History
Originally named Hampden Park Oval, the ground was built on a reclaimed swamp (Glenmore Brook runs down and under its middle), an old quarry and a garbage dump. It had to be built up by as much as 13 feet in some places in order to turn it into a cricket oval. It was named in honour of Viscount Hampden, Governor of New South Wales (1895–99) - Hampden Street alongside the park was originally named Ebenezer Street.
According to Rob Hillier's 1970 book [2] the three first inhabitants of Paddington: Underwood, Forbes and Cooper - built a Gin Distillery just next to today's Trumper Park. According to Hillier, the teams who had to transport the gin back into the colony along Oxford Street (formerly South Head Road) were "winding between trees and outcrops of sandstone, between swamp and firm ground, found the easiest way for the footslogger was through land not yet parcelled out. But any track that opened up the bush was welcome, and once it was established it acted as a frontage for later grants of all sizes and the most incredible shapes. This track was named Glenmore Road and it is still the winding link between Oxford Street and the New South Head Road built in the 1830s along the harbour foreshores."
At the opening of the oval there was a great demonstration of community feeling - the owners of produce stores gave bags of potatoes, butchers in the district gave a sheep each, bakers gave bread and grocers gave jams and tea. A bullock was roasted whole and various games were held, including a fancy dress cricket match in which Trumper played.
The name of park, and the oval, was changed in 1931 to honour one of Paddington's cricketing heroes, Victor Trumper (1877-1915).
The Eastern Suburbs Roosters played a total of 10 first grade NSWRL games at Trumper Oval with 4 games in 1915, another 5 in 1934 and one game against North Sydney in 1941.[3]