Harry Dyke

Full Name: Henry "Harry" Joseph Dyke
Date of Birth: 1892 in Richmond
Death: 1967 in Kew, aged 75.

Honours
RFC Committee 1925-1926
Life Membership 1927
RFC Vice President 1927-1935, 1937
RFC President 1940 - 1957
Premiership President 1943.
RFC Patron 1958 - 1959
Victorian State Selector.
Life Member of the VFL.

Biography:
Harry Dyke was President of the Richmond Football Club for 18 season, including during the 1943 season.
He was part of the significant trio of leaders at Richmond (along with Dyer as captain, and Maurie Fleming as secretary) that guided the club through the majority of the World War II years.

Interestingly, he received a Richmond Life Membership after just 3 seasons with the club.
"Vice-President Dyke has held an executive position for the past three seasons, and during that period had proved a remarkably valuable official. Only those associated with him realise the amount of work he has accomplished" (1927 Annual Report)

A 1931 article detailed more of his contribution up to that time.
"It it doubtful whether anybody at Richmond with the exception of Jack Archer, the president, has spent more money for the advancement of the football interests. He has travelled thousands of miles by car at his own expense to get players, and among thhose he obtained were Harry Weidner, Doug and Gordon Strang, Jack Fincher, Stan Judkins, Stan Ryan, Les Gallagher, Hop Collins, Allan Geddes, Maurie Hunter."

In 1930 he was manager of the Richmond team that went to Brisbane to play Carlton in 1930.
Away from the club he was a managing director of M G Dyke and Sons, manufacturer of safes and tho whom they offer employment to for footballers and cricketers.

At this death in 1967, then President Ray Dunn wrote in the Annual Report that Dyke was "one of the greatest men ever to be associated wit the Club."