Presants, Philip Robert, 1867-1942 [attributed]: Young New Zealand at play; cricket in a mining town. [Christchurch, Weekly Press, 28 October, 1899].

Shows a group of seven boys playing cricket on a country road. One boy stands watching in flax at right, while a girl walks away in the distance. The wickets are substituted by an old bent tin.

The following information was supplied by Mr L.J. Burdett, AT 13/14/1, 1 February 1995): The boy holding the bat, standing next to bowler is Thomas William Harrison Hill (1885-1972); the bowler is Jack Barnett; the distant girl is Cecillia Liddle.

The town shown could be Dobson or Brunnerton (conflicting information in letters AT 13/14/1, 8 October 1987, from Judy Siers, derived from information from the artist's daughter Myrtle Presants; and 1 February 1995, from Mr L.J. Burdett). However it is almost certainly Dobson. Judy Siers also writes that "the attached print ... originally appeared in the Christchurch Weekly Press 28 October 1899". It is likely that the print was issued as a supplement to the paper, as it does not appear within the pages of the Library's copy.

Title from pencil inscription on verso.

Picture was formerly attributed to Charles Nathaniel Worsley. However, another copy in private hands is inscribed "Young New Zealand cricket in a mining town (Brunner area)" by P. R. Presants, and has imprint. It also has on the reverse in pencil 'Dobson, 1896' and the location of the view at Dobson in the hand of the owner's grandfather, Clem Green, (the husband of Cecillia Liddle). The owner of the privately-owned copy also believes the little girl in the picture is her grandmother, Cecillia Liddle (pers. comm. December 2003).

Inscriptions: Verso - centre - Young New Zealand at play: cricket in a mining town

Quantity: 1 colour art print(s) 340 x 490 mm..

Physical Description: Chromolithograph, 340 x 490 mm.