Bonhams 1793 : An 1862 photograph of the first England cricket touring team to visit Australia

Featuring the England cricket team prior to their departure from Liverpool to Australia on I.K. Brunels steam ship the S.S. Great Britain, departing on 20th October 1861 and arriving in Australia on December 24th. Imprinted to mount with 'The 1st all England eleven cricketers photographed previous to their departure for the Australian Colonies. Engaged by Spiers & Pond 1861 & 1862'. Players names Bennett, Mudie, Stephenson(H.H.), Caffyn, Griffiths, Hearne, Iddison, Stephenson (F), Lawrence, Matlock and Sewell imprinted to mount around photograph and 'Mr Mallam (Agent) Australian Representative for Spiers & Pond' underneath. Framed and glazed.
28.5 x 24cm

Sold for £1,125 inc. premium

Footnotes

Spiers & Pond decided to attract a team of leading cricketers to Australia having noted the success of the 1859 tour to North America, their representative in England Mr Mallam journeyed to Birmingham in September 1861 to watch the North v South game at Villa Park. During the game, Mr Mallam met the cricketers at the nearby Hen and Chicken Hotel to make a business proposal of £150 per man plus expenses to tour Australia, 12 players accepted including captain H.H.Stephenson (Surrey). They played 12 matches that were not first class winning 6 and losing 2, with 4 drawn. The team arrived back in England on 12th May 1862.

The vendor's grandfather Harold Piper was managing director of Pond and Spiers.