Katja Company theatrical cricket match at Rushcutter’s Bay Oval by Hugh McCrae

P1/2435

fonds

not after 28 January 1926

Graphic Materials, Drawings

9682292

1 drawing - pen and ink - 23 x 20 cm

Hugh Raymond McCrae was born on 4 October 1876 in Hawthorn, Melbourne, Victoria. After briefly working as an architect, he befriended Lionel and Norman Lindsay and subsequently elected to make a living by freelance writing and drawing. His first poem was published in the Bulletin in 1896. On 4 May 1901, he married Annie Geraldine (Nancy) Adams (1882-1943), with whom he had three daughters. McCrae contributed poems and drawings to various publications including Lone Hand, Worker, Bookfellow, Trident and Clarion. In 1914, with no income, he went to New York City and appeared in several minor theatrical roles on stage. He returned to Sydney in 1922, having had works published in Art in Australia in 1920 and Idyllia in 1922. From 1926, he received a Commonwealth Literary Fund pension but was otherwise reliant on his art and poems appearing in news publications. Following the death of his first wife, he remarried on 4 July 1946 to Janet Le Brun (nee Brown) (1900-1985), however the marriage was dissolved on 22 July 1948. In 1953, McCraw was appointed Order of the British Empire. He died on 17 February 1958 in Wahroonga, New South Wales.

References:
Australian Dictionary of Biography. "Hugh Raymond McCrae". Accessed 23 August 2024. https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mccrae-hugh-raymond-7327

Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria. Accessed 23 August 2024. https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/

1 pen and ink cartoon on paper depicting a cricket match by the Katja Company all-female theatrical troupe at Rushcutter's Bay Oval, Sydney, in 1926. It is captioned "Call Boy : 'It's your run, Miss Burke!" Attached is a cutting from the Sydney Evening News, 28 January 1926, which reads "Theatrical Match ; At Rushcutter’s Bay Oval to-morrow afternoon the ladles of the ‘Katja’ company will play the gentlemen at cricket. Miss Marie Burke is captain on one side”.

In copyright:
Copyright holder:: Hugh McCrae
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder

Signed and dated "McCrae. 26" on lower left side.