Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #historyau, aggregated by home.social.
Try playing with this 1855 map of Melbourne and suburbs, overlayed on the modern city. Try the drop (slider) and magic wand (button).
This was made possible by @wragge in his residency at SLV.
https://viewer.allmaps.org/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fannotations.allmaps.org%2Fmanifests%2Fc2f155f0b8160bd9
(I'm currently researching 1853 Victoria.) #Melbourne #StateLibraryVIC #historyAU #historicalMapping
Art and History.
What makes this picture so popular? Thomas Kenneally's publishers even used it for a book cover though the event isn't mentioned in it.
King William St and Grenfell St, #Adelaide. #historyAU #S_T_Gill
My article: https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_Subject_Sturt's_Departure_1844.htm
Is the 1852 lithograph "Diggers shiping from Melbourne" historically accurate? (Yes, "shiping"!) Four vessels are named on the office posters - were they all in port at the same time? The answer suggests the famed artist was sketching the goldrush diggers in Melbourne before he was sketching them at the diggings. #historyAU #S_T_Gill #TroveAU #artAU
In writing the historical narrative online I initially couldn't refer to the as yet unwritten the artwork evidence. The latter done, I've now back-filled. (New material; older research.)
New material: https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_1852_to_Victoria_and_Diggings.htm#GillGap
Early this week I tuned in to a #StateLibrarySA talk on an 1855 panorama of Port #Adelaide: "Memory, Fire and Forgery" by historian Dr Clare Parker. This talk is now available online. I was interested in how another historian approached an artistic research challenge. Was the artist at the Port at the same time as the ships? A fascinating talk which seemed to leave some questions quite open. #historyAU #TroveAU
https://stories.slsa.sa.gov.au/painting-the-port/index.html
Today is Samuel Thomas Gill's birthday - he'd be 208. I've described him as "arguably Australia's most recognisable colonial artist", not as much by name, as by the extent of works used for historical illustration.
Once more commonly called "the artist of the goldfields", here's a sample of 24 sketches (tinged with gentle humour) from 1852 - that earnt him that nickname - in my recent article: https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_1852_Diggings_and_Diggers_Part_1.htm
Happy about this. I had an overnight enquiry from an academic in Dublin with an interest in the "literary cultures of nineteenth-century copper mining". She was particularly interested in the interaction between Indigenous and settler children shown in an #S_T_Gill picture that was reproduced in 1848 in the Illustrated London News.
It pleases me that my project can be useful to other researchers. Plus the enquiry helps me refocus on that content and in a couple of weeks I'll improve on my old page on the #Burra mine. #historyAU
https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_and_Burra_Burra_Mine_1847.htm#GrahamEngland
New find: it appears George French Angas trimmed the left edges of two paintings to remove S T Gill's signature for his 1846 London exhibition. Paintings considered to be Angas's best, evidence shows, are actually by Gill. In this new overview I examine Gill's work for and relationship with Angas, 1844 to 1852. Gill as ghost artist. Much praise bestowed on Angas has rightly belonged to #S_T_Gill. #colonialArt #historyAU #artHistoryAU #ozGLAM #catalogueRaisonne
My new article: https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_artist_for_George_French_Angas.htm
I did say my #S_T_Gill project would "further rock the art history boat, not by intent, but because that's where the evidence takes us". So here's the extra rock ...
Big claims need big evidence. My new article adds to the pile, showing despite his claim to his London publisher, George French Angas likely didn't go to the Victorian diggings in 1852 at all.
Pivotal to this story is Charles Lord for whom Angas had great affection. A quick trip to Melbourne by the pair landed Angas in the middle of gold rush lithography.
