Sadler family

England's beleaguered cricketers have headed to Western Australia ahead of the third Ashes test match at the famous WACA ground in Perth - this will be the final Ashes game to be played there as future England teams will perform at the new Perth Stadium In the late 1880's "20 lovers of the game each subscribed £5 towards the cost of transforming the site of the WACA ground from a waste of marsh and reeds to a playing oval" One of those was Henry Sadler, who was born in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1858, to John Sadler and his wife Louisa Caroline Benson John Sadler was the third of twelve children of John Sadler and Maria Turner, and was baptised on 8 June 1815 at St John the Baptist, Coventry John and Maria were my 3x great grandparents, their fourth child, Elizabeth, being my 2x great grandmother John and Louisa had two children, Charles (born in London in 1851) and John Coyne (born in Coventry in 1854). Both were baptised at St John the Baptist, and when the second child was born, they must have been planning their future, as on 6 July 1854, they set sail from Liverpool aboard the SS Dirigo for Australia, amongst 517 passengers and crew Sadly, this new sailing ship was hit by a severe outbreak of cholera early in its voyage, and having been refused entry into Cork, Ireland, it was towed back to the Mersey The death toll from the outbreak was high [I have been unable to establish an exact figure], and on 28 July 1854, The Coventry Herald reported, "DEATHS - On the 10th inst., on board the Dirigo of cholera, Charles Sadler, aged three years ; also John Coyne Sadler, aged five months, sons of Mr. John Sadler, late of this City" The Register of the Free Parochial Cemetery, St Martin's-in-the-Fields, Liverpool, records their deaths on 10 July and burials on 13 July, aged 2 [sic] and 1, "From the ship Dirigo laying in the River Mersey" - so at least they received a decent burial on land, and not at sea, like some poor souls Four months later, John and Louisa set sail again, on the same ship Dirigo, and arrived at South Australia on 22 November 1854, and between 1855 and 1863 they had four more children, including Henry On Friday 23 August 1872, The Coventry Standard reported, "DEATHS - On May 9th, at Adelaide, Australia, John Sadler, second son of the late John Sadler, of this city, deeply regretted by all his friends" Henry, or Harry, Sadler removed to Perth, where he took up the trade of plumber. That didn't stop his involvement in gold prospecting from time to time, and he was a well-known long distance cyclist and all-round sportsman On 1 April 1932, The West Australian reported: "Veterans' Annual Reunion. Reminiscences of Western Australian cricket history extending over well-nigh half a century were told over the luncheon table at the annual reunion of veterans yesterday. The function was held in the old members' pavilion at the W.A.C.A. ground, and the greater part of the gathering of 40 odd old cricketers had witnessed the opening of the building with great pomp and ceremony in 1897. Mr. George Allies, M.L.C., was the chairman, and the patriarch was Mr. Harry Sadler, the oldest living life member of the West Australian Cricket Association, and who, in the late eighties, had been one of the 20 lovers of the game who had each subscribed £5 towards the cost of transforming the site of the W.A.C.A. ground from a waste of marsh and reeds to a playing oval. The two captains were G. Woodhouse and H. Edmondson, who, in 1903, captained the State side against a Melbourne cricket club team led by Warwick Armstrong, and wore the gaily striped predecessor to the present sombre coloured State blazer. George Woodhouse played on the goldfields in the 'nineties when the match between the Coast and the Fields was the event of the year." One of the most famous cricket grounds in the world - and my relative (1st cousin three times removed) was partly responsible for its transformation from marsh to sportsground. Wow!

A wonderful history to be proud of MR, and thank you Mr. Sadler.

Midland Red, yes, a wonderful read as well, thank you.

Thanks for the kind comments As mentioned, Elizabeth Sadler was my 2x great grandmother, and she married William Lines, son of William and Mary Lines of Spon End - William "senior" is believed to be the person who was attacked by Edward 'Duckfat' Bradshaw, a crime for which he was hanged (see this thread)