Alan Falconer Kippax (1897 - 1972)

Born 25 May 1897 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Mabel Charlotte (Catts) Kippax — married 1928 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Died 5 Sep 1972 at age 75 in Bellevue Hill, New South Wales, Australia

Biography

Alan Kippax is Notable.

"This beautiful and stylish player was unlucky to emerge on the horizon of big cricket at a time when NSW had virtually an international side for its State XI. When his opportunity did come, Alan proved a real stalwart. In addition, his Trumperian style must have influenced for good vast numbers of young boys. Unquestionably, the line of Trumper and Kippax has much to do with the grace and elegance which is more frequently associated with players from NSW than from other States." – (Sir) Donald Bradman.

Alan Falconer Kippax was born on 25th May 1897 at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He was the third and youngest son of Arthur Kippax and Sophia Craigie.^[1] Educated at Bondi and Cleveland Street Public schools, Alan began playing at fourteen with Waverley District Cricket Club and by 1914-15 was an established first-grade batsman.

In 1926, Alan opened a sports store at Martin Place, Sydney which he built into a successful business.

Alan married Mabel Charlotte Catts in St Stephen's Presbyterian Church (now Uniting), Sydney on 20th April 1928.^[2]

A right-hand, impeccably correct and elegant batsman with an upright, easy stance at the wicket, Alan went on to captain the New South Wales team in the interstate Sheffield Shield competition and played for Australia. In 22 Test matches, he scored 1,192 runs at an average of 36, with two centuries. His 6,096 runs at an average of 70 for New South Wales has remained a record since his retirement in 1935. In first-class matches Kippax scored some 12,750 runs at an average of 58, with 43 centuries; for Waverley he made over 7,000 runs at an average of 53. Alan was elected a life member of the New South Wales Cricket Association in 1943-44. He is credited with nurturing such future 'stars' as Archie Jackson, Stan McCabe and (Sir) Donald Bradman.

Alan Kippax is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Australian Army Volunteer Defence Corps 1942-1944
9th Battalion (NSW)

At the height of the threat of Japanese invasion of Australia, on 9th Mar 1942, Alan enlisted in the Australian Army Volunteer Defence Corps and was posted to the 9th Battalion (NSW) on part-time duty. As a Gunner, his role was in anti-aircraft defence. He was discharged on 1st March 1944 as the immediate threat lessened.^[3]

Still the sportsman, Alan became an A-grade golfer at The Lakes course in Sydney and a club champion lawn bowler at Double Bay.

He passed away on 5th September 1972 at Bellevue Hill, New South Wales.^[4] and is believed to be buried in the Castlebrook Memorial Park in Rouse Hill New South Wales, Australia.

The Kippax Centre in the Canberra suburb of Holt is named after him.

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #15243/1897
2. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #5264/1928
3. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: N324097 Gunner Alan Falconer Kippax; accessed 29 Jul 2019
4. ↑ New South Wales Death Index #5170/1972

See also:

• Andrews, B G. Kippax, Alan Falconer (1897–1972), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 1983; accessed online 29 Jul 2019.
• Wikipedia profile: Alan Kippax; accessed 29 Jul 2019.
• Alan Falconer Kippax from the Woollahra Municipal Councils: Library -Local history - Woollahra Council Plaque Scheme: first accessed online on the 27th of September, 2020 at: https://www.woollahra.nsw.gov.au/library/local_history/woollahra_plaque_scheme/plaques/alan_kippax
• Find a Grave, database and images accessed 27 September 2020, memorial page for Alan Falconer “Kip” Kippax (25 May 1897–5 Sep 1972), Find a Grave Memorial no. Find A Grave: Memorial #214694266, citing Castlebrook Memorial Park, Rouse Hill, Blacktown City, New South Wales, Australia ; Maintained by David Somerville (contributor 50463888) . (No Gravestone Photograph)
• Alan Kippax wearing a New South Wales cricketing jacket, New South Wales, ca.1925. via TROVE In collection: 'Fairfax archive of glass plate negatives. Fairfax number: 1515 (Acquired from Fairfax Media, 2012.) available online http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-162884105
• ALAN F. KIPPAX published in the Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic. : 1885 - 1939) of Thursday 10 January 1929, Page 13. first accessed on TROVE on the 22nd of September, 2022 at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/146725102