NARRATIVE, ANALYSIS & CATALOGUE. (Not light reading. Analysis only made possible by digitised newspapers.) #historyAU #artHistoryAU #TroveAU #ozGLAM
My new article: https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/George_French_Angas_Victorian_Diggings_1852.htm
(2/3) Map of #S_T_Gill's 1852 scenes of the gold diggings in Victoria, Australia - at least the readily mappable ones. Built in OpenStreetMap's #uMap with #AllMaps tiles for custom background. #historicalMapping #historyAU
Online map: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/s-t-gill-victorian-diggings_1079116
(2/3) Map of #S_T_Gill's 1852 scenes of the gold diggings in Victoria, Australia - at least the readily mappable ones. Built in OpenStreetMap's #uMap with #AllMaps tiles for custom background. #historicalMapping #historyAU
https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/s-t-gill-victorian-diggings_1079116
Sasha Grishin described it as "an iconic image for the Australian gold rushes". "Diggers on way to Bendigo" was a frequent subject of S T Gill's picturing gold diggers on the road. Sometimes thought to show leaving #Melbourne for the goldfields. But it most likely represents diggers moving on from one diggings (Forest Creek, near #Castlemaine) to better prospects at another (#Bendigo). #historyAU #colonialArtAU
My new article on #S_T_Gill pictures (7) on this subject from 1852 to 1872: https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_Subject_Diggers_on_way.htm
Years ago I started with just this scrap piece of paper and sketched these main #Adelaide intersections in the 1840s.
This evolved into digital #historicalMapping using #uMap (which makes all the work look easy) and #mapWarper. I've now geolocated 257 works with latitude, longitude and view bearing.
I recently added the Victorian diggings 1852 to the maps.
Search the list of mapped works: https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/index_of_works.htm#Mapped
Read about the maps in the #S_T_Gill project and how I developed them: https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_in_Maps.htm
#historyAU #digitalHumanities
In 1851 George French Angas went from Sydney to the NSW gold diggings via the Blue Mountains. This map shows his sketches along the way and corrects the dating on these drawings in #NationalLibraryAU collection. (This map was a side activity in the #S_T_Gill project.) #historyAU #historyNSW #historicalMapping
Online map: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/angas-1851-nsw-diggings_802983
Bryce Ross kept the artist's name secret. Who was it sketching the gold diggings and looking to publish in #Melbourne or elsewhere?
Ross was an institution on the Victorian diggings in 1852. He reported weekly for the Melbourne Herald and his "Mems from the Mount [Alexander]" were reprinted in colonial newspapers. His office was at what is now Chewton near #Castlemaine. Ross was one of thousands of #SouthAustralia'ns on the diggings.
And why can't we find the artist's original field sketches?
#historyAU #TroveAU #1850s #S_T_Gill #Bendigo
My new article: https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_1852_at_the_Victorian_Diggings.htm
#StateLibraryNSW has a surprisingly large number of South Australian colonial artworks. I've finished updating SLNSW links to their new catalogue from my #S_T_Gill project. This includes my maps of 1840s #SouthAustralia and #Adelaide which are now practically complete. Mapping using #uMap (OpenStreetMap).
Now I've found either a second or third one in Perth! #prefab #historyAU
FOR RENT (1840): one-roomed prefabricated Manning's house, 9 feet (2.74 m) square. At least it has a chimney. #Adelaide. #1840s #prefab #historyAU #prefabs
Rectory of Trinity Church, North Terrace, #Adelaide was also a prefabricated Manning's house. #1830s #1840s #prefab #S_T_Gill #historyAU #prefabs
Zoom in to left of church: https://www.agsa.sa.gov.au/collection-publications/collection/works/trinity-church-adelaide-1845/24380/
Realised these are probably prefabricated Manning's houses, c. 1841-42, corner Grenfell St & Gawler Pl, #Adelaide. #1840s #prefab #S_T_Gill #historyAU #prefabs
Repost this time with more direct link to artwork: https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-134360971/view
I checked “Guide to the Australian House Museum” (1984-1992) by Frank Campbell, but don’t see any Manning’s #prefabs in it. Not sure what the museum is doing now. #historyAU #ausglam (ping @warpedtime)
https://mdpa.weebly.com/blog/the-house-museum-at-deakin-university-waurn-ponds
Today I realised these are probably prefabricated Manning's houses, c. 1841-42, corner Grenfell St & Gawler Pl, #Adelaide.
