Percy Ernest Harold 'Dubs' Daykin (7 July 1890 – 19 June 1965) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Family One of the ten children (two of whom had died in their infancy) of Robert Daykin (1855–1903),Personal, The Bendigo Advertiser, (Monday, 25 May 1903), p. 2.Funerals, The Bendigo Advertiser, (Tuesday, 26 May 1903), p. 2. and Isabella Daykin (1858–1926), née Niffenecker,Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria Marriages Registration no.1781/1878.Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria Deaths Registration no.9935/1926. Percy Ernest Harold Daykin was born in Sandhurst, Victoria (now known as Bendigo) on 7 July 1890.Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria Births Registration no.27373/1890.
He married Hilda Myrtle Macdonald (1892–1961), in Bendigo, on 10 March 1914.Matrimonial: Daykin—Macdonald, The Bendigo Independent, (Tuesday, 17 March 1914), p. 3. They had eight children, two of whom died in their infancy. In December 1927, their eldest daughter, Isabel Frances Daykin (1916–1997), aged 11, saved her sister, Verna Daykin (1919–1983), aged 9, from drowning.Girl, 11, Fights to save Sister, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Tuesday, 27 December 1927), p. 1.Brighton Sea Epic, The (Melbourne) Sun News-Pictorial, (Wednesday, 28 December 1927), p. 14.Girl, 11, Fights to Save Sister: Soldier Bravely Rescues Both, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 31 December 1927), p. 7. Their son, Perce Stanley Daykin (1930-1999), a policeman, played VFA football with Brighton in 1951 and 1952.Percy (sic) Daykin, jnr. at The VFA Project.
Footballing brothers His older brother, Robert Asquith Daykin (1881–1925) played in one match for South Melbourne in 1904. Another older brother, Richard Francis Daykin (1887–1943), who played in Collingwood's 1910 VFL grand final winning team, was a follower and forward from South Bendigo. Another of his older brothers, Albert Victor 'Red' Daykin (1888-1955), played for Essendon; and, as part of the 1908 VFL grand final losing team became the first of three Daykin brothers to appear in a VFL Grand Final Percy played in four grand final matches with Carlton: in the winning teams of 1914 and 1915, and the losing teams of 1916 and 1921.
Football South Bendigo (BFL) Daykin played in four Bendigo Football League premierships for the South Bendigo Football Club in 1909,, 1910, 1911, and 1912. Daykin was also a member of South Bendigo's losing 1913 grand final side.
Carlton (VFL) Daykin was recruited from South Bendigo in 1914, and he played in 134 matches for Carlton over eight seasons. A half forward flanker, he kicked 27 goals in 1919,Noted Carlton Player, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 30 August 1919), p. 19. 29 in 1920, and 27 again in 1921. Daykin competed in finals football in each of his eight seasons at Carlton; 16 finals matches in all, resulting in 13 goals.
Brighton (VFA) He was appointed captain-coach of the VFA team Brighton for the 1922 season.Appointments Made, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Saturday, 25 March 1922), p. 2.Permits to Players: "P. Daykins, Carlton to Brighton, The Argus, (Thursday, 4 May 1922), p. 8.
Carlton (VJFL) In 1923, with Leo Sullivan (transferred from Brunswick) appointed coach of Brighton,Leo Sullivan, at The VFA Project;. Daykin served as the captain-coach of Carlton Juniors in the Victorian Junior Football League (VJFL)."1923 Reserves", blueseum.org.
Brighton (VFA) He returned to Brighton in 1924, and played in 42 matches over three seasons (1922, 1924, and 1925), scoring 96 goals. He kicked seven goals for Brighton in match twice: against Northcote in July 1924,Daykin's Sharpshooting, The Argus, (Monday, 28 July 1924), p. 14. and against Port Melbourne in May 1925.Ports Adrift: Outplayed by Brighton, The Argus, (Monday, 1 June 1925), p. 16.
Death He died at Caulfield, Victoria on 19 June 1965.Deaths: Daykin, The Age, (Monday, 21 June 1965), p. 14.
See also List of Australian rules football families Footnotes
References Holmesby, Russell and Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.
External links
Percy Daykin Player Profile via Blueseum Percy Daykin, at The VFA Project 1909 - Bendigo FA Premiers: South Bendigo FC team photo