Alexander Lorimer Kennedy's 'Referee' Field Hockey Stick by Gamage and Holborn

Details

Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1913
Alexander Lorimer Kennedy's 'Referee' Field Hockey Stick by Gamage and Holborn
signed and inscribed 'AL Kennedy Aust Antarctic Expedition 1911-13' on the blade, maker's stamp '20oz GAMAGE HOLBORN REFEREE REGD'
wood, string and rubber
approx. 37in. (94cm.) long
with an undated note of provenance from the previous owner, Mary Ilene Falkenberg

Provenance

Alexander Lorimer Kennedy, Magnetic Surveyor, Western Base, Queen Mary's Land, Antarctica, by whose family given to
Mary Ilene Woodville Jelly (later Falkenberg), their neighbour, Adelaide, 1921 ('This hockey stick was taken by Kennedy on his trip to the South Pole and used for winter sport. His parents and sisters lived next door to me in Adelaide and I was given the stick by them when I began to play myself. This was in 1921 ...').

Special notice

VAT rate of 17.5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

Lot Essay

Gamage Holborn were the official suppliers of sporting goods to the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911. Kennedy was at Western Base in 1912 and was a member of several sledging parties, and joined Wild on his main eastern journey as cartographer. Photographs of Kennedy's quarters in the hut at Western Base show the present hockey stick above his bunk.

Kennedy was a graduate of Adelaide University in Engineering and taught at St Peter's College, Adelaide. He later served on the second BANZARE voyage of RRS Discovery as Magnetician.

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