#1840s #Adelaide #prefab #S_T_Gill #historyAU
https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_and_John_Napier_Magill.htm#76
EDIT: it's back again now.
Australian Dictionary of Biography (ANU) site is timing out at the moment - https://adb.anu.edu.au/
Alternative is the Trove websites backup -
https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080718181421/http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/adbonline.htm
New book out soon:
“Clock Tower Phones and the Mice That Damaged Them: A Brief History”
#historyAU
https://wraggebots.net/@provbot/statuses/01K2X45XQVS05NXZAFQJAC1DAN
Taxing vehicles; vehicle registration and number plates. 1840 #historyAU
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27441358
And now my modern project returns to the quote that's stuck in my head for the last 9 years. With a new article! #historyAU #artHistoryAU #colonialArtAU #S_T_Gill #Barossa #SouthAustralia #Angas
S.T. Gill at Angas' Barossa 1844
S. T. Gill was in the #Barossa sketching for the Angas family from 29 October to 4 November 1844. I identify some works as well as influences on Angas publications: "South Australia Illustrated" and "Barossa Range and its neighbourhood".
New article: https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_at_Angas'_Barossa_1844.htm 3/3
“Out with Mr. Gill the artist who has come from town to take some sketches...”
This was the hook for my project - the hurdle that the "Convict Gill" theory couldn't jump. A historical controversy in the newspapers 9 years ago! #historyAU #artHistoryAU #colonialArtAU #S_T_Gill
From my naive self 9 years ago: https://coombe.id.au/stg/01_controversy.htm 2/3
A historical controversy grabbed my attention 9 years ago. #historyAU #artHistoryAU #colonialArtAU #S_T_Gill
May be free or paywall: https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/academic-claims-artist-st-gill-was-a-convict-20160704-gpy9ko.html
At first I was attracted to the convict Gill theory. But soon found a hurdle in the said timeline... 1/3
#SouthAustralia History Festival program released today. Events 1-31 May, #Adelaide etc. #historyAU
#ArtDeco bedroom suite made in Sydney 1927/28. Made from Queensland #silkyOak by Standardised Furniture Ltd, Marrickville and retailed by Symonds' of Pitt Street. #1920s #historyAU #vintageFurniture
New (personal) article:
Identifying and dating my grandfather’s suite: https://coombe.id.au/personal/bedroom-suite.htm
Toot suite!
I think "Ms & Mrs Gould" would've benefited from more editing. I skimmed parts. I'd call it narrative non-fiction more than I'd call it history.
A simple timeline can be history; adding context makes it more of a story. But when you add context to context to context you risk drifting away from what you know and can also lose the reader.
For example the author writes: the surveyor-general Colonel William Light “came down with a fatal dose of tuberculosis and Charles Sturt had taken his place". This misses the whole survey controversy and Light's resignation - something well known to #SouthAustralia’ns. #historyAU #Adelaide
Big oops on #ABCRN this morning. In trying to explain #AustraliaDay, renowned historian Michelle Arrow erroneously said Arthur Phillip claimed the eastern half of Australia on 26 January 1788. No, that was James Cook in 1770.
An unhelpful slip in the context. #historyAU #InvasionDay
Hear 1 minute into this 11 minute listen:
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/saturdayextra/australia-day-history/104857568
Finally releasing this research into the wild. Years ago I was deep into horse racing results from 1839 to 1845 using #TroveAU and it paid off. No back to the future wins 👀 but recovering forgotten historical context for a watercolour of the Adelaide Races by John Michael Skipper.
I identify this picture as a race for "gentlemen riders" on New Year's Day 1839 featuring a uniformed Captain Charles Berkeley. (This is a side outcome of the #S_T_Gill project.)
