Thomas McCracken
Victorian Football Association
DOB: December 08 1863 Glasgow Scotland
DOD: May 08 1889 Melbourne Hospital
Games: 12 - 18
Career: 1886 - 1888
Recruited from Hotham 1886 via Star of Carlton.
Father, Edmund, Mother, Ann Angus McCracken
Thomas was one of 10 children.
He married Ursula Amelia Davies aged 21 on 11 June 1888 (3275/1888. Age 26 June p1)
She was born in 1866, died Feb 06 1947, aged 80
Buried Melbourne General Cemetery.
They had one child; Ursula Catherine May Nelson (nee McCracken) born May 1889.
(Ursula Amelia Trawin of Hurstbridge was also born in 1866, died on the same date and buried in the Melb. Gen. Cemetery.)
There is a In Memoriam (Age March 03 1896 p1) to Richard Davies, father of Ursula. From his daughters Ursula Trawin and Cara Armstrong.
So she has re-married some time prior to March 1896.
Above; T. McCracken appears in the 1887 Carlton Football Club team photo against Norwood in Adelaide.
Thomas McCracken - Hotham Football Club 1884
Image; Picture Victoria
1886 McCracken named in 20 out of 23 Carlton squads this year.
1887
On the Carlton tour to Adelaide, on the way back from the hotel a drunken (unnamed) Carlton player stole a sheep's carcass that was hanging in a butcher's shop.
In Volume 3 of Mark Pennings' Origins of Australian Football (p70) for 1889, it says;
"In more bad news, ex player and "sheep stealer" Tom McCracken died from typhoid fever.
May 09
The Argus (p6) reports;
"A member of the Carlton Brewery Fire Brigade, named Robert McCracken, 23 years of age, died from typhoid fever at the Melbourne Hospital on Tuesday last after a very brief illness. He was an active fireman, and was very popular with all his comrades. It has been determined to bury him with fireman's honours, and the members of the various brigades are requested to assemble at the Carlton Brewery Fire Brigade station at half past 2pm. The funeral procession will make its way down Bouvervie-street, along Grattan-street and Madeline-street to the Melbourne Cemetery. The coffin will be born on a manual fire engine, and the procession will be headed by a band. McCracken was also a prominent member of the Carlton Football Club, and members of the club are also invited to take part in the procesion.
May 10
The Evening News (Sydney, p 6) reported;
"McCracken the well known Carlton footballer, died at Echuca (Vic) on Wednesday.
OBITUARY
"Everybody connected with athletic circles (writes the Herald), with many more, will hear with extreme regret of the death of Thomas McCracken, a well known member of the Carlton football team, which took place on Wednesday, from typhoid fever.
McCracken in 1885, was one of the pick of the Star of Carlton, and in 1886 took a big part in the Hotham team. In the following year he was sent with the dark blues for a South Australian tour, but since then he has not been playing with the team. He was a man of splendid physique, and played back, where his services were more than usually effective.
McCracken was a member of the Carlton Brewery Fire Brigade, and it was his voice that was heard in the street when the men were on the rush to the scene of some conflagration or other. On all hands he was regarded as a good athlete and a game fireman, while privately he was highly respected, and had a large circle of friends. Deceased was only 25 years of age.
(The Geelong Advertiser, Friday May 10 1889 p3)
His wife gave birth four days before the funeral. She had not been told of her husband's death.
1889 June 17 Monday
The Argus June 18 (P5) reported;
"An entertainment was given at the Hibernian-hall last night in aid of the widow and child of the late Thomas McCracken, who was a prominent member of the Carlton Football Club and Carlton Brewery Brigade, who died a few weeks ago in the Melbourne Hospital from typhoid fever, after a very brief illness. The hall was crowded in every part, and the miscellaneous programme presented by a well known number of amateurs, assisted by Mr. A. Dampier, Miss Nellie Greenless, and Miss Ada Rochfort, was warmly received.
The following year;
An "In Memoriam" notice in The Argus June 25 1890 (p1) is for Thomas McCracken and it mentions that he was a member of the Carlton Football Club.
An "In Memorium" notice in The Sydney Morning Herald, June 25 1890 (p1) says Thomas aged 25 years died in the Melbourne Hospital, May 08 1889.
SHOOK THE SHEEP MCCRACKEN
"We wonder how many members of the Old Brigade will remember "Shook the Sheep" McCracken, who came across from Victoria with the Carlton team to play Norwood for the championship of Adelaide in 1893 or 4. McCracken on visiting the city was struck by the unintelligent look of Adelaide's then notoriously fat policemen and made a bet that he would steal a sheep from a butcher's shop and run with it along the principal street - Rundle street - almost from one end to the other, without hindrance from any policeman. McCracken "shook" the sheep right enough and won his bet, and Adelaide policemen were subjected to a merciless chaffing for a long time afterwards.
McCracken was big red-headed fireman who was killed afterwards by injuries received at the big Bijou Theatre fire* in Melbourne.
(WA Sportsman June 04 1915 p5)
.* The Bijou Theatre fire was on 22 April 1889. The writer may be confused with Thomas' death. Two people did die as a result of the fire, none named McCracken.
The deaths were Claude Williams a porter, and Fire Captain James Parsons. Three men injured, fireman Otto Yenh unconscious doubtful, and firemen James Thomas and Robert Dando were allowed to leave the hospital.
(Argus 25 April p6 1889 )
Links
Blueseum: Pre VFL Players
