" ... an exquisite likeness of Mr. Giblin..."
William Robert Giblin was a neighbour of the Nevin family in Augusta, the village at Kangaroo Valley, Hobart (now Lenah Valley). In the late 1850s he was school instructor of Thomas Nevin's younger siblings, and from the 1860s he was President of the Mechanics Institute. He was also a Wesleyan, a member of the Loyal United Brothers, and the Nevin family solicitor. When the business partnership between Thomas Nevin and Robert Smith was dissolved in 1868, W. R. Giblin underwrote the liabilities of their firm Nevin & Smith, photographers, 140 Elizabeth St. Hobart Town and ensured that Thomas J. Nevin could continue to operate as a commercial photographer by offering him the commission of prisons and police photographer under government contract.
A carte-de-visite photograph taken by Thomas Nevin of W. R. Giblin ca. 1872-1874 is held at the Archives Office of Tasmania, stamped verso with his most common commercial stamp. This photograph was retained by Giblin amongst his government documents in the Treasury during his terms as Attorney-General and Premier.
Subject: W.R. Giblin ca. 1872-1874
Photographer: T.J. Nevin, stamp verso, 140 Elizabeth St. Hobart Town
Source: Archives Office of Tasmania
Link: https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/NS1013-1-1971/NS1013-1-1971
When William Robert Giblin died in 1887, a search was conducted for a suitable photograph to use as the basis for a portrait in oils, to be executed preferably by a London artist. The following letter to the editor appeared in the Mercury, 27 January, 1887 from someone signed as "Mechanic" who knew where a suitable photograph could be found: in TREASURY, i.e. this photograph, which was the only one taken by a commercial photographer for government records. The article was written most likely by the photographer himself, so it can be assumed that "Mechanic" was no other than Thomas Nevin.
TRANSCRIPT
MR. GIBLIN'S PORTRAITSource: MR. GIBLIN'S PORTRAIT. (1887, January 27). The Mercury (Hobart, Tas.) p. 3.
SIR,- Now that Mr. Giblin has passed away, it is to be more deeply regretted that the many attempts to obtain a perfect enlarged photo. of him failed. The Imperial Co., of Melbourne, did its best; an artist of this city tried; and also Mr. Baily, of Liverpool-street; but the results unsatisfactory followed. It is fortunate, however, that Mr. Castray, the present treasurer, has in his possession an exquisite likeness of Mr. Giblin, and which could be copied in oils if entrusted to some artists, perhaps, in London. The cost would be about ₤80, and this, perhaps, might be obtained if two or three well-known citizens were to enter into the project. A series of concerts given at the Davey-street Church schoolroom would help the funds. The native population should also be proud of one of their number as to urge them on. In fact, there is hardly a class but what enjoys the benefits of Mr Giblin's past acts, either as a moralist, a social reformer, or a political legislator. -
Yours, etc.,
MECHANIC
Link: https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9130551
W. R. Giblin (1840-1887), ca. 1872-1874
Photographer: T. J. Nevin, stamp verso, 140 Elizabeth St. Hobart Town
Source: Archives Office of Tasmania
Link: https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/NS1013-1-1971/NS1013-1-1971
Key contractual documents:
Item Number: TRE28/1/1
Start Date: 24 Feb 1858
End Date: 30 Jun 1951
Access: Open
Location: HOB
Copy Number:
Series: TRE28 REGISTERS OF SPECIAL AUTHORITIES RECEIVED FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC MONIES, WITH PARTICULARS OF GOODS AND SERVICES.
BIOGRAPHY: W. R. Giblin
Notes from DOMA
In 1864, William Giblin joined the law firm which was called, for a while, Dobson & Giblin. Giblin entered politics in 1870, and became Premier in 1878 until 1884. John Mitchell joined the firm in 1875 and it became Dobson and Mitchell. The law firm's name took on its final appearance in 1886, when Cecil Allport entered the partnership. He became a keen collector of books, manuscripts and pictures which later formed the nucleus of the Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts. This connection continues to the present day through the firm's role in administering the Allport Bequest and representation on the Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts Management Committee.Courtesy © 2004 Dobson Mitchell & Allport
W. R. Giblin was Tasmanian Administrator for a month during 1886. He was also Attorney-General in August 1873, and Premier in 1878, and 1879 to 1884. Thomas Nevin's commission to photograph prisoners at the Port Arthur and Hobart Gaols was underwritten by W. R. Giblin in August 1873 on gaining the portfolio of Attorney-General in the government changeover. These documents, and a bundle of vignettes and glass negatives by Thomas Nevin of convicts (i.e. Tasmanian prisoners) were among the materials in the Allport Bequest until relocated to the Archives Office of Tasmania*.
Thomas J. Nevin and W.R. Giblin were also members of the Loyal United Brothers Lodge. Nevin was a committee member for the Lodge's annual ball, and may have taken this informal group photograph at one of the Lodge's important functions. W. R Giblin is second from viewer's left, back row, his left hand resting on the shoulder of Parliament Librarian Hugh Munro Hull. The group included Messrs Allport and Dobson (seated on floor), Walker, Backhouse, Meredith et al. The photograph, held at the State Library of Tasmania, is unattributed.
W.R Giblin is second from viewer's left, back row
State Library of Tasmania catalogue (2005)
Title: Group of men, including W. R. Giblin, Morton Allport, J. B. Walker and Henry Dobson
Creator(s):Unknown
Date: 18--
Description: 1 photograph : sepia toned ; 15 X 18 cm.
