Prior to 1884 timekeeping was the responsibility of the field umpire. The problem with this, was that at a crucial moment late in the half, or the game, the umpire could forget to check his (pocket*) watch, or, he was too busy checking the time and he missed an important part of play.
The Sportsman newspaper May 16, 1883 suggested that the Association should appoint a person to act as a timekeeper so the umpire could concentrate on the running of the game.
At the VFA meeting on July 25 1884 it was decided that the captains shall appoint a person to act as a timekeeper and call "time" at half time and the commencement of the second half, and the end of the game.
The next day July 26 1884, (Carlton played South Melbourne at the Lake Oval) all VFA matches employed a timekeeper who rang a bell at the time for starting the match, at half time, start of the second half, and at the end of the game.
.*Wrist watches did not come into common usage until the turn of the 20th century.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/254850697?searchTerm=%22bell%20siren%22&searchLimits=l-state=Victoria
1885-
1886-
1887-
1888-
1889-
1890-
1891-
1892-
1893-
1894-
1895-
1896-
1897 -
1898 -
1899 -
1900 -
1901 - A. F. Willshire
1902 - A. F. Willshire
1903 - A. F. Willshire
1904 - A. F. Willshire, R. Lewis
1905 - A. F. Willshire
1906 - A. F. Willshire
1907 - A. F. Willshire
1908 - A. F. Willshire
1909 - A. F. Willshire
1910 - A. F. Willshire
1911 - A. F. Willshire
Above: 1912 Prelim Final Timekeepers
1921 Rnd 1 v Richmond at Punt road. Note the hand bell on the the ground.
1912 - A. F. Willshire
1913 - A. F. Willshire
1914 - A. F. Willshire
1915 - A. F. Willshire
1916 - A. F. Willshire
1917 - A. F. Willshire
1918 - A. F. Willshire
1919 - A. F. Willshire
1920 - A. F. Willshire
1921 - A. F. Willshire
1922 - A. F. Willshire
1923 - A. F. Willshire
1924 - A. F. Willshire * In February 1924, A.F. Willshire was presented with life membership for 24 years as time keeper.
1925 - A. F. Willshire
1926 - A. F. Willshire
1927 - A. F. Willshire
1928 - A. F. Willshire, R. Brew
1929 - John Keating
1930 - John Keating
1939 - C. W. Quihampton
1940 - C. W. Quihampton
1941 - C. W. Quihampton
1942 - C. W. Quihampton
1943 - C. W. Quihampton
1944 - C. W. Quihampton
1945 - C. W. Quihampton
1946 - C. W. Quihampton
1947 - C. W. Quihampton
1948 - C. W. Quihampton
1949 - C. W. Quihampton
1950 - C. W. Quihampton
1951 - C. W. Quihampton
1952 - C. W. Quihampton, George Smith (Assistant)
1953 - C. W. Quihampton, George Smith (Assistant)
1954 - C. W. Quihampton, George Smith (Assistant)
1955 - C. W. Quihampton, George Smith (Assistant)
1956 - C. W. Quihampton, George Smith (Assistant)
1957 -
1958 -
1959 - George Smith*, Murray White (Assistant)
1960 - George Smith, Murray White (Assistant)
1961 - George Smith, Murray White (Assistant)
Pat Hickey?
1962 - George Smith, Murray White (Assistant)
1963 - George Smith
1964 - George Smith
1965 - George Smith
1966 - George Smith
1967 - Ralph Madge
1968 - Ralph Madge
1969 - Ralph Madge
1970 - Ralph Madge
1971 - Ralph Madge
1972 - Ralph Madge
1973 - Ralph Madge
1974 - Ralph Madge
1975 - Ralph Madge
1976 - Ralph Madge, Ken Bearman & A. Lugg
1977 - Ralph Madge, Ken Bearman (Secretary/Treasurer of VFL Timekeepers Association in 1977 - refer to Footy Record article above) & A. Lugg (Committeeman of VFL Timekeepers Association in 1977)
1978 - Ralph Madge, Ken Bearman & A. Lugg
1979 - Ralph Madge, Ken Bearman, A. Lugg & H. Phillip.
1980 - Ralph Madge, Ken Bearman.
1981 - Ralph Madge, Ken Bearman & Frank Brosnan.
1982 - Ralph Madge
1983 - Ralph Madge
1984 - Ralph Madge
1985 - Ralph Madge
1986 - Ralph Madge
1987 - Ralph Madge
1988 - Ralph Madge
1989 - Ralph Madge
1990 - Max Harvey
1991 - Max Harvey
1992 - Max Harvey
1993 - Max Harvey
1994 - Max Harvey
1995 - Max Harvey
1996 - Max Harvey
1997 - Max Harvey
1998 - Max Harvey
1999 - Max Harvey
2008 - Tissot announced as official AFL timekeepers for the next 3 seasons.
2009 - Tissot
2010 - Tissot
2011 - Tissot
2012 - Tissot
2013 - Tissot
2014 - Tissot
2020 - Kennedy an Australian watch company official AFL timekeepers.
2021 - Kennedy
2022 - Kennedy announces a 5 year deal as the official AFL timekeepers.
Further investigation is required to find out when club timekeepers were phased out.
Con Kovatsis?