#Adelaide #historyAU #colonialArtAU #sportsHistory #horseRacing
New Article: https://coombe.id.au/1840s_South_Australia/New_Year_Races_by_Skipper.htm
Welcome to my project on arguably Australia's most recognisable colonial artist, Samuel Thomas Gill. It's a blend of #catalogueRaisonné, biography, historical narrative and map atlas. The scope is from Gill's arrival in #SouthAustralia in 1839 up to his early time at the Victorian gold diggings in 1852-53.
Project update: Six articles on the diggings are now complete except for pending visits to Sydney and Adelaide to check on some undigitised sources. Good progress on at least two articles for 1839-1844 gap.
Later this year I'll write some more reflective material and some of particular interest post 1853.
You can follow the hashtag #S_T_Gill for updates - you don't need to follow me.
#historyAU #1840s #1850s #VictoriaAU #colonialArtAU #historicalMapping #catalogueRaisonne #biography
https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill
A reaction from me to today's article on Ferdinand von Sommer by Professor Alexandra Ludewig (UWA) in The Conversation:
Genius or charlatan? The strange tale of a 19th-century polymath who left a trail of controversy across colonial Australia.
#1840s #historyAU #DutchEastIndies #miningHistory #vonSommer #SouthAustralia #WesternAustralia #1850s
(1/5) ... /2
#ABCNewsAU today had an article on a fugitive slave, John Swanson Jacobs, who journeyed to the Victorian diggings.
In May 1852 is this report on success on the diggings by a particular team of 5 African-Americans.
At this very same time #S_T_Gill pictured a black man on the diggings: https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-148465469/view. #historyAU
WA Cawthorne (1824-1897) was a school teacher and amateur artist. His #1840s diaries and pictures are among the most valuable records of Aboriginal culture made by a South Australian colonist. He's known for helping with George French Angas' "South Australia Illustrated" project. My new article mainly concerns his relationship with #S_T_Gill, his art master from February 1845 and shows his development as an artist. The article identifies further Gill works, plus six Cawthorne portraits of #AboriginalAustralians in the British Museum.
My new article: https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_and_W_A_Cawthorne.htm
#S_T_Gill #colonialArtAU #historyAU #W_A_Cawthorne #SouthAustralia #colonialArt #Aboriginal
“The Colonial Kangaroo Hunt” by Ken Gelder & Rachael Weaver, 2020. #LibrariesACT
Just finished reading this highly insightful book ranging widely over territories: Aboriginal, settler, history, art, literature, culture, economics. Understandably grim in parts. #historyAU
Sometimes one extra data point makes a lot of difference to the cataloging.
The identity of "EJ" has been a mystery to me for 5 years but now I have a pretty good theory. The new data point was an #S_T_Gill sketch titled "Australian warfare, native skirmish" which I can now slot into the Gill catalogue. The EJ theory has a ripple out effect on some other artworks.
#cataloging #catalogueRaisonne #1840s #SouthAustralia #historyAU
ARTICLE: https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_and_John_Napier_Magill.htm
A narrative for 1840s #SouthAustralia from the point of view of well-known artist #S_T_Gill.
A new point of entry into my online project - highlighting the narrative aspect.
In 1842 a 28 gun French warship arrived at #Adelaide #SouthAustralia to enquire how the government was going with its seizure of the French trader "Ville de Bordeaux". (No pressure of course!) #historyAU
[This is a sidetrack to check a possible alternative explanation for the arrival of French photography in SA - that article to come today or tomorrow.]
Newspaper: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27443236
This death notice appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald in 1851. This was George Goodman, Australia's first professional photographer. The thing is - he wasn't actually dead.
This is an old article of mine from 2019 - an offshoot of my Gill project - but I've just reformatted it to suit mobile devices. (I'll soon be referencing it from a new article about the beginnings of photography in South Australia.)