Bold plan by Sunbury councillor to cement town’s legacy as birthplace of the Ashes
The creation of the Ashes after a match between locals and touring Englishmen in Sunbury was the stuff of legend. Now a bold new plan could help seal the town’s place in history.
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The creation of the Ashes after a friendly match between locals and touring Englishmen in sleepy Sunbury was the stuff of sporting legend.
Now a bold new idea could help cement Sunbury’s legacy as birthplace of the Ashes test cricket series.
Under the plan, the old Sunbury courthouse would be transformed into an Ashes museum in acknowledgment of an 1882 cricket match at Rupertswood Manor and the post-match gesture that created one of the country’s most sought-after sporting trophies.
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The exhibit, as proposed by Councillor Jack Medcraft, could include historic artefacts and letters from the match and Sunbury’s cricketing history.
“If we start promoting tours to all the cricket clubs in England, we could have a huge tourist boom,” he said.
“I’m sure a lot of Pommies would like to have a Devonshire tea at the gatehouse cafe and a visit to the museum.”
The creation of the Ashes is the stuff of sporting legend and took place after a friendly match between locals and a touring English cricket team in 1882.
Lady Janet Clarke presented English captain Ivo Blight with a tiny urn containing the ashes of a burnt bail, inadvertently creating one of cricket’s most coveted prizes.
The site itself sits just down the road from Rupertswood, now home to Salesian College.
While signs throughout town commemorate the historic link, Cr Medcraft said cricket lovers and history buffs alike would flock to a central location.
“Rupertswood should be the Mecca of cricket, but it’s not treated as such. I’d love to see the Barmy Army come out and play the Rupertswood 11,” he said.
Sunbury Historical Society president Peter Free said his group would prepare a submission to support the idea.
“We’ve put the wickets up, but I think we need to do a little bit more than that. It’s a worldwide game. It’s not just Sunbury,” he said.
“They play for that little urn and now it’s become one of the number-one sporting trophies in the entire world.”
Hume Council announced last week expressions of interest were open for community groups and organisations wanting to make the Sunbury courthouse their home.
“This expression of interest process is an exciting opportunity for local community groups and organisations to apply to use this historic building and share how they intend to give the building an important purpose going forward,” Mayor Carly Moore said.
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