david coombe | history
SUMMARY: After completing the commission for James Allen and the South Australian Company, in November 1845 Gill briefly trialled Daguerreotype (photography). Little is known about what he did next, up until the time he left on Horrocks' expedition in July 1846.
Given the sparseness of information this article feels somewhat disjointed, but it nevertheless fills an important role as a narrative bridge.
Article type: NARRATIVE, CATALOGUE, ANALYSIS
In this article ...
Late in 1845, S T Gill was completing an extensive commission for James Allen. Allen left for England on 27 November. Earlier that month The Register newspaper reported on Gill's use of a daguerreotype (photography).
A daguerreotype has been sent to the colony, and is in the hands of Mr Gill, the artist. It appears to take likenesses as if by magic. The sitter is reflected in a piece of looking glass, and suddenly, without aid of brush or pencil, his reflection is "stamped" and "crystalised". That there should be an error is absolutely impossible. It is the man himself. The portrait is, in fact, a preserved looking-glass. We understand Mr Gill will soon be prepared to show us as we are, and beyond a doubt his wonderful machine will be "the glass of fashion and the mould of form."1
(The exuberant reporting is quite possibly that of J D Willshire, of whom we learn more in July 1846: 1846. The Camel, Horrocks's Expedition, Gill's Parting Supper and a Newspaper Reporter.)
Previous Gill authorities have made much of Gill's pioneering use of the Daguerreotype. But his role has been overstated and it is very unlikely that he himself imported that apparatus. I reevaluate Gill's role in a history of Daguerreotype and Early Photography in 1840s South Australia.
It's likely Gill was using the Heseltine apparatus but his involvement may have lasted little more than a fortnight as jockeying intensified for the photographic business. There was a rush of operators – William Little, Robert Hall, Robert Norman, George Heseltine, George Goodman and Edward Schohl – and it would have become clear that Daguerreotype was more the realm of the technician than the artist.
And anyway Gill was would have still been riding the wave of his commission for James Allen and the South Australian Company.
What did Gill move on to next?
Demand for Gill's art may have eased while South Australians sought to have their photographs taken.
The second half of 1846 was taken up by John Horrocks' northern expedition. In July the press noted Gill was to go with Horrocks. 1846. The Camel, Horrocks's Expedition, Gill's Parting Supper and a Newspaper Reporter. But little is known of Gill's activity in the first half of the year.
How was Gill occupied in the first half of 1846? The newspapers are largely silent. Painting dates add little. Although a couple of paintings have been dated as 1846, I have seen no evidence of Gill himself so dating those works, with the possible exception of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society Show (see below). (This is not so surprising as when Gill signed a work it was usually without a date.)
By the start of the year Gill had moved from Leigh Street to the corner of Tavistock and Rundle Streets (see Gill Adelaide map) – the Tavistock Buildings – and was so listed in the 1846 Royal South Australian almanack and directory published on 24 January.2
In February was the Show. A major event on the South Australian calendar, the annual exhibition of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society was held on 19 February 1846.
