A CHARITY cricket match near Scone this weekend will pay tribute to the first photo taken of the sport in Australia.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The first re-enactment of the photograph, captured by Joseph Docker, was held back in 2012 at the ‘Thornthwaite’ property.
It has become a biannual event ever since, with a gold coin donation going towards improvements at the Scott Memorial Hospital.
Organiser Anne Davies said there was still a chance for members of the community to play an active role in this year’s edition.
“We do know that this photograph was taken pre-1860s, so it’s a very old image,” she said.
“The owner of the property, Joseph Docker, took lots of photos including the cricket one, which has become quite famous.
“We’re actually looking for a few more people who are looking to play in a team for the match, so anyone who’d like a chance to play we’d be more than happy to accommodate them.”
There will be coffee provided on the day and all members of the community are invited to attend. However, it is asked that no dogs be brought onto the property.
For more information, or to express an interest in playing on Saturday, contact Anne Davies on 0407252377 by 5pm on Friday.
![Peter Docker and his son Geoffry with the original photograph by Peter's great-grandfather Joseph Docker, which is thought to be the first photograph of a game of cricket. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers Peter Docker and his son Geoffry with the original photograph by Peter's great-grandfather Joseph Docker, which is thought to be the first photograph of a game of cricket. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/4Q8wfvUYYerAhErgTbY7Y2/23a90a07-b351-469d-a00a-eb80a8aa04ff.jpg/r91_0_1102_675_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
About Joseph Docker
Joseph Docker was a skilled graphic artist and his pen and ink drawings and watercolours display a fine eye for detail.
He was also a surgeon and qualified as an apothecary (chemist) who was familiar with scientific method and the chemicals of the day.
Experimentation with photography during the 1840s by Louis Daguerre and Fox Talbot captured the imagination of Joseph Docker.
Images of people and places produced by chemical processes that previously would have taken many hours of drawing opened up a new dimension.
Joseph photographed many images of his property – peaceful creek scenes, the vineyard, seasonal activities with sheep and family members.
The Docker family were keen cricketers and one day Joseph decided to capture an image of his sons playing a match.
The backdrop for the photo is the Thornthwaite homestead, one of the finest sandstone residences in the Hunter Valley.
Many of Joseph’s prints taken between 1850 and 1870 remain in very good condition.