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

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.

18 Responses to “Olympic Year 1956”

amazing pictures….. david McCowage

David McCowage said this on 7 August, 2009 at 8:09 pm | Reply
Truly fabulous images. Most fencing in Australia remains unseen by the general public. !956 was a seminal moment for fencing in Australia.

Anthony Elliott said this on 14 October, 2010 at 5:19 pm | Reply
- Thanks Anthony for your interest Did you fence or compete in those years
  
  obrienfencing said this on 19 October, 2010 at 3:38 pm | Reply
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.

Anthony Elliott said this on 20 October, 2010 at 11:49 am | Reply
This brings back great memories for me and my time with The Salle Bella Vista and Mike O’Brien.

Jill Fleming/Glanville said this on 30 March, 2011 at 1:35 pm | Reply
- 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
  
  obrienfencing said this on 30 March, 2011 at 7:42 pm | Reply
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.

Jan Muller said this on 26 February, 2012 at 2:45 pm | Reply
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 SIMPSON said this on 7 March, 2012 at 11:10 am | Reply
- 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.
  
  colin k. campbell said this on 16 August, 2012 at 11:46 am | Reply
- 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
  
  Andrew Clemence said this on 15 February, 2013 at 12:12 pm | Reply
- 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.
  
  Lucia Chadwick said this on 18 February, 2013 at 10:33 pm | Reply
your site revived old memories of fencing in the 50’s and the 56 games which i attended as an official

colin k. campbell said this on 12 August, 2012 at 1:52 pm | Reply
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.

Colin Matthews said this on 20 October, 2012 at 11:32 am | Reply
any details on keith hackshall would be appreciated thanks

Cameron Hackshall said this on 24 December, 2012 at 6:50 am | Reply
- 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.
  
  Phil said this on 25 August, 2015 at 3:41 pm | Reply
I am trying to track down information about Joy Hardon for the Australian Olympic Committee. Does anyone know any information that could help me?

Alice said this on 10 October, 2013 at 11:39 am | Reply
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

Jennifer McKenzie Meucci said this on 12 January, 2015 at 4:44 am | Reply
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…

Carolyn Wilson ( née Cross) said this on 19 May, 2020 at 6:58 pm | Reply