The Government had, as on former occasions, given every assistance, and had lent canvass sufficient to make a large and excellent pavilion, capable of accommodating the whole of the produce exhibited, and about 1500 people. A body of police was also in attendance, to preserve order. The articles exhibited were arranged on or along two great tables, which extended nearly the whole length of the pavilion. Outside there were about six booths, where refreshments, &c, were provided in great abundance.3
Gill observed the abundant refreshments. As well as describing the show, The Observer hinted
Experience has confirmed the first happy choice of locality for this interesting annual exhibition; and when art shall have assisted somewhat more, in fairly introducing us to the natural beauties of the landscape, the ample Park Paddock and its arborous glades, will furnish a [scene] such as it would be difficult to find, in a state so nearly that of Nature, in any part of the world; we mistrust our own powers of description, and therefore shall not rest satisfied until one of our clever artists shall have sketched the animated scene; and transferred it to the lithographer, for the admiration and enlightenment of distant enquirers; and especially of those who we would fain tempt from the boisterous North, to the land of unsophisticated freedom, fertility, and sunshine.4
Gill observed too the unsophisticated freedom. He needed no hint. He'd already portrayed the 1845 show for James Allen (AGSA 0.641, NLA R108). And he painted the 1846 show including the many liquor tents. Prominent in the foreground of his picture (at least) one man looks worse for wear from drink. This is probably the first extant portrayal of drunkeness by Gill.5
The following day the booths remained up for an inaugural fair, which was reported to lack decent organisation. W A Cawthorne, a teetotaller, was disapproving, writing in his diary on the 22nd:
The annual Agricultural and Agricultural [i.e. Horticultural] exhibition came off Friday last 19th. A fair was held next day – but a most miserable set out as ever one need conceive, nothing but eating & drinking, running to & fro, dust sweat & horses, drunkenness & all blackguards. I could not help exclaiming as I wended my way through the disorderly mob.
We hear more about Gill from Cawthorne a couple of months later.
On Saturday 18 April Cawthorne records in his diary that Gill had just returned from trip to the Murray. "Saw Mr Gill today. My painting master has been to the Murray and taken some fine views." He again saw his art master the following Saturday. At the time Cawthorne was painting for casual customers and getting further tuition from Gill.
Gill's trip to the Murray River would have been early April 1846, perhaps taking a couple of weeks. Nothing more is known of the "fine views" he took there.
Meanwhile in Tasmania, on 25 May Hobart's second annual public exhibition of paintings opened in Robin Hood's picture gallery in Liverpool street, running until 18 July. I haven't traced a catalogue but the Art Union Magazine (London) included Gill among the artists on display.6 There's no evidence Gill delivered a work directly to the exhibition, instead it's likely a work was lent by its owner, an owner who perhaps was also an artist exhibitor at that exhibition such as John Skinner Prout, or Francis Simpkinson (De Wesselow) whose style is very similar to Gill's.
In May, several comings and goings were significant for Gill.
Rowe and Magill took Gill works with them when they left South Australia and, although none have been yet identified, one would imagine Nixon – who was a fellow artist and likely a friend – did too.
In June Adelaide read news of James Allen on a stopover at The Cape. It was from Sam Sly's African Journal and reprinted in the Register:
A lecture was given last evening by Mr James Allen, in the Commercial Exchange Rooms, on the "Pastoral Commercial and Mining Progress of South Australia," which a six years' residence at Adelaide, as Editor of one of the principal Journals (the South Australian Register) had enabled him to gather, and to ornament with fluency and intelligence. A kangaroo, brought from that district, added charm and a curiosity to his mission, particularly as it had been announced, that the animal "was to speak for himself." But it merely danced the new Polka. Twenty-two faithful and spirited views of the City of Adelaide, in water colours, painted by Mr Gill, were exhibited, which afforded palpable and striking proofs of the sudden rise and prosperity of the colony.7
From June, Gill's focus shifted to the Horrocks expedition. His preparation included some Adelaide views to leave for sale during his expected months long absence.
To see related works, with accompanying notes, just scroll down or jump to the List of Works.
Cawthorne. William Anderson Cawthorne - journal, 1846-1849. Digitised at SLNSW: <https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/9gkdb3m9>.
You can scroll down to see all pictures along with detailed notes or click a link to jump to a specific work from the list.
Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia, Autumn Show 1846 | Art Gallery of South Australia 0.38
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1846 | Appleyard cat. 74 | 25.3(H) x 39.2(W) cm
Catalogue: S.T. Gill, November 1845 to June 1846
A view of the Agricultural and Horticultural exhibition in 1846. The exhibition was held on Thursday 19 February and there was a food and drink fair the following day, though carriage arrivals suggest this to be show day. I suggest a title change from "Autumn Show" to "Annual Show", the name by which it was then known. (The "autumn" title may be a misreading or anachronism.)
