Page 5 - Luce 2013

N EW S AND E VENTS

Janet, Lady Clarke and the Ashes

Frustrating though it is to historians, not everything is written down. With the Ashes
now safely back in Australian hands, there is still a touch of mystery surrounding
the origins of the ‘little urn’ which symbolises cricket’s greatest rivalry – but don’t
tell that to our students or staff. Over the course of the Ashes series the urn, which
is proudly displayed in replica in the front foyer, was the source of intense (and for
students and tutors from England increasingly dispirited) discussion. But the College is
united that the little urn stands in honour of Janet, Lady Clarke – the greatest female
philanthropist of her generation, and the ‘mother of the Ashes’.
The family legend has it that the urn held the ashes of a bail burned by Janet and
presented to MCC Captain Ivo Bligh in the wake of Australia’s first ‘away’ cricket
triumph in December 1882. By the time the English team arrived in Victoria, Sporting
Times obituary notice of ‘The Ashes’ had become a popular topic of conversation.
Mind the gap: new During a friendly match at the Clarke’s Sunbury mansion ‘Rupertswood’ Lady Clarke
and her friend Florence Morphy arranged for a cricket bail to be burnt, placed in the
stonework restores urn, and light-heartedly presented to Bligh. The joke was obviously well received as

an iconic façade Bligh went on to marry Florence, and ‘the Ashes’ probably returned to England as a
memento as much of their love as of any sporting rivalry.
Made of Waurn Ponds limestone, carved As Lady Clarke’s great granddaughter and family historian Louise Morris (1972) has
by unknown stonemasons and designed noted, the ‘little urn’ – almost certainly a perfume bottle used by Lady Clarke – was
by Charles D’Ebro, the front finials that never meant as anything more than a practical joke, and there was little reason to
adorn our front façade are an architectural make much of it because there was no sense of its future fame. This is frustrating to
highlight of the building badly weathered historians, because there is no way of authenticating what turns out to be as much
over 127 years. As part of an extensive a great love story as a cricket story. Putting on his historian’s hat, our Principal Dr
programme of renovation, Council Damian Powell (who has found no trace of ‘the urn’ in his research into the life of
approved work to restore and repair Lady Clarke) notes that ‘the family legend is probably all that we will ever have to
the front façade and stonemason David solve one of cricket’s great mysteries’. But then again, as a former cricketer and keen
Williams completed the first stage of works cricket fan, he also knows that cricket is always a game ‘in which fact and legend
in 2013. One finial has received repair go hand in hand’. Perhaps he will compare notes with an English student arriving at
while the other – too badly damaged safely the College in 2014, Georgia Isaac, who got close to the real urn in 2013 during an
to remain in place – has been removed internship at Lord’s.
for display in the Betty Wilmot Room.
With the original quarry now closed, Mr So has the urn returned? In the eyes of the Clarke family, and the College which
Williams carved the replacement finial proudly bears the name of Janet Lady Clarke it is not Lord’s, but Rupertswood which
from closely matching limestone in South was, and always will be, the real home of the Ashes. (By the way, in 1882 the English
Australia. The College was fortunate, were successful – at least in the Rupertswood game).
in carrying out this expensive work, to
receive support from the Melbourne We want it back! Tutors Jamie and Catherine Hart (left) and students Katy Shipman
Heritage Restoration Foundation Fund, and Verity Johnson hoping for England… next time
with advice and assistance of Chairman of
the Board of the National Trust of Australia
Dr Graeme Blackman, noted heritage
architect Mr Peter Lovell, and Council
member Prof Julie Willis who specialises in
Australian architectural history.

Stonemason David Williams inspects the
original chimneys

J anet Clarke Hall 5