James Henry Gardiner

James Henry Gardiner (1848 – 9 December 1921) was an early Australian rules football administrator, footballer and public servant. He is primarily known for the pivotal role he played in establishing the North Melbourne Football Club, which now competes in the Australian Football League.

For a man who played such a vital role in the nurturing of Australia's national code of football, it is surprising to learn that James Gardiner actually began his life fairly inconspicuously in the London borough of Deptford, far away from his adopted home of Australia. Born close to the famous Royal Dockyards in 1848, Gardiner had a difficult start to his life growing up during a troubled period in European history.

Early on in his childhood his family and sibling made the move from England to the brighter shores of Australia. They settled in North Melbourne where Gardiner spent his childhood shooting ducks on the future site of the Arden St Oval.

In 1869 at the young age of 21 years, James Gardiner took a leading part in launching a small sporting enterprise that would later burgeon into one of Australia's top football clubs - the North Melbourne Football Club. By helping to establish a club where the local lads of the district could socialise and keep fit, he had unbeknowningly started something that would grow to become much bigger.

Over several decades, James Gardiner would go on to occupy almost every position within the club from president to vice president to treasurer, secretary, chairman of the match committee and position of delegate to the VFA. He would maintain an active involvement in club affairs, often at great expense to his personal health.

Not much is known of James Gardiner's early exploits as a player. The only contemporary account that surivived to this day is an account from The Footballer which described Gardiner as being:

"A 'Tiger' at working, never tires at following, is a grand place and drop kick, but a trifle rough in play"

His approach to the game earnt him the nickname Tiger, which stuck with him through later life and characterised his attitude to how he dealt with sport and public life.

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