Hotel signs read "Little Parra Inn, C. Harvey", "Wheat Sheaf ...", "Potter", "Roberts" and "Grapes". These five are included in the list of seven hotel signs in The Observer, 28 February 1846 notes: (William Roberts') "Queen's Arms," "Grapes," "Harvey's Little Para Inn;" "Wheat Sheaf;" (James Potter's) "Albion;" the "Woodman;" and the "Red Lion."
One man carrying a bottle (foreground right), appears worse the wear from drink and is helped from the grounds. Gill generally does not portray drunks during the South Australian years with the exception of the 1851 Old Colonists' Festival Dinner where he had a specific motive to do so. And in this case, with all the hotel booths, the drunk is definitely topical.
The newspaper reported: We liked the idea of the rural taverns, "all in" two rows and the well preserved styles and titles, which showed them to be branch establishments. There was the "Queen's Arms," and the "Grapes," "Harvey's Little Para Inn;" the "Wheat Sheaf;" the "Albion;" the "Woodman;" and the "Red Lion." Eatables and drinkables were to be had, in variety and abundance; but we noticed that the latter, were most "called for;" and indeed there was so little intermission for any of the attendants; that an incorrigible punster declared, the "Red Lion" was without paws.
Adelaide Observer, 28 February 1846: 8.<http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article158921896>
The same paper acclained the natural beauty of the sight: "we mistrust our own powers of description, and therefore shall not rest satisfied until one of our clever artists shall have sketched the animated scene; and transferred it to the lithographer, for the admiration and enlightenment of distant enquirers". Adelaide Observer, 28 February 1846: 6. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article158921925>. Perhaps got more than it bargained for!
"S.T.G 1846" appears at lower left, but this was added later. Part of the original signature can be seen below, possibly "...TG ... 6". Appleyard: "Original signature and date cropped when sheet trimmed and mounted on cardboard."
This picture was gifted to the Gallery in 1917 by Dr E. Angas Johnson, whose father J. Angas Johnson was on the Society's committee of management when the picture was purchased in 1893.
Provenance / timeline:
King William street, Adelaide, ca. 1845 / possibly by S.T Gill or E.L. Montefiore | Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales SSV*/Sp Coll/Gill/2
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1845-07~/1846-03~ | Appleyard cat. n/a | 10.2(H) x 17.6(W) cm
Catalogue: S.T. Gill and E.L. Montefiore
This is a northeast view from Adelaide Acre 140 across to Acre 108 and Montefiore's buildings which were built between October 1843 and January 1844. Further along is Acre 79 and at far left W.H. George plumber and glazier (white stone front); Rundle Street frontage is only just glimpsed.
Below the picture are pencil notes on the buildings and the initials ELM (twice) - E L Montefiore. The featured buildings are Montefiore's, he pencilling below: "My Store" (centre pair) and "My Dwelling" (right).
This scene is a little later than the similar ones for Sturt's Departure. It includes Norman's premises (completed July 1845) and an extra Montefiore building right on the very corner. Also changed is the two storey building to the left of Montefiore's which is George Dehane the printer, whose second story was being erected in April 1845. Acre 140 is still vacant, being bought by Bank of Australasia in April 1846 with excavations beginning in June. The absence of the Waterhouse building which opened March 1846 (Acre 79) suggests that it may not yet have been built.
Thus a date is suggested between July 1845 and March 1846.
Gill's characteristic street dogs are missing from this street scene and the detail is not Gill's highest standard.
For more detail see the catalogue / main entry.
Map | S. T. Gill - Adelaide
217
Bookmarks retired. For more background and analysis, see S.T. Gill - Scott Fakes and Adelaide Signatures.
David Coombe. Original 2 April 2024. Updated 3 October 2025. | text copyright (except where indicated)
CITE THIS: David Coombe, 2024-2025, S.T. Gill, November 1845 to June 1846, accessed dd mmm yyyy, <https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_1845_1846.htm>