david coombe history
SUMMARY: March 1850 to March 1851. Changing fortunes. Prospect House commission; Gill's Newfoundland dog; increasing competition from oil painters; portraits from Daguerreotype photographs; Gill's hand injury; financial pressure; patron William Vansittart's horse portraits.
Article type: NARRATIVE & CATALOGUE
In this article ...
In 1849 S.T. Gill branched out into lithography with Penman and Galbraith but 1850 was more dominated by commissioned watercolours. In late February 1850 he was updating views of the Burra Burra Mine for the South Australian Mining Association (SAMA). (Several of these watercolours are dated 26 February in the label.)
The next twelve months saw mixed fortune for Gill. He lost a valued canine companion. Competition was increasing, not just from Daguerreotype photography but from other artists setting up in Adelaide. In a shift of method, he was now painting portraits from photographs – a more economic proposition for clients compared with oils. Around October he sustained an injury that put him out of action for a few months. In January 1851, following the hiatus, Gill advertised in the press – something he hadn't needed to do since 1840. Money was tight but then his situation was eased in March 1851, at least for a while, by a generous benefactor (and likely friend), William Vansittart.
Gill had an unwelcome matter to deal with on his return to Adelaide from Burra around February 1850.
£5 REWARD.
WHEREAS some malicious person or persons did, on or about Wednesday last, administer poison, and thus destroy a valuable Newfoundland Dog, the property of Mr S. T. Gill, of Leigh-street. The above reward will be paid to any party furnishing Mr Matthew Smith, Solicitor, with such information as will lead to the delinquent's conviction.
Adelaide, March 7, 1850.1
The reward was five or ten times what was typically offered for the return of a good lost dog, but Gill was looking instead for a conviction. (There is no subsequent record of a case. Earlier in 1849, Gill himself had been brought to Police Court on grounds of being the owner of a "ferocious dog", but that case was dismissed.2)
About this time Gill featured a Newfoundland dog in a series of paintings of Prospect House for J.B. Graham, SAMA's largest shareholder. It is Gill's Newfoundland guarding his artist's portfolio – likely a posthumous portrait.
Prospect House, the seat of J.B. Graham, Esqr., near Adelaide, South Australia | Art Gallery of South Australia 0.1348.
The well-behaved and collared Newfoundland lies next to the artist's portfolio and folding seat. For more on this commission, see: S.T. Gill and Prospect House.
In May, the versatile Gill was in court sketching for a newspaper. Reporting on a murder trial, the Register noted: "One of our resident artists was diligently employed in transferring [the accused's] not very prepossessing countenance to paper, for the especial benefit of a contemporary, and succeeded in producing a very capital likeness."3 Gill's sketch was duly printed in the Mercury and South Australian Sporting Chronicle.4
In June 1850, George French Angas, artist and Gill's former client, returned to South Australia. Angas had been in England and elsewhere pursuing his publication projects. (See George French Angas in London and S.T. Gill.) Here was competition.
THE FINE ARTS.
MR GEORGE FRENCH ANGAS begs to inform his friends and fellow-colonists that he has returned from England to follow his profession of artist in all its branches of portrait and landscape painting, both in oil and water colours; and hopes he may meet with that encouragement he anticipates in his favourite pursuit.
Portraits in oil from five guineas.
Mr Angas will give private lessons in drawing and painting, and also intends forming a class for instruction in drawing on his new system.
For terms and further particulars, apply to
MR ANGAS, South-terrace, Near St. John's Church.
Adelaide, July 22, 1850.5
Angas' announcement drew effusive support from James Allen's newspaper.