Notes: Exact size: 147 X 173 mm.,
Names of subjects inscribed in pencil on border in unknown hand., Back row standing, middle row seated on chairs and front row seated on the floor.
Subjects: Giblin, William Robert - 1840-1887 Dobson, Henry - 1841-1918 Allport, Morton - 1830-1878 Walker, James Backhouse - 1841-1899 Allport family Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Australia Lawyers - Tasmania
Location: Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts ADRI: AUTAS001125881557
W.R. Giblin: family and career
Hon William Robert Giblin MHA,
Premier of Tasmania
5 March 1878 - 20 December 1878
30 October 1879 - 15 August 1884
Born : 4 November 1840, Hobart;
Occupation : Lawyer: Judge
Marriage : - 5 January 1856, Hobart - Emily Jean Perkins
Family : 4 sons, 3 daughters
Death : 17 January 1887, Hobart
Party : -
Electorate : (1) Hobart Town (2) Central Hobart (3) Wellington
Elected : MHA -
(1) 13 March 1869 (Unopposed) -August 1871
(2) 1 September 1871 (Unopposed) - 22 June 1877
(3) 22 August 1877 (Unopposed) - 11 February
1885 (Resignation)
Opposition Leader : November 1872- June 1873
July 1876 - June 1877
January 1879 - October 1879
Beattie's Members of Parliament series
John Watt Beattie reprinted this 1880 photograph, head and shoulders, of William Giblin ca. 1895 for his series Members of the Parliament of Tasmania. As Giblin had died in 1887, the original photograph was not taken by Beattie but an earlier photographer, and reprinted without due attribution. Many of the earlier photographs of parliamentarians who were deceased by 1895 were reprinted by Beattie for this series without attribution.
W.R. Giblin ca. 1880
State Library of Tasmania
Title: William Robert Giblin
Creator(s):Beattie, J. W. 1859-1930
Date: 19--
Description: 1 photograph : sepia toning ; 14 x 10 cm.
Notes: Exact measurements 140 x 98 mm,
Title inscribed in pencil beneath image in unknown hand., In: Members of the Parliaments of Tasmania - no. 138 / photographed by J.W. Beattie.
Subjects: Giblin, William Robert - 1840-1887 Politicians - Tasmania Premiers - Tasmania Attorneys general - Tasmania
Location: Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts
ADRI: AUTAS001125880
John Watt Beattie, on appointment as government photographer, wrote a letter to Parliamentary members in the hope of collecting photographs of all Tasmanian politicians who had held office since 1856. Many who were deceased by 1899 when Beattie began the project had been photographed by earlier photographers, Thomas J. Nevin included (Kilburn, Giblin), and notably Henry Hall Baily among many others, but their attribution was not credited by Beattie on the final picture.
TRANSCRIPT
J. W. BeattieOne or more pages are missing from this letter by J. W. Beattie and A. S. Gordon. This note accompanies the letter held at the Archives Office Tasmania, written by Gillian Winter.
PHOTOGRAPHER
52 ELIZABETH STREET
HOBART
.........................189
Dear Sir,
Having received an order from the Hon. the Speaker, Mr. Stafford Bird, M.H.A., to prepare a Photographic picture for him, containing the whole of the Members of Parliament of both Houses, past and present, we would ask you to kindly favour us with a sitting at the above, Studio, or to furnish us with your Photograph.
As the Hon. the Speaker intends to present the picture to one of our public institutions, it is desirable to make it as complete as possible, in order to render it of both national and historic interest, and we will spare no trouble nor expense to obtain the Photographs of those Members who may now be deceased or have left this colony.
If you furnish us with the name of anyone who is likely to have, or know of a Photograph of some ...[page(s) missing]
Trusting to hear from you soon, and thanking you in anticipation for your kind assistance,
We are,
Dear Sir, Very faithfully yours,
J. W. Beattie
A.S. Gordon
P.S. - No charge whatever will be made for the sitting, and any expense you may be put to in the obtaining of a Photograph will be most thankfully refunded.
TRANSCRIPT
2/1/03
p/c of original in TMAG - letter [word ? struck out] from Beattie asking for sittings when preparing Members of Parliament book.
[p/c supplied to Marian Jameson by Gillian Winter
Nov. 2002]
Members of the Parliaments of Tasmania, by J. W. Beattie
Photos © KLW NFC 2014 ARR
Tasmanian Archives and Heritage Office
Title: Members of the Parliaments of Tasmania / photographed by J. W. Beattie, 52 Elizabeth Street, Hobart
Creator: Beattie, J. W. (John Watt), 1859-1930
Publisher: Hobart : J.W. Beattie [19--]
Description: 1v., 259 photographs: sepia toned ports. 38 x 57 cm
Format: Album
Notes: Collection of 259 numbered and mounted portraits of Tasmanian politicians and parliamentary officials. Each portrait measures 40 x 98 mm and are set in two rows per page, 4 portraits to a row
Alphabetic index to portrait titles on verso of front cover
Portrait titles are inscribed beneath images in unknown hand
Green cloth binding with gold lettering and key patterning. Backed spine and corners in green velum?
Condition August 2001: Some surface wear, top backed corners slightly torn and small tear in cloth in centre of back cover
THE BIG PICTURE
TAHO Ref: PH30/1/3638
Description: Photograph - Parliamentarians of Tasmania, from 1856 to 1895
Link: https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Record/Archives/PH30-1-3638
The typed list of all photographs in The Big Picture
Photos © KLW NFC 2014 ARR
__________________________
*Sources: [protected] Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tatio.
