DANIEL EDMUND VINCE
1857 - 1895
In the early 1890's Dan Vince of Lower Longley, Tasmania was the champion axeman of the Huon Valley. The Vince family settled in the area in 1857, when Dan was only two years old. They began splitting palings and carting them to a jetty which was situated just above where the present bridge is across the Huon River. In these times there were only rough roads and it was with great difficulty that the palings were carted nine miles to the jetty for shipment. The two eldest sons, Robert and Daniel did the carting and always worked together. Robert had a two-horse team and Dan had one horse. They often had to help the other if they became bogged ,which was a frequent occurrence.
Dan took up the sport of woodchopping in its very early days of being recognised as an organised. sport. He became the champion of Southern Tasmania, particularly with the big logs, which were usually 3 feet in diameter.. The time taken to cut them was about sixteen minutes. Dan often undercut this time by thirty seconds. His first most important local match was with Harry Eaves of Surges Bay on the site at the front of The Picnic Hotel at Huonville (now the Grand Hotel). The match was a result of a challenge and Dan Vince gave Harry Eaves a minutes start. At this time Harry Eaves was much better known as he had won many matches. Harry Eaves was a definite favourite in the betting. There is no date of this special event and the information has been passed down through the families from generation to generation.
The terms of the underhand chopping match created a great deal of interest. It was generally agreed that no man could give Harry a one minute start on a three foot log and win..
Harry said to Dan, " Now Dan, after I have finished my log you keep on chopping because I want to know how much I can beat you by"
To which Dan replied, "No Harry, after I have finished you keep chopping and finish yours. I want to know how many minutes start I can give you next time".
The starters gave the signal. Eaves started a minute later than Vince. When Vince had been chopping for about seven minutes, both men turned. Vince was ahead and won by a narrow margin.
Dan Vince was one of a small group of axemen who travelled up to Latrobe in NorthWest Tasmania for the First Official World Championship Woodchop on December the 2nd 1891. The blocks were 2 foot in diameter and each heat was to compete in blocks from the same tree. Dan Vince came second in the fifth heat, the winning time was 5 minutes 53 seconds. Then came the final chop. The prize was seventy-five pounds and a valuable trophy. It was considered the most exciting event ever to be witnessed on the NW Coast. It later became the most significant event in the World Wide Sport of Woodchopping.
Ten stalwart young men from all over the Colony, strained every muscle and chopped with remarkable precision as they struggled for victory. Tom Reeves won the event in the time of 6 minutes and 22 and half seconds. Dan Vince who had been troubled with a knot in the middle of his block finished 20 seconds later.
Vince always had a match with Edward Murray and Fazackerly of Tasman Peninsula.
He defeated both these champions. He always spoke very highly of Edward Murray as a person and a champion axeman.
Daniel Vince was six feet three inches tall, wiry and sinewy in build. He had exceptional powers of endurance. He was tragically killed whilst working in the bush by a falling limb at the age of 37 years, leaving behind a wife and a young family.
Daniel Vince was a legend in his own lifetime.
