Harry Gaylard

Henry James (Harry) Gaylard was born in 1903 at Colac, Victoria and played AFL at school. Moved to Canberra in 1925 to play for Blandfordia and then transferred to Eastlake in 1926. Worked as a carpenter on the Northside of Canberra where he attended a meeting with Ainslie in March of 1927. He would go onto play 23 First Grade games and then became senior coach in 1932.

After he finished playing, Harry was prominent in the re-establishment of the club post war and took a keen interest in coaching the club juniors and served in both Junior and Senior Delegate roles all the way to 1967 while also serving as the President of the club for fourteen years (1957 – 71). His involvement with the club didn’t end there, where he contuined to serve as a Patron from 1977 – 86. 

A Life Member of the Junior and Senior Football Leagues he also received the National Australian Football Council Merit Award in 1956. He was inevitably awarded the BEM in 1970 for service to the community, particularly for junior sport – a contribution to Ainslie that spanned over 50 years.