The NLA copy
The National Library of Australia's catalogue notes list all 84 of these Tasmanian prisoners' photographs in their collection from the information on their versos, viz. Convict portraits, Port Arthur, 1874, written in the 1900s-1930s by John Watt Beattie when he offered them for sale as tourist tokens at his "Port Arthur Museum" located in Murray St. Hobart. These mugshots were originally taken by government contractor Thomas J. Nevin in 1872-1878 at the Hobart Gaol. Some 40 or so uncut mugshots have survived (QVMAG), but many more have survived (300 or so) as cartes-de-visite printed in oval mounts consistent with commercial studio portraiture techniques used by Nevin in those years. The mugshots were taken for police and prison records, to be pasted to the offender's rap sheet and included in the MPO's Photo Books. Further copies were forwarded on the prisoner's discharge to regional police on being employed.
The NLA notes in 2005 described the verso of their copy of William Walker's mugshot from information on the verso of the QVMAG copy below. The NLA copy was probably accessioned by donation from Dr Neil Gunson in the 1960s. It was most likely inscribed on the front under the image with number "96" in the early 1900s since the same number "96" appears in the same hand on the verso of both, but the QVMAG copy has the number "177" written under image on the front (and no trace of "96"), and that number was used when an inventory was made at the QVMAG of 200 mugshots in their "Beattie collection" in the 1970s. Fifty (50) or more from that audit were removed from the QVMAG and exhibited at the Port Arthur heritage site in 1983. Unlike no's 178 and 179 in the list which were removed, this one of William Walker, no. 177, remained at the QVMAG. See the list in this post.
NLA Catalogue note 2005
William Walker, per Asia 4th, taken at Port Arthur, 1874 [picture]
Part of collection: Convict portraits, Port Arthur, 1874.
Gunson Collection file 203/7/54.
Title from inscription on reverse.
Inscription: "No 96"--On reverse.
nla.pic-an24612777
PIC P1029/45 LOC Album 935 *
Webshot 2005 of NLA catalogue record for William Walker
The current information on the NLA catalogue wrongly attributes this and the rest of the NLA's collection of Tasmanian mugshots by T. J. Nevin to the Port Arthur prison commandant A. H. Boyd for no discernible reason, a sad indictment of how the NLA has mis-managed these important 1870s photographs since 2010. Their correct attribution to Thomas J. Nevin, established in the 20th century by collectors, researchers, curators and publishers, was compromised in 2007 by a fraudulent essay touting A. H. Boyd which was submitted to the NLA by an employee at the Port Arthur Heritage site (J. Clark) seeking only personal advantage - a PhD (Tas 2015) which she gained by plagiarism of this weblog, falsification of historical documents and facts, cronyism, and abuse directed at T. J. Nevin's descendants.
The QVMAG copy
The QVMAG copy, another original sepia cdv in a buff oval mount of prisoner William Walker, was one of four which Thomas J. Nevin printed from his negative at the one and only sitting with the prisoner in 1874. This mugshot was destined to be removed from the QVMAG collection in 1983 for relocation to the Port Arthur heritage site during the Port Arthur Conservation and Development Project (PACDP), hence the numbering "177" on mount, but it was not chosen: it remains at the QVMAG, while the fifty or so which were removed were not returned to the QVMAG, they were deposited instead at the TMAG in 1985.
Prisoner William Walker
Photographed by T. J. Nevin 22 July 1874 at the Hobart Gaol
QVMAG Ref: QVM 1985_P_0109
The Archives Office copy
Paper copies of at least 200 Tasmanian prisoner photographs held at Launceston in the QVMAG collection were made in the 1970s for the Archives Office of Tasmania in Hobart after the QVMAG exhibition, curated by John McPhee, was held in Launceston in Nevin's name in 1977. Further copies were made in the 1980s by the Archives Office of Tasmania from prints originally displayed and offered for sale at Radcliffe's "Old Curiosity Shop", a tourist attraction at Port Arthur (Carnarvon) in the 1930s.
Police Records: William Walker
Transportation records for this prisoner William Walker, who arrived at Hobart VDL in 1835 per Asia 4 are available at the Archives Office, Tasmania. He was 29 years old, a house painter and glazier from Glasgow, when he was transported for seven years. He was sentenced to 10 years in 1867 at the Supreme Court Hobart for assault and robbery. On discharge in 1874 he was 67 years old (b. ca. 1806). He was reconvicted in 1875 for larceny, served six months, discharged in 1876 and registered as a pauper in 1883.
William Walker was photographed at the Mayor's Court, Hobart Town Hall by Thomas J. Nevin on discharge, 22 July 1874, having served 7 yrs of a 10 year sentence.
But William Walker was convicted again 23 October, 1875, sentenced to 6 months for larceny, and incarcerated at the Hobart Gaol. His age was listed as 68 yrs; his occupation as "painter". Thomas Nevin reprinted Walker's photograph from his original negative taken in 1874, and possibly again when Walker was discharged on 26 April 1876.
Source: Tasmania Reports of Crime for Police, J. Barnard Gov't printer
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