1882: The Ashes are born...
Date released: 7 July 2009
The Sporting Times 'obituary' of English cricket With ten days to go we countdown to the the Ashes Test at Lord's - starting right at the beginning...
The historic Ashes captured the imagination right from the outset.
The British Library have recently launched a website giving the public access to their cache of 19th century newspapers.
A clipping from The Graphic newspaper of 1895 The archive includes the 1882 edition of the Sporting Times' with the mock obituary lamenting the 'death' of English cricket - which spawned the birth of the Ashes.
This outpouring of 'grief' followed on from England's defeat by Australia at the Oval - the first time England had lost to the Aussies on home soil.
Ashes Exhibition
The Ashes reside in the MCC Museum The MCC Museum has also launched an Ashes Exhibition: 'The Ashes Urn - The evolution of an icon'
This is the story of the Ashes Urn and how an insignificant ceramic cosmetic pot, standing just 4½ inches tall came to symbolise one of sport’s most highly anticipated and eagerly fought contests.
Items on display include:
- The original scorebook and scorecard of the 1882 match at the Oval
- Bats used by WG Grace and William Murdoch who played in the match
- Portraits of WG Grace and Frederick Spofforth, the ‘demon’ bowler whose 14 wickets for 90 runs decimated the England batting
- The original Sporting Times obituary lamenting ‘the death of English cricket’
- Spy cartoon of the Hon Ivo Bligh who took an England side to Australia the following winter
- The velvet bag given to Bligh to hold the Ashes Urn
- Ivo Bligh’s illustrated account of the 1882/3 Australian tour
- Books and pamphlets illustrating different images and interpretations of the Ashes
- The MCC Minute book recording the gift of the Ashes Urn to MCC
- Other Ashes urns (detailed replicas used for some events)
- The MCC Ashes Trophy
The irreplacable Ashes Urn And, of course, the one and only Ashes Urn itself.
The MCC Museum is open to match ticket holders on all match days (Entrance adults: £3, concessions £1) and at other times via the Official Tour of Lord’s.
A fully-illustrated exhibition catalogue is also available.
It includes a full history of the Ashes Urn together with articles by leading cricket writers such as Gideon Haigh, John Woodcock, David Frith and Angus Fraser - priced £10 from the MCC Museum shop.
Get your hands on 'The Ashes'
Replica Ashes urn and Ashes story card - £49 The Lord's Shop online have a wide range of Ashes memorobilia and special Test Match items.
Choose from: your own replica Ashes Urn; special event t-shirts; cufflinks; ties; a special Ashes Test event poster and much, much more.
Ashes 2009 t-shirt with exclusive artwork - just £18 The t-shirts (exlusive to Lord's) feature the Test Match dates and Lord's exclusive art work: the Australian Kangaroo and English Lion fighting over the famous urn.
They're available in gold or white - show your colours and support your team.
Check out www.shopatlords.com for the full range.
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