BIO

An all-round sportsman at Way College, Alex Trott showed great promise with Norwood before fading from the scene in his second season.  On debut at Adelaide Oval on 4 May 1895, he earned applause more than once as Norwood, fresh from its premiership the year before, proved too strong and experienced for the Natives in winning 7.8 to 1.5.

Later in the month he came under notice as a member of the Norwood team which visited Victoria, defeating highly rated Essendon, drawing with Collingwood and South Melbourne, and going down to Melbourne 8.10 to 6.9 in a spirited encounter.  Playing on a half-forward flank against Essendon, he fed the ball to 'Bunny' Daly for Norwood's second goal and slotted the sixth goal with a place kick to set up a stirring 9.8 to 7.12 victory.

Alex was of signal service as Norwood ended the season with an 8.9 to 4.4 win over Port Adelaide, though there was little excitement as South Adelaide had already clinched the premiership.  He was there at the start of the new season when Norwood beat North Adelaide 11.7 to 4.4.  He is absent from later reports, apart from a Way College Past v Present game.

Born on 24 February 1876 in Happy Valley, Alex was the elder son of James Trott and his wife Sarah (née Bartlett).  At Way College in 1893 he qualified for university admission,  won a prize as equal best all-round cricketer and made a brilliant dash round the wing in a football match which Prince Alfred College won 4.6 to 2.4.

After football, he made no headlines until he admitted in the Criminal Court in May 1921 that while a Public Service employee, he had stolen cheques on the Commonwealth Bank for £7 18/7, £8 and £6.  His defence counsel asked for clemency, saying that his client was the breadwinner for his wife and nine children, the eldest of whom was a girl of 16 years and the youngest a baby aged six weeks.  When the defalcations occurred, the accused was receiving only £3 3/ a week.  Justice Gordon said it was a sad case and if he were to follow his own inclination he would let the accused go.  His Honour said the defalcations had extended to 18 or 19 items over about a year, indicating great laxity by the government department.  The accused was of previous good character and the money had been refunded.  After "a good deal of anxious thought" he sentenced the accused to six months' imprisonment.

Alex Trott was 59 when he died on 9 March 1935, leaving a grieving wife, Amy, and family

P Robins Nov 2018