By Bill Mitchell
This overview of the history of the South Side Board Club has been provided by inaugural Club member Bill Mitchell from Smith Beach at Yallingup.
Bill Mitchell recalls: “The South Side Board Club (SSBC) was formed in 1964 in Jacko’s old man’s back yard in Kensington where he started making boards in 63. We were a bunch of mug surfers (one or two exceptions) but were the best board club footballers in the business. In those days it seemed like a day trip to get to Cott or Scabs from South Perth & home again. Half of us could hardly swim.
We gravitated to Jacko Surfboards from various junior footy clubs in the Perth Football Club Junior District. Once armed with the new Jacko boards (order a red one & end up with a purple cos Jacko wasn’t keen on buying new paint if he had some half-used tins) most of the boys gave up the pigskin for the waves. A few combined both & went on to play league for Perth. Jacko, myself & Chubby Stiles. Chubb went on to win a Simpson Medal at the MCG in the mud in 1970 against the Vics. Jacko played 27 games as a gun full forward. The boys would sit on the bank behind the goals at Lathlain & rag him unmercifully. His coach Ern Henfry suggested he give it away & “go surfing”. Jacko just loved that suggestion. Surfing became his whole life and now he is a WA Surfing Hall of Famer.
The Club fizzled out in early 70s like many others in WA. Jacko & other Club members pulled the Shack down in the 70s at the owner’s request. Now only the slab remains.”
1964 SSBC Club members at Avalon Point Mandurah. Photo credit Lance Patterson.
L-R John Tagney, Jock Lawrie. Allan ‘Chubby’ Stiles & Lance Patterson. Those are Jacko boards on Jock’s Holden ute.
1964 SSBC club members at Rocky Point. Photo credit Bill Mitchell.
L-R Bill Mitchell, Jock Lawrie, Russell Green, Bill McDonald & Peter Oliver. The Renault R8 Gordini sedan belonged to Peter Oliver and that is Jacko’s 9’6” triple stringer single fin surf board on the roof.
1964 SSBC boys laying the foundations for the Club shack at Prevelly camping ground, Margaret River. Photo Bill Mitchell.
1966 SSBC member John Caley surfing Rocky Point. Photo Rod Taylor, WA Newspapers.
1967 SSBC Shack Prevelly Margaret River. Social images courtesy of the Weekend News.
Bill – “Jacko was the linchpin of SSBC.”
Jacko Surfboards since the early 60s. Image courtesy John Jakovich.
1965 WAFL football match at Subiaco Oval. John Jakovich Perth Football Club and Kevin Merifield Subiaco Football Club. Media pic
1968 Jacko Surfboards Surf Team at Cottesloe. L-R Jacko, Ian Cairns & Arty Sherburn. Photo Rod Taylor.
2006 WA Surfer of Year Awards – Len Dibben Surfboard Manufacturers Award. L-R Brian Cole, Leon Cole, Len Dibben, Len Hawke, Tom Blaxell, Peter Hawke, John Jakovich & Murray Smith. Image courtesy Brian Cole.
2017 Launch of WA Surf Gallery at Yallingup. L-R John Jacovich, Bill Mitchell & Peter Dunn. Photo Bruce King.
Click on link to view 1960s South Side Board Club – 2015 Reunion originally posted July 2015.
Thanks for sharing this story Bill Mitchell.
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