A brief history of Melbourne Grammar School’s sports uniform.
Honour ye the old school’s story
Those who played and won before ye,
Bear the Dark Blue flag to glory,
‘Grammar’ to the Fore.
The closing lines of the chorus of the Games Song written in 1888 by Headmaster Rev’d Dr Ambrose J Wilson (1885–1893) continue to unite Melbourne Grammar School students and the sports they play.
The ‘Oxford’ blue was chosen by Headmaster Mr Edward Ellis Morris (1875–1882) as the School’s official colour in 1875. The year after, the first school flag bearing the School crest on an Oxford blue background was unfurled atop of Witherby Tower, and the Melbourne Grammar football team adopted the School’s first football uniform.
In the years since, the uniforms Melbourne Grammar athletes wear on and off the field have evolved.
At times, the changes to the sports uniform reflected fashion, while others reflected more practical requirements. The sports blazer was eventually abandoned as an unnecessary expense; football attire changed from knickerbockers to shorts; and in rowing, t-shirts and shorts transitioned to the modern zoot to ensure clothing would not catch in equipment. Cricket uniforms changed comparatively less – with the tradition of heat-reflecting white or cream garments holding true to their Victorian heritage.
Sometimes changes were not about the garments themselves, but about permission to wear them. In 1921, the privilege of wearing the dark blue singlet, formerly reserved only for the Captain of the School, was extended to all members of the athletics team, rowing crews and football teams.
In formal team photographs from 1884 onwards, Firsts Teams appear wearing an Oxford blue blazer with the school crest on the pocket, and the Seconds Team in a white blazer with the mitre. In 1900, Stanley Melbourne Bruce (OM 1901; 2008 MGS Notable; 8th Prime Minister of Australia) rowed in the First VIII and Second VIII crews, and therefore had two blazers.
The red socks began as a clash sock, introduced in 1927 to distinguish between teams. Over time, what began as necessity has become a mark worn with pride and achievement.
In a similar fashion, Neville Govett (OM 1930; GH 1927) recalled for The Portrait of Grimwade (1993) that when Grimwade House played Wadhurst, members of the Grimwade team wore a knitted cap to distinguish them.
The use of the (Bishop’s) mitre, crest and badge across sporting uniforms has been relatively interchangeable over time, but the primary colour of garments has remained steadfastly ‘Oxford’, or navy, blue.
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