CHARLES WESTON
WILLIAM WESTON
MURRAY WESTON
COMPETITIVE
WOODCHOPPERS,Victoria, Australia
1916-
circa 1935
During
these years, a long time afterwards, Weston was a household word wherever axemen gathered.
The name is to this day in 2002, recognised
within
the older generations who have followed the history of the sport of woodchopping and its
unique culture.
CHARLES WESTON-A VETERAN AXEMAN (reported
in The Sporting Globe, circa 1923)
Fondly known to all axemen as "dad", Charles Weston was born in Bendigo in 1877, when he was very young, the family moved to Trentham in Victoria. He spent most of his life among timber. At the age of 15, he won his first chop at Kyneton and competed until 1934. At 16 years of age, he won the underhand event at Daylesford and followed this success for several years in the Trentham district. In 1902, he was in West Australia and competed at many carnivals. He won 4 events at Collie alone, and in one of these he cut through a 20 inch jarrah log in 1 minute and 41 seconds. At Sawyer's Valley in the same area, he and his brother Bill (William) carried off the double. On his return to Victoria, he went into business at Lyonville and was out of the game for some time.He "dad" had a shrewd business instinct, and it may have been this that caused him to specialise in handicaps rather than championships… but he had no hard and fast rule about this for in 1909 he won the standing and underhand championships of Victoria on 18 inch logs, and then won the 20 inch underhand championship of Victoria. In 1912 he competed at the Brisbane Show and won the standing block championship of Queensland, finishing an 18 inch block in 52 seconds. He repeated this performance at the same place the following year. At the A.N.A. carnival at the Exhibition Oval in 1913, he won the limited handicap.In double-handed sawing , the Weston brothers make a great combination and they have won many events. The veteran realises that a man cannot go on for ever, and the calls of business must be heeded, for travelling to and from meetings takes up a lot of time. "Dad" is held in very high respect among his peers.
Significant Wood Chopping Performances
(in part-not complete)
1916 Royal Melbourne Show 18" Standing Block 3rd
1922 Royal Melbourne Show 50" Standing Block 2nd
Teams Race 1st
1923 Royal Melbourne Show 50" Standing Block 3rd
42" Standing Block 1st-Gold Medal
Teams Race 1st
1926 Bairnsdale,Victoria,27th March Standing Block 1st
Underhand 2nd
Sydney Royal Easter Show Commonwealth D.H.Saw18" 2nd
Commonwealth S.B. 15" 1st
D.H.Sawing Handicap 2nd
15"S.B. off scratch 4th
Teams Race off scratch 1st
Consultation Chop 2nd
(Charles Weston continued):
Appeared several weeks on stage at Tivoli
Theatre Sydney-Demonstrating.
Brisbane National Show 30"S.B.Teams Race 3rd
Dandenong, Victoria Axeman's Carnival 42" S.B.
Ulverstone, Tasmania D.H.Saw Braddon Cup 2nd (equal with
Turnbull Bros.
Hamilton Cup 18"U.H. 3rd
1927 Dandenong, Victoria 42"S.B.
Ulverstone, Tasmania D.H.Saw Braddon Cup 2nd
1929 Royal Melbourne Show 15"S.B. 1st
1930 Dandenong, Victoria Axeman's Carnival 50"U.H.Vic Ch'ship Cup and Gold Medal
Ulverstone, Tasmania S.B.Centenary Cup 1st
Competed until 1934.
PROMOTIONAL ARTICLE -SPORTING GLOBE 1926
A distinct vaudeville novelty is now provided at
the Tivoli,
The Weston brothers,
famous Victorian axemen and woodchoppers,
and holders of many
championships are demonstrating the remarkable
skills that took away most of the prizes at the
Royal Easter Show. Those
who have never seen a
wood chopping contest may be inclined to doubt the
entertainment value of
such an exhibition, but every year at the Melbourne and
Sydney Shows, it is the
most popular attraction for the crowds. The remarkable skill
and precision with which the tall bushmen wield their axes is a
revelation, and
the Tivoli management
has shown commendably enterprise in securing such return.
The Weston brothers will
be assisted by two other well known axemen.
Champion axeman Charlie Miley, often stated that he rated Bill Weston as one of the greatest axemen Australia had produced. He was 6 foot in height and weighed 15 stone 7 lb. At the age of 19 he won the underhand handicap in Perth. Soon after that he won the Australian Championship in 1906. At Eltham, N.Z. in 1907 he won the standing block handicap and in 1908 at Dannerkville, N.Z. broke the N.Z. underhand record by getting through an 18 inch log in70 seconds. After some years in the New Zealand forests, he came back to Victoria. He won many events in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, West Australia and New Zealand. Later in his wood chopping career he accepted the position of demonstrator of Australasia for E.C.Atkin's & Co. crosscut saws. There is not much that Bill did not know about a cross-cut saw.
Charlie Miley and the Weston brothers, the leading three of the old axemen, were always out to help the beginners.
Significant wood chopping performances
( in part-not complete)
1922 Royal Melbourne Show Teams Race 1st
1923 Royal Melbourne Show Teams Race 1st
1926 Bairnsdale, Victoria Standing Block 1st
Underhand Chop 2nd
Sydney Royal Easter Show Commonwealth D.H.Saw 18" 2nd
Commonwealth S.B. 15" 2nd
D.H.Sawing Handicap 2nd
Teams Race off scratch 1st
Consultation Chop
2nd
Appeared several
weeks on stage at Tivoli Theatre, Sydney-demonstrating
Ulverstone, Tasmania
D.H.Saw Braddon Cup
2nd (equal with
Turnbull Bros)
Hamilton Cup 18" U.H. 3rd
August
26th Eldest daughter of William died- William now living in
Australia-Commercial traveller
1927 Dandenong, Victoria S.H.Sawing 2nd
Ulverstone,Tasmania Braddon Cup,D.H.Saw 2nd
Hamilton Cup 18" U.H. 3rd
1928 Royal Melbourne Show U.H. 42" 1st
Brisbane
National Show
S.B.13"
2nd
16" Q'land Championship 2nd
S.H.Saw off scratch 2nd
D.H.Saw 1st
Sydney Royal Easter Show D.H.Saw 4th
15" S.B. Final retired
15"U.H. N.S.W.Ch'ship 2nd
(William Weston continued):
1928 (cont'd)Latrobe,Tasmania, World Championships
Henry Cup S.H.Saw 2nd
Braddon Cup D.H.Saw Ch'ship 1st
Dandenong
S.H.Saw 48"
3rd
Ulverstone
Braddon Cup D.H.Saw 2nd
Henry Cup S.H.Saw
3rd
1930 Royal Melbourne
S.B. 15" Ch'ship
2nd
Dandenong
U.H.H'cap 48"
1st
Ulverstone Centenary Championships. W.(Bill) Weston unable to
compete. Injured both hands training.
Westons Charles Weston