.* George Smith started with the club in 1945 and became senior timekeeper in 1959. (Football Record Aug 03 1963)
1925 Reserves Timekeeper S. Ross
The Sportsman newspaper May 16, 1883 suggested that the Association should appoint a person to act as a timekeeper so the umpire could concentrate on the running of the game.
At the VFA meeting on July 25 1884 it was decided that the captains shall appoint a person to act as a timekeeper and call "time" at half time and the commencement of the second half, and the end of the game.
The next day July 26 1884, (Carlton played South Melbourne at the Lake Oval) all VFA matches employed a timekeeper who rang a bell at the time for starting the match, at half time, start of the second half, and at the end of the game.
.*Wrist watches did not come into common usage until the turn of the 20th century.
On Timekeeping
The Melton Express (1953) article on how timekeeping operates at football matches.https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/254850697?searchTerm=%22bell%20siren%22&searchLimits=l-state=Victoria
Carlton's VFA/VFL/AFL Timekeepers :
1884-1885-
1886-
1887-
1888-
1889-
1890-
1891-
1892-
1893-
1894-
1895-
1896-
1897 -
1898 -
1899 -
1900 -
1901 - A. F. Willshire
1902 - A. F. Willshire
1903 - A. F. Willshire
1904 - A. F. Willshire, R. Lewis
1905 - A. F. Willshire
1906 - A. F. Willshire
1907 - A. F. Willshire
1908 - A. F. Willshire
1909 - A. F. Willshire
1910 - A. F. Willshire
1911 - A. F. Willshire
Above: 1912 Prelim Final Timekeepers
1921 Rnd 1 v Richmond at Punt road. Note the hand bell on the the ground.
1912 - A. F. Willshire
1913 - A. F. Willshire
1914 - A. F. Willshire
1915 - A. F. Willshire
1916 - A. F. Willshire
1917 - A. F. Willshire
1918 - A. F. Willshire
1919 - A. F. Willshire
1920 - A. F. Willshire
1921 - A. F. Willshire
1922 - A. F. Willshire
1923 - A. F. Willshire
1924 - A. F. Willshire * In February 1924, A.F. Willshire was presented with life membership for 24 years as time keeper.
1925 - A. F. Willshire
1926 - A. F. Willshire
1927 - A. F. Willshire
1928 - A. F. Willshire, R. Brew
1929 - John Keating
1930 - John Keating
1939 - C. W. Quihampton
1940 - C. W. Quihampton
1941 - C. W. Quihampton
1942 - C. W. Quihampton
1943 - C. W. Quihampton
1944 - C. W. Quihampton
1945 - C. W. Quihampton
1946 - C. W. Quihampton
1947 - C. W. Quihampton
1948 - C. W. Quihampton
1949 - C. W. Quihampton
1950 - C. W. Quihampton
1951 - C. W. Quihampton
1952 - C. W. Quihampton, George Smith (Assistant)
1953 - C. W. Quihampton, George Smith (Assistant)
1954 - C. W. Quihampton, George Smith (Assistant)
1955 - C. W. Quihampton, George Smith (Assistant)
1956 - C. W. Quihampton, George Smith (Assistant)
1957 -
1958 -
1959 - George Smith*, Murray White (Assistant)
1960 - George Smith, Murray White (Assistant)
1961 - George Smith, Murray White (Assistant)
Pat Hickey?
1962 - George Smith, Murray White (Assistant)
1963 - George Smith
1964 - George Smith
1965 - George Smith
1966 - George Smith
1967 - Ralph Madge
1968 - Ralph Madge
1969 - Ralph Madge
1970 - Ralph Madge
1971 - Ralph Madge
1972 - Ralph Madge
1973 - Ralph Madge
1974 - Ralph Madge
1975 - Ralph Madge
1976 - Ralph Madge, Ken Bearman & A. Lugg
1977 - Ralph Madge, Ken Bearman (Secretary/Treasurer of VFL Timekeepers Association in 1977 - refer to Footy Record article above) & A. Lugg (Committeeman of VFL Timekeepers Association in 1977)
1978 - Ralph Madge, Ken Bearman & A. Lugg
1979 - Ralph Madge, Ken Bearman, A. Lugg & H. Phillip.
1980 - Ralph Madge, Ken Bearman.
1981 - Ralph Madge, Ken Bearman & Frank Brosnan.
1982 - Ralph Madge
1983 - Ralph Madge
1984 - Ralph Madge
1985 - Ralph Madge
1986 - Ralph Madge
1987 - Ralph Madge
1988 - Ralph Madge
1989 - Ralph Madge
1990 - Max Harvey
1991 - Max Harvey
1992 - Max Harvey
1993 - Max Harvey
1994 - Max Harvey
1995 - Max Harvey
1996 - Max Harvey
1997 - Max Harvey
1998 - Max Harvey
1999 - Max Harvey
2008 - Tissot announced as official AFL timekeepers for the next 3 seasons.
2009 - Tissot
2010 - Tissot
2011 - Tissot
2012 - Tissot
2013 - Tissot
2014 - Tissot
2020 - Kennedy an Australian watch company official AFL timekeepers.
2021 - Kennedy
2022 - Kennedy announces a 5 year deal as the official AFL timekeepers.
Further investigation is required to find out when club timekeepers were phased out.
Con Kovatsis?
.* George Smith started with the club in 1945 and became senior timekeeper in 1959. (Football Record Aug 03 1963)
1925 Reserves Timekeeper S. Ross