speak with you Lucia if possible, I am happy to call you direct.
Kindest regards.
JENNIFER ANN SIMPSON
UNIT 3
1 – 3 HELM STREET
MOUNT PLEASANT
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6153
Home Phone: +61 (08) 9364 9733
Mobile: 0401 399 366
your site revived old memories of fencing in the 50’s and the 56 games which i attended as an official
Hi Mike
Great photos. I hope you well. I remember with great fondness the years spent training with you and all the great characters at MAOB in 70’s and 80’s.
All the best Colin MAtthews.
any details on keith hackshall would be appreciated thanks
Keith hackshall married my mother Margaret Shelley on Australia Day 1957. They were introduced to each other by Charles Stanmore at the Sydney Fencing Club. Haymarket. Mum still fences.
I am trying to track down information about Joy Hardon for the Australian Olympic Committee. Does anyone know any information that could help me?
Dear Alice,
I just belatedly found your message. I am Joy’s brother Harry Brookes. I’m sorry to report that Joy passed away on Thursday last (21 July 2016) at the age of 94 years of age. She had been hospitalised in the Peninsular Village Nursing Home at Umina following a fall in her unit a few years ago from which she never fully recovered. The funeral serbice is to be held at Simplicity Funerals Chapel Woy Woy ar 2.30pm on Tuesday 26 July 2016.
Kind Regards
Harry
I was such a little girl in 1956 but both my brothers were part of the Australian fencing team. It is wonderful to see these photos of David McKenzie. Are there any to be found of Graham McKenzie
Does anyone know if Tom Cross is still alive? He’s one of the few Olympians that we don’t have a date of birth for either, only 1931.
I have the sad duty if letting you know Tom Cross passed away peacefully on 26/4/2020,
He was a great father as well a great man…
George Foenander passed away peacefully in 2025, he had photos of many of you from the late 1950’s/early 60’s framed in his home up until the very end. His foils are still displayed on the lounge room wall. If anyone from that era would like copies of photos please get in touch