"He was a true gentleman who devoted himself to his sport"
"He is going to be missed around Penguin"
"He was a tireless worker and one of nature's gentlemen"
ALBERT GEORGE "NOBBY" DEACON
1901-1994
Australia's Oldest Competitive Axeman.
Albert George Deacon was born at Nook, in the Kentish Municipality, Tasmania on the 7th September, 1901.
He attended school at Claude Road and Wesley Vale and at the age of 14 he commenced work as a farm hand in the Northdown, Wesley Vale area. In 1916 he moved to Penguin where he was employed by the Council and in 1919 became an overseer. In the next year he had his first game of football with the local team. His love of football and the two Blues ( Penguin) never diminished.
In 1921 he married Miss Kathleen Keogh and they raised a family of six children: Neville, Betty, Terry, June, Judith and Barbara.
Albert first became interested in the Sport of Woodchopping whilst working on the Transmission Line between Waddamana and Railton. In 1925 he had his first competitive chop at the Church of England (Anglican) Fair at Railton but did not finish in a place.
His first prize money from chopping was at South Riana when he cut third in the 12 inch underhand chop for the sum of one pound ten shillings ($3.00 aus). During The Depression years he worked cutting sleepers for one shilling and threepence (13c aus) ) .
In 1938 he moved his family to Wynyard where he was Council Overseer. He and Kathleen were involved in many community activities. He was Foundation Member and President of the Wynyard Athletic Club and in 1953 he was made a Life Member. The same year the Deacons returned to live at Penguin.
Here he ran a store and a taxi service and renewed his active interest in woodchopping. He served on the Penguin Council for one term including a year as Deputy Warden. For ten years he was the Penguin representative on the Cape Country Tourism Committee.
In 1954 he was instrumental in the formation of the Penguin Sports Club of which he was Patron for many years. For ten years he served as Secretary of the N.W. Tasmanian Axemen's Association and was one of a committee responsible for having the Association's Head Quarters being moved from Waratah in 1951. In partnership with Ron Davies he established the chopping complex at Penguin. He had many wins in the chopping arena with doubles at Irishtown and Roger River. He helped organise trips to Western Australia twice and two trips to New Zealand.
In 1978 at a chopping carnival in Christchurch, New Zealand, Albert had his first
accident in the woodchopping arena. He lost the first joint of his big toe competing in an underhand event. He served on the handicapping panel several times and was a member of the Executive Committee.
In 1981, aged 80yrs, he competed at the Sydney Royal Show in the over 70's section and finished fifth. At this stage he was Australia's oldest competitive axeman and he still managed to pick up a couple of victories in his latter years.
He was a devoted Anglican (Church of England) and served his church at Wynyard and Penguin. He was the driving force behind the re-roofing of Penguin's St Stephen's Church with shingles in 1973.
Sadly he died on July 19th, 1994 at the age of 93yrs. His fellow peers within the woodchopping fraternity paid respect to him with comments:
"He was a true gentleman who devoted himself to his sport"
"He is going to be missed around Penguin"
"He was a tireless worker and one of nature's gentlemen"