THE FINE ARTS.–We are glad to observe, that Mr George French Angas, the talented author of "South Australia Illustrated," and sundry other pictorial works of high character, has cast his lot in again amongst us, and is bent upon following his profession as an artist in all its branches. Such of us as remember his Exhibition in the Council Chamber, Adelaide, in 1845, and more recently in the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, London, need not be reminded of the valuable opportunities this will afford to our colonial youth for studying drawing and painting under a first-rate master, or to our older and more wealthy fellow colonists for supplying their drawing-rooms with first-rate colonial paintings, or for transmitting to their friends in England views of their properties and residences, or copies of the human face divine. Mr Angas, we hear, intends to deliver a lecture on the subject of drawing and painting, preparatory to his opening a class for the study of both these branches of his profession, and we need hardly say, that he deserves to have his fellow-colonists rallying around him, and that we wish him hearty success. Independent of other considerations, arising out of the long and early connexion of his family with the colony, his own efforts to make it known in England, both by his pencil and his pen, entitle him to all the patronage, pecuniary and otherwise, which it may be in the power of the colonists to bestow.6
Angas moved to a studio in King William Street where he was to be "found daily from 11 till 3", his advertisements running until 17 September.7 He was hoping to sell oil portraits at five guineas apiece to a wealthier clientele, but an absence of known works suggests a lack of success. J.A. Gilfillan was also servicing the upper end of the market but seemingly did better. Gill pressed on with his more affordable watercolours and lithographs.
Away from the art scene, family matters may have impacted Gill in 1850. In July a new post office was created at Coromandel Valley with Gill's father – Samuel Gill – being appointed postmaster.8 Two months later on 13 September, Gill senior paid £150/17/- for further acreage located between his original property and the Government Farm.9 Perhaps he called on both his sons for help with the new block.
That same week one of Gill's portraits caught the attention of James Allen's masthead. Unfortunately the typesetter fumbled out a "Mrs Gill":
FINE ARTS.–Mr S. T. Gill has lately painted a full length portrait of Mr R. Parker, our respected fellow colonist, of North Adelaide. It is in water color, and, as far as regards the likeness and expression of the figure, is, in our opinion, the chef d'oeuvre of this artist. We had the pleasure of a look in at Mrs Gill's studio, and were delighted with a number of sketches of colonial life and scenery, in sepia and Indian ink, which are, we understand, to be lithographed and published. They are exceedingly happy and life like, and must go far to support that character for original and effective style which Mr Gill has acquired.10
That the writer – likely James Allen – thought portraiture was Gill's chef d'oeuvre seems surprising given Allen had so benefitted from Gill's landscapes earlier – see S.T. Gill and James Allen, 1845. As to the sepia and ink "sketches of colonial life and scenery" intended for lithography – their identity is unknown – however the description echoes Gill's sets of South Australian scenes illustrating aspects of the colony for an English audience.
The subject of this reported portrait was wine and spirit merchant, Robert Parker (1799/1800–1877). A former convict, Parker's portrait would have been a signal to others that he'd made good.
In 1850 Gill also executed portraits of R.F. Macgeorge and Thomas Harding. Including Parker, the three weren't from South Australian society's top tier – they were commercial businessmen. Harding is pictured holding onto a chair-back and Macgeorge sits – suggesting both were painted from photographs. (Parker's pose is unknown as the portrait of is untraced.) To meet his market Gill was taking advantage of photography.
The Parker portait was valuable publicity but the timing was awry as Gill then lost the use of his painting hand. He was out of artistic action for three months.
Gill's father, meanwhile, had been building a new Baptist Chapel at Coromandel Valley and it was opened the week before Christmas 1850.
OPENING OF A NEW CHAPEL.–On Wednesday the 18th instant, a new place of worship was opened in the Coromondel [sic.] Valley, Sturt Vale, about ten miles from Adelaide, in connexion with a Church under the pastoral care of Mr Samuel Gill, composed principally of persons holding the doctrine of Believers Baptism, but not making that the bond of christian fellowship. The services were opened by Mr Playford in the morning with a sermon on the powers of Gospel grace, and were continued in the afternoon by Mr James Allen, on Jacob found at Bethel, and a public meeting was held in the evening, at which Mr Gill, the pastor, detailed the leadings of Providence, which led to the formation of this and a branch church at Clarendon, and to the erection of this place of worship, and at which several other parties delivered suitable addresses. The cost of this place of worship has been about £150, exclusive of the interior fittings, and the whole of this sum has been provided for, with the exception of a few pounds for the fittings. It is delightfully situated in a romantic valley, and in the midst of a thriving and daily increasing population. The church has only been formed about twelve months, and it now numbers about forty members, but the accommodation provided is for double that number, with their families, and other occasional or stated attendants.11
And yes, James Allen, the afternoon preacher, was Rev. Samuel Gill's friend and co-religionist – the Adelaide Times proprietor!
Christmas Day's newspaper noted recently arrived oil painter Alexander Schramm.
