Australasian Gazette: The Last Innings of Victor Trumper

Victor Trumper was one of the most popular cricketers of his time and was renowned for his stylish batting technique. He was the first Australian to score a triple century during his first international tour in England in 1899 and became the first batsman to score a test century before lunch at Old Trafford, England in 1902.

He died on 28 June 1915 at the age of 37. On the day of his funeral, which is briefly captured in this newsreel, 20,000 people lined the streets of Sydney, forming a 3.5-mile procession behind his funeral cortege. He was survived by his wife, his son who later played cricket for New South Wales and his daughter.

Being silent, this newsreel starts with a title card which explains what the audience will see on screen. No further facts or information about the event was detailed on the newsreel including no further intertitles.

The Last Innings of Victor Trumper synopsis

This newsreel footage shows part of the funeral march of Australian cricketer Victor Trumper. A large group of men march in front of a horse-drawn vehicle carrying the casket of Victor Trumper as it approaches a Sydney cemetery.

Curator's notes

Newsreels were an integral part of cinema programming in Australia before the advent of television in 1956. Issued on a weekly basis, newsreels enabled people to further engage with local and national political stories and events.

Notes by Elizabeth Taggert - Speers