William Isaac Sewart (12 November 1881 – 13 December 1928) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL).According to Maplestone (1996, p. 66) he was also known as "Billy 'Pimp' Sewart" during his time at Essendon. He was also a first-class cricketer, representing both Queensland and Victoria.

Family The son of Myles and Mary Ann Sewart, née Lock, he was born on 12 November 1881 at Allendale East, South Australia, and married Annie Roseman (1883–1931) in 1909.Deaths; Sewart, The Age, (Monday, 28 December 1931), p. 1.

Footballer In his youth, he was considered to be one of the best all-round athletes his district had ever produced.Obituary: Mr. William I. Sewart, The (Adelaide) Register, (Monday, 24 December 1928), p. 19.

A centre-man, he was recruited by Essendon in 1905 from Castlemaine, who played in the Castlemaine Football Association.

He played in 161 senior home-and-away games and ten finals matches for Essendon, kicking seven goals. He played in Essendon's 1911 and 1912 premiership teams.

He represented Victoria three times:Mapleston (1996), p. 379. in an intrastate match against a combined Ballarat District team, at the MCG, on 23 June 1906,Observer, "Football: An Off Day: The Ballarat Visit", The Argus, (Monday, 25 June 1906), p. 4. and, although not originally selected,Football: Victorian League, The Argus, (Thursday, 6 June 1907), p. 7. in an intrastate match against a combined Ballarat District team, at the MCG, on 8 June 1907,Observer, "The League v. Ballarat: A One-Sided Match", The Argus, (Monday, 10 June 1907), p. 5. and in an interstate match against South Australia, on 6 July 1912, at the MCG.Football: Interstate Contests: South Australia v. Victoria, The (Adelaide) Register, (Saturday, 6 July 1912), p. 13.Observer, "Interstate Football: Victoria v. South Australia:The Home Team Win", The Argus, (Monday, 8 July 1912), p. 12.

He was Essendon's vice-captain in 1914 and 1915.

Coach When he returned to Australia from his overseas service with the AIF, aged 38, he became coach of the Victorian Football Association (VFA) team, Footscray.Notes, The (Footscray) Independent, (Saturday, 22 March 1919), p. 3.

Initially playing as captain-coachAssociation Matches: Footscray (14.16)—Prahran (2.7), The Age, (Monday, 5 May 1919), p. 9; The Association: Footscray's Century, The Argus, (Monday, 5 May 1919), p. 9; The Association: Footscray's Easy Win, The Argus, (Monday, 26 May 1919), p. 5.— he resigned as captain in early July 1919,The Association, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Friday, 4 July 1919), p. 8. and played two more matches before retiring altogetherFootball, The (Footscray) Independent, (Saturday, 19 July 1919), p. 1; North Melbourne v. Footscray, The (Footscray) Independent, (Saturday, 19 July 1919), p. 3. — he coached Footscray to a premiership win against North Melbourne in the 1919 VFA season.Old Boy, "Association: Premiers", The Argus, (Monday, 29 September 1919), p. 9.

Cricketer He played District cricket with the Carlton Cricket Club.Cricketer Welcomed Home, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 12 January 1918), p. 2; Member of Victorian Eleven, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 21 December 1918), p. 21.

In Sewart's 13 first-class cricket matches he made 435 runs at 20.71. Two of those matches were for Queensland in the 1908/09 summer while the rest were with Victoria. He represented Victoria in the 1909/10 and 1913/14 Sheffield Shield seasons.

Only twice did he pass 50 in a match and both of those innings came against Tasmania at the MCG in January 1913. His scores of 143 and 69 not out was not enough however to prevent a Tasmanian victory. Victoria's team in that match included Patrick "Paddy" Shea, his Essendon teammate, as well as Fitzroy premiership player Chris Kiernan.

Whilst serving in the AIF, he played in an international match for an Australian military team, against an Indian team, at Lords, on Saturday, 11 August 1917.Soldiers to Play Cricket, The Warrnambool Standard, (Friday, 10 August 1917), p. 3.

Military service Enlisting on 18 January 1916, listing his occupation as draughtsman, employed by the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works, he served as a private in the 3rd Pioneer Battalion, First AIF.

Whilst in England, he played for the (winning) Third Australian Divisional team in the famous "Pioneer Exhibition Game" of Australian Rules football, held in London, in October 1916. A news film was taken at the match.The original newsreel: The 2019 remastered and colourised version of the original newsreel:

Hospitalized in early 1917 with "an affection of the throat",Private W. Sewart, The Winner, (Wednesday, 21 March 1917), p. 8. it was, later, considered that he had chronic bronchitis and "incipient tuberculosis" (on examining Seward, the army Medical Officer reported on 5 January 1918 that he "could not stand winter conditions in France"),Service record, p. 23. he returned to Australia on 19 October 1917,Nominal Roll: 47-044. and was discharged on medical grounds on 24 January 1918.Service Record, p. 18.

Death He died at the Caulfield Military Hospital on 13 December 1928.Deaths: Sewart, The Argus, (Monday, 17 December 1928), p. 1.Judicial and Law Notices: Probate: William Isaac Sewart, The Argus, (Thursday, 20 December 1928), p. 21.Bereavement Card: Sewart, The Argus, (Thursday, 10 January 1929), p. 1.

Commemorated He is commemorated on the Roll of Honour of employees of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works who enlisted for active service in the First World War.

See also List of Victoria first-class cricketers 1916 Pioneer Exhibition Game

Footnotes

References Pioneer Exhibition Game Australian Football: in aid of British and French Red Cross Societies: 3rd Australian Division v. Australian Training Units at Queen's Club, West Kensington, on Saturday, October 28, 1916, at 3pm, Wightman & Co., (London), 1919. Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. Richardson, N. (2016), The Game of Their Lives, Pan Macmillan Australia: Sydney. First World War Embarkation Roll: Private William Isaac Sewart (307), collection of the Australian War Memorial. First World War Nominal Roll: Private William Isaac Sewart (307), collection of the Australian War Memorial. First World War Service Record:Private William Isaac Sewart (307), National Archives of Australia.

External links

Bill Sewart profile at The VFA Project Cricinfo profile of Bill Sewart Boyles Football Photos: Bill Sewart.