PAINTING.–A large and well-executed painting by Mr Schramm of an encampment of aborigines is now to be seen at the Exchange. The foreground shows the different employments in which the natives are engaged. Some are throwing the spear, others net-making, while others are reclining in their wurleys; and one blackfellow is chopping branches from a giant gum-tree. The background is a grove of large gum trees, which is well executed, although the colouring is perhaps too warm. Relief is afforded to the dusky figures of the blacks by two horsemen conversing with the lubras. The picture, which has been beautifully framed by Mr Cully, is, we believe, the property of Mr C. S. Penny, who intends to take it to England with him, where it will doubtless attract much attention.12
Penny's copper money could confortably extend to oil paintings and Adelaide could now supply them.
The new year of 1851 saw Sam Gill coming out of an extended layoff.
MR. GILL.–For the last three months Mr. Gill, the artist, has been laid up from a severe inflammation in the wrist, palm, and fingers of the right hand, which originated from cold, but under the judicious management of his medical advisers, he is, we are happy to say, likely soon to recover the use of the affected member.14
September cold would seem a curious cause and a repetitive strain injury appears a plausible diagnosis. Such an injury could resolve itself in time but Gill may have remained averse to topical cold, for he would later portray himself with his right hand inside his shirt, coat or pocket, or with his arms folded and hands hidden.15 A repetitive strain injury could have been caused by painting, but its onset, about a fortnight after Samuel senior bought new acreage, suggests Samuel junior may even have sustained the injury from days clearing and fencing compounded by nights painting portraits from Daguerreotypes.
Gill's eventual return to artistic work was marked by a lithograph with Penman and Galbraith – the new Wesleyan Chapel in Pirie Street.16
A fortnight later Gill thought it necessary to advertise for clients.
(A Card.)
Mr S. T. GILL,
ARTIST,
STUDIO–PIRIE-STREET,
Opposite the Freemason's Tavern.17
Map | S. T. Gill - Adelaide
This was his first advertisement since March 1840. [At least the first one I've found.] He was giving notice of his move from Leigh Street and keeping his name in print in face of the competition from Gilfillan, Angas, Oglesby (Daguerreotype portraits) and R. – likely Richard – Read (miniatures and portraits).18
Gill's income had been impacted by his injury layoff, tardy payments and likely artistic competition. A generous benefactor sought to turn things around.
MR. GILL.–This clever artist has so far recovered the use of his hand, that he has been enabled to resume the practice of his profession. Among his new performances are most faithful paintings of four of Mr VanSittart's stud of horses, viz.–Merry Monarch, Lucifer, Kyeta, and a favourite old stock horse called Jack. Not like most of Mr Gill's customers, Mr VanSittart has paid forty guineas, cash down, for the four paintings, which is the more satisfactory at this period from Mr Gill's late heavy expenses,–medical and otherwise,–during his long inability to follow his profession. We hope the defaulters among his customers will take an early opportunity of following Mr VanSittart's example, and enable this clever artist to apply more time and means to the production of those sketches, invariably received with so much favour by the Adelaide public.19
Ten guineas a painting was generous. The dig at "defaulters" probably included SAMA who had paid twelve guineas for three Burra watercolours six months after Gill's visit.20
William Vansittart's interest was horses. He was an importer, breeder, racing owner and jockey and also treasurer of the South Australian Jockey Club. Vansittart and Gill shared the same age, bachelor marital status and passion for horses. Vansittart had arrived in South Australia in January 1847. In an interesting earlier connection, it's possible he bred the sire of horse (Young) Hohenloe bought by John Horrocks in November 1839 and ridden by Horrocks at the next annual races.
In January 1851 Vansittart sent his blood stallions Lucifer and Merry Monarch to auction but they failed to reach reserve.21 A lithograph of Merry Monarch by Penman and Galbraith in 1851 includes the horse's bloodline and may have been used for the sale.
Many of the works listed here are not known to be extant.
To see these works, with accompanying notes, just scroll down or jump to the List of Works.
