Arrival of the Australian Eleven at Spen…

Scarce, c.19th hand coloured engraving depicting the arrival of the Australian XI at Spencer Street Station, Melbourne in late 1878.

The Australian XI cricketers who returned to Melbourne were the members of the first official representative Australian cricket team that had toured England and North America earlier that year. The eleven men were:  Dave Gregory (captain), Fred Spofforth, Billy Murdoch, Charles Bannerman, Alec Bannerman, Jack Blackham (wicketkeeper), Frank Allan, George Bailey, Tom Horan, Tom Garrett and Billy Midwinter.  This group comprised the core playing XI (with John Conway acting as manager) and formed the pioneering Australian team whose success overseas helped establish international cricket touring for the colonies.

From the original edition of the Illustrated Australian News.

Collections:
University Queensland: Identifier 991000982479703131
State Library Victoria: PCINF IAN 04-09-76 P.133
National Library Australia: Bib ID 2495305
State Library New South Wales: CALL NUMBERS F079/55
Royal Geographic Society SA: RGS Special Coll. 079.94 I29d

References:
Syme, E. & D, Illustrated Australian News. ISSN 2208-5386.