Edward “Ned” Trickett was born at Greenwich, on the Lane Cove River, and learned to scull on Sydney Harbour. By 1874 he was gaining a reputation as a rower and at the Regatta of 1875 he won the light skiffs race and was now the best sculler in the colony of NSW.
In 1876 he travelled to England, where he defeated the two-times champion, Englishman Joseph Sadler, for the World Sculling Championship. The course for the race was from
Putney to Mortlake on the Thames, a distance of nearly four and a quarter miles. A very large crowd was on hand, both on the banks and in boats, to witness the race. Trickett thus became the first Australian World Champion in any sport. This started a Golden Age for Australian professional sculling.
Upon his return to Sydney, 25,000 people greeted him and he was wined and dined all around the state.
He was the first Australian to be recognised as a world champion in any sport, a title he held until 1880, when he was beaten by Canadian Ned Hanlan. The world title was held by seven Australians for 22 of the 31 years between 1876 and 1907.
The City of Canada Bay Heritage Society invites you to join us to hear a talk by Lyndon Lockrey (Trickett’s Great Great Grandson) on The Life & Times of Edward Trickett Australia’s First World Champion in any sport.
Where: City of Canada Bay Museum, 1 Bent Street, Concord on
Saturday, 6th July, 2019at 1:30 for 2:00 pm sharp
The talk will be followed by light refreshments and a chance to chat with the speaker
Admission: FREE
(donations always welcome)
Our Society regularly arranges interesting guest speakers and subjects on the first Saturday of each month. These talks are open to anyone who would like to come.
Come early to see our new display for 2019 – The Armistice and Afterwards www.canadabayheritage.asn.au