Thomas J. Nevin | Tasmanian Photographer

Prisoner George WILLIS and Tasmanian police records 1872-1880

George Willis, aged 48 yrs, and originally transported in 1838, was convicted in the Supreme Court at Hobart on 10th September 1872, sentenced to six years for larceny, sent to the Port Arthur prison, and then relocated to the Hobart Gaol in October 1873 where he was photographed by T.J. Nevin on incarceration. George Willis aka Metcalfe was among the 109 prisoners returned to Hobart from the Port Arthur prison at the request of the Parliament, all of whom were photographed by Thomas J. Nevin from October 1873 through to 1874, and subsequently at the Municipal Police Office, Hobart Town Hall, on the numerous occasions of these recalcitrant prisoners' further arrests, convictions, and discharges.

National Library of Australia Collection (incorrect information)
NLA Identifier: nla.pic-vn5020355
George Willis, transported to VDL (Tasmania) on the Neptune 2
Photographed by T. J. Nevin for the Municipal Police Office and Hobart Gaol 1873-4.
Photos taken at the National Library of Australia, 7th Feb 2015
Photos copyright © KLW NFC 2015 ARR

Verso: National Library of Australia Collection (incorrect information)
NLA Identifier: nla.pic-vn5020355
George Willis, transported to VDL (Tasmania) on the Neptune 2
Photographed by T. J. Nevin for the Municipal Police Office and Hobart Gaol 1873-4.
Photos taken at the National Library of Australia, 7th Feb 2015
Photos copyright © KLW NFC 2015 ARR

In 1873, 156 prisoners were removed from the Port Arthur prison to the central city Hobart Gaol, a process begun in 1868, and completed in 1878, the year of the official closure of Port Arthur
Source: PP 48/1878 Archives Office of Tasmania.

Port Arthur and Hobart Gaol prisoners stats 1873

Police Records 1872-1880
George Willis's major repeat offence was larceny, with shorter sentences for absconding, being on premises unlawfully, and being idle and disorderly.

George Willis was convicted at the Supreme Court Hobart on 3 August 1872

George Willis was discharged on 8 April 1877

George Willis was convicted on 5 May 1877

George Willis was arrested on 18 December 1878
Source: Tasmanian Police Gazettes, published by the Government Printer as Tasmania Reports of Crime 1872-1880.

Prisoner mugshot of George Willis by T.J. Nevin 1873

Courtesy National Library of Australia
NLA Identifier: nla.pic-vn5020355 (incorrect infomation)
George Willis, transported to VDL (Tasmania) on the Neptune 2
Photographed by T. J. Nevin for the Municipal Police Office and Hobart Gaol 1873-4.

T.J. Nevin's portraits of the McVilly children 1874

PORTRAITS of CHILDREN by T. J. NEVIN 1870s
RAILWAYS NEW ZEALAND Richard McVILLY

The girl on the left is Laura Blanche McVilly (1870-1931). When her father registered her birth of 18th December 1870 in the district of Campbell Town Tasmania, his occupation was listed as Constable. Ref: TAHO https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD33-1-49p291j2k

The boy in the middle is Richard William -"Dick" McVilly (1861-1949 - New Zealand). When his father registered his birth of 12th April 1861 in the district of Brighton Tasmania, his occupation was listed as Watch House Keeper. Ref: TAHO https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD33-1-39p124j2k

The toddler on the right is unidentified and although noted as a girl, she might well be a boy, eg. their brother Albert Francis McVilly, born 1873. Male toddlers were commonly dressed in frocks. The toddler's carte bears Nevin's most common commercial studio stamp, and may have been taken in 1875. When his (assuming this is a boy) father registered his birth of 23 July 1873 at Campbell Town Tasmania, his occupation was listed as clerk, information sent by letter to the registry. Ref: TAHO https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD33-1-51p775j2k

These three children were born in Tasmania to parents William Thomas McVilly (1841-1914) and Sarah Francis (1839-?) who married on 20 December 1859, when she was 20 yrs old, and he was a 22yr old clerk. The three photographs appear in a photo album which belonged to the boy (centre), Richard William "Dick" McVilly, and is now held at the National Library of New Zealand, Wellington. Richard "Dick" McVilly spent a few years working on the Tasmanian Railway before settling in New Zealand where he became General Manager Of Railways NZ in 1919 (Otago Daily Times of February 10, 1919).

Laura (on left) and Richard (centre) were photographed by Thomas J. Nevin at his studio, 140 Elizabeth St. Hobart, a week before Christmas, 18 December, 1874 (per date on verso). Both photographs are hand-tinted. The versos of these two photographs of Laura and Richard bear Nevin's Royal Arms government contractor studio stamp used primarily to indicate photographs taken for the Municipal Police Office within the Hobart City Corporation, and at the Hobart Gaol. Their father, William Thomas McVilly was a constable and later clerk for the Lands and Works Department, HCC and Clerk of Papers, etc., of the