Shute, Jason (2013). "When is a Store not a Store? When it's a Smelting House" By Jason Shute, Flinders University / Journal of Australasian Mining History, Vol. 11, October 2013 <http://www.samininghistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/shute-2014.pdf>
1. South Australian, 8 March 1850: 1. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71625805>
2. South Australian Gazette and Mining Journal, 12 May 1849: 3. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article195937664>
3. South Australian Register, 22 May 1850: 3. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38451183>
4. Appleyard, 28 (note 76).
5. Adelaide Times, 24 July 1850: 2. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207117600>
6. Adelaide Times, 24 July 1850: 3. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207117610>
7. Adelaide Times, 17 September 1850: 4. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207119070>
8. South Australian Register, 12 July 1850: 3. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38442873>
9. South Australian Register, 13 September 1850: 3. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38445364>
10. Adelaide Times, 20 September 1850: 3. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207119190>
11. Adelaide Times, 28 December 1850: 5. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206988697>
12. South Australian Register, 25 December 1850: 3. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38452281>
13. For example, see two bushmen in NLA NK317 or single bushman in The Pipe light | SLSA B 72817.
14. Adelaide Times, 7 January 1851: 3. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207066233>
15. For example see "Ease without opulence" (SLNSW-ML DG V*/Sp Coll/Gill/3 and NLA NK2459/1) and "Counter attractions at the Royal" (SLV H90.91/323).
16. South Australian Gazette and Mining Journal, 9 January 1851: 3. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article195941470>
17. South Australian Register, 24 January 1851: 1. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38437900>
18. Gill, Oglesby and Read all advertise in South Australian Register, 27 January 1851: 1. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38448543>
19. Adelaide Times, 4 March 1851: 3. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207067491>
20. Minutes of SAMA board meetings, 30 August 1850, BRG 22/2, SLSA. (Shute 2013)
21. South Australian Register, 27 January 1851: 3. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38448541>
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.
Christ Church, North Adelaide | Art Gallery of South Australia 433D1
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1850~ | Appleyard cat. n/a
Catalogue: S.T. Gill, March 1850 to March 1851
Christ Church, North Adelaide (acre 745) looking approximately east with Mount Lofty Ranges in the background. A four-wheel carriage is parked at the entrance - probably the Governor. The building partly obscured by the church is the parsonage. The church was consecrated on 20 December 1849, following which a fete was held at Prospect House. The parsonage was completed in mid-1850.
Map | S. T. Gill - Adelaide
368
R.F. Macgeorge | Art Gallery of South Australia 0.1949
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1850 | Appleyard cat. 112
Catalogue: S.T. Gill, March 1850 to March 1851
R.F. Macgeorge (1796 - 1859) was a Hindley-street draper and appeared on the 1842 Kingston map in Hundley Street (south 27/acre 52). In the 1841 census Macgeorge was Samuel Gill's next door neighbour in Carrington Street. In May 1853 S.T. Gill mortgaged his then newly inherited Coromandel Valley property to R.F. Macgeorge who acted as power of attorney (Appleyard 29).
There are few extant portraits by Gill. The seated position suggests this was painted from a photograph. An image is reproduced in Appleyard.
330
Thomas Harding of Kapunda | Art Gallery of South Australia 20057P33
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1850 | Appleyard cat. n/a
Catalogue: S.T. Gill, March 1850 to March 1851
Thomas Harding (1810 - 1903) was a builder who arrived in South Australia in 1839. He went to Kapunda in 1850 to help erect the mine's smelting works. An obituary appears in The Advertiser, 30 April 1903: 7. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4943342
There are few extant portraits by Gill. This one has the appearance of having been painted from a photograph in which the subject kept still by holding a chair back.
On the back of the picture is an engraving "Richmond Bridge & Hill" (Ogg, Harwood, 1841) - a scene on the Thames River.
158
Robert Parker | Work untraced
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1850-09 | Appleyard cat. n/a
Catalogue: S.T. Gill, March 1850 to March 1851
Full length portrait of Robert Parker (1799/1800 - 1877). Parker was a wine and spirit merchant, publican, horse owner and horse race official. He was a convict then grocer in Van Diemen's Land; after insolvency there he moved to South Australia in December 1839.
Parker had been convicted of stealing bricks and transported to Van Diemen's Land. On gaining his freedom he set up as a grocer in Hobart but after six years was insolvent. Parker sought a clean slate in Adelaide in late 1839, became a wine and spirit merchant and was prominent in horse racing circles.
