“… the first man not bred in England to win the great prize of the championship of the world who had won honour for the people of the whole of these colonies”. Words of praise from the then Premier of New South Wales, the Hon. Sir John Robertson…
In 1876, Australia didn’t exist as a nation; we were an unfederated collection of ‘colonies’, not the cohesive modern nation of today with our own history, traditions, institutions and distinctive culture. Those developments were in their infancy; with the first stirrings of nationhood being stoked by people such as the politician William Charles Wentworth, the novelist Marcus Clarke and the extraordinary feats of Trickett. In 1876, Gallipoli and the ANZAC legend were an unimagined (and unimaginable!) horror – a trial-by-fire yet to come.
Trickett’s convincing win was reported in London with a combination of shock and grudging admiration. As it turned out, his victory was the start of a Golden Age for professional sculling in Australia: the world title was held by seven Australians for 22 of the 31 years between 1876 and 1907. When Trickett returned home to Sydney it was reported that more than 25,000 people turned out at Circular Quay to welcome him home.
Trickett, wasn’t just from the ‘colonies’, he was of the ‘colonies’: a Currency Lad, born in Woolwich on the Lane Cove River in Sydney. His father was a former convict and a bootmaker and his mother was Irish. After a remarkable early rowing career in New South Wales a Sydney publican, James Punch, organised a public subscription enabling Trickett to travel to London to challenge for the World Sculling Championship title.
Trickett’s achievement was arguably an important early contribution to a separate and proud Australian identity – including the good-humoured and keenly-expressed battles against the ‘old enemy’.
To learn more about Australia’s First World Champion in any sport, visit the City of Canada Bay Museum at 1 Bent Street, Concord on Saturday, 6th July, where Lyndon Lockrey, Ned Trickett’s Great Great Grandson, will tell us more about the Life and Times of Edward Trickett. We will also be unveiling the latest acquisition to our collection. Everyone is invited. Entry Free. See Poster under coming events for more details.
Concord’s Infectious Diseases Register Councils were required to keep a register of infectious diseases under the Public Health Act, 1896 (Act No. 38, 60 Vic). (This book covers the period January 1898 to March 1970.) As the local authority, Concord Council was notified of cases within the municipality by attending medical practitioners. Upon advice, the…
1927 Chinese Commemorative Scroll This was given by Kwang Lim Kwong, the manager of a touring Chinese soccer team, to Ernest Lukeman, the secretary of the Australian Soccer Football Association, in appreciation for his help in coordinating a team from China to tour Australia in 1927. The Lukeman family has lived in Drummoyne for several…
The Stores Memoranda In contrast to the paper scrawlings of today, this reusable metal grocery list dates back to at least the early 1900s, It is inscribed with kitchen staples like bread, butter, milk and tea. Its movable markers next to each item allowed shoppers to flag when they need to restock on certain items….
COMPUTERS: The personal computer is 70 years old this year, although the original machine bears little resemblance to those of today. On June 21, 1948, Manchester University scientists switched on Baby, the first computer to use a stored memory facility. Baby was 4.87 m long and 2 m high. Today, the same computing power is…
Following is a comment posted by Ann B to an article of the Thomas Walker Convalescent Hospital. We felt it was too good not to share. What a wonderful description! I grew up in the 1950’s in the gatehouse of the Thomas Walker Hospital. By that time, of course, suburbia was well established and most…
The image above is a beautiful glimpse into a day out and about on the water. Sydney has many beautiful river and creek systems that feed into the spectacular Sydney Harbour, and these have long been a popular destination for a lazy day out and about, used by residents and visitors alike. Yet this postcard…