Alfred Sandover
Alfred Sandover M.B.E., born in Plymouth England he was the youngest of five children. Educated at North Adelaide Grammar School graduating in 1881, he came to Perth Western Australia in 1884 arriving Fremantle when the temperature was 41oC(106oF) vowing to stay not a day over his contract. 1921 Sandover donated the medal, which bears his name for the West Australian Football League’s annual award recognising the leagues fairest and best player of the regular season.
Sandover was the youngest of five children of William Sandover and his wife Mary Billing née Bates. William was a Hotelier and later a politician in South Australia. While they were on a visit to England, Alfred was born on 24 November 1866. The family returned to Adelaide on the City of Adelaide arriving on 12 October 1867. Educated at North Adelaide Grammar School, in 1881 Sandover attained first class honours in the senior public examination. Contracted to his older brother William, Alfred arrived in Fremantle in 1884. On arrival due to the dust, the glare, and temperature which was 41oC(106oF) he vowed to stay no longer than the term of his contract demanded. Yet Sandover was to remain in Western Australia for the rest of his life.
On 11 July 1895 Sandover married Rose Allen at St. Georges Church in Malvern, Victoria and in 1896 they brought an 8-acre (32,000 m2) property in Claremont which they named Knutsford. In 1921 Sandover provided for the Western Australian Football league the medal for the fairest and best footballer during the regular season. The medal is awarded annually in the week before the grand final with a descendant of Sandover present for the presentation. Sandover was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (M.B.E.) in 1951, Alfred Sandover retired in 1957 at the age of 90 and died at home on 4 May 1958.
In 1921 he had donated the Sandover medal, which has been presented annually to the fairest and best player in the West Australian Football League. Sandover held office in several cricket clubs, collected fine furniture and paintings, and loved to read. In 1951 he was appointed M.B.E. Survived by his daughter and two sons, he died on 4 May 1958 in his Perth home and was cremated; his estate was sworn for probate at £68,978. A building at Christ Church Grammar was named after him. His son (Sir) Eric Sandover succeeded him as chairman of the family firm.
The Sandover Medal has been awarded annually since 1921 to the fairest and best player in the West Australian Football League. The award was donated by Alfred Sandover M.B.E., a prominent Perth hardware merchant and benefactor.
After each match, the three field umpires (those umpires who control the flow of the game) confer and award a 3, 2 and 1 point vote to the players they regard as the best, second best and third best in the match respectively. Voting has changed over the years, with 5,4,3,2 and 1 point votes awarded between 1985 and 2018. From 1930-1984 the current 3,2,1 system was used, and prior to 1930 there was only one vote per game.
On the awards night, the votes over the home and away (regular) season are tallied and the eligible player with the highest number of votes is awarded the medal. In the past, ties were decided on a countback system, but since 1985 it is possible for multiple medals to be awarded in the event of a tie.
Prior to 1930 when only 1 vote per game was given, and hence a countback was not possible, the WAFL presidents would cast a deciding vote to decide the winner. Players that had missed out on a medal due to the countback system were awarded them retrospectively in 1997.
Sir Alfred Eric Sandover
After 1925, 28 View Street was owned by Sir Eric and Kathleen Sandover. Sir Eric Sandover was a highly successful Western Australian businessman, and one among the influx of such men into Peppermint Grove in the 1920’s. Kathleen Sandover was a political activist.
Robert Eric Sandover (known as Robin)
Played WAFL football for Claremont 1942 – 1944
Ian Sandover