In December 1845 Parker took over the licence of the "Commercial Inn", Port Adelaide from Mary Ann Haynes after her late husband John Thomas Haynes was lost at sea. In July 1850 Parker declared his intention to leave South Australia. On 29 July he (aged 50) married Jane Knight (aged 29) at Trinity Church. Parker's portrait was reported in the newspaper in September. It would have been a sign to others that he had made good.
On 16 January 1851 he, Mrs Parker and two children departed for London. They soon returned and he was included in Townsend Duryea's 1872 Old Colonist photographs https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+8235/1/5Q.
In reporting this work, James Allen's "Adelaide Times" considered such portraits to be Gill's chef d'oeuvre. Painted at the same time as portraits of two other gentlemen, this may also have been painted from a photograph. The watercolour is untraced.
157
New Wesleyan Chapel Pirie St. Adelaide S.A. | Art Gallery of South Australia 1811G16
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1851-01 | Appleyard cat. n/a
Catalogue: S.T. Gill, March 1850 to March 1851
"An isometrical view of the new Wesleyan Chapel in Pirie-street is now being lithographed by Messrs Penman & Galbraith."
South Australian Gazette and Mining Journal, 9 January 1851: 3. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article195941470>
The church was opened in October 1851. It is on Acre 204 on the south side of Pirie Street. "Printed & Published by Penman & Galbraith, Pirie St, Adelaide."
Map | S. T. Gill - Adelaide
174
Merry Monarch, The Property of W. Vansittart Esqr. | Art Gallery of South Australia 4811G47
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1851-01~/1851-03-04 | Appleyard cat. 78
Catalogue: S.T. Gill, March 1850 to March 1851
William Vansittart's blood stallion "Merry Monarch". The print is captioned with the horse's pedigree: "Got by Little John out of Miss Fin by Peter Fin out of Curiosity by Buffalo". On 25 January 1851 Vansittart put his blood stallions "Lucifer" and "Merry Monarch" up for auction but they failed to reach reserve. That the print includes the horse's bloodline suggests it may have been used for the original or subsequent sale. "Printed by Penman & Galbraith, Pirie St, Adelaide." An image reproduced in Grishin (2015) p.75.
181
Merry Monarch, The Property of W. Vansittart Esqr. | Work untraced
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1851-01~/1851-03-04 | Appleyard cat. 78.1
Catalogue: S.T. Gill, March 1850 to March 1851
Gill was reported to have completed "most faithful paintings of four of Mr VanSittart's stud of horses, viz - Merry Monarch, Lucifer, Kyeta, and a favourite old stock horse called Jack." (Adelaide Times, 4 March 1851: 3). The watercolour is untraced. A lithograph was made of this picture and a copy is held at AGSA 4811G47.
176
Lucifer, The Property of W. Vansittart Esqr. | Work untraced
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1851-01~/1851-03-04 | Appleyard cat. n/a
Catalogue: S.T. Gill, March 1850 to March 1851
Gill was reported to have completed "most faithful paintings of four of Mr VanSittart's stud of horses, viz - Merry Monarch, Lucifer, Kyeta, and a favourite old stock horse called Jack." (Adelaide Times, 4 March 1851: 3). The watercolour is untraced.
177
Kyeta, The Property of W. Vansittart Esqr. | Work untraced
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1851-01~/1851-03-04 | Appleyard cat. n/a
Catalogue: S.T. Gill, March 1850 to March 1851
Gill was reported to have completed "most faithful paintings of four of Mr VanSittart's stud of horses, viz - Merry Monarch, Lucifer, Kyeta, and a favourite old stock horse called Jack." (Adelaide Times, 4 March 1851: 3). The watercolour is untraced.
178
Jack, The Property of W. Vansittart Esqr. | Work untraced
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1851-01~/1851-03-04 | Appleyard cat. n/a
Catalogue: S.T. Gill, March 1850 to March 1851
Gill was reported to have completed "most faithful paintings of four of Mr VanSittart's stud of horses, viz - Merry Monarch, Lucifer, Kyeta, and a favourite old stock horse called Jack." (Adelaide Times, 4 March 1851: 3). The watercolour is untraced.
179
David Coombe, original November 2022, updated 15 July 2025. | text copyright (except where indicated)
CITE THIS: David Coombe, 2022-2025, S.T. Gill, March 1850 to March 1851, accessed dd mmm yyyy, <https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_March_1850_to_March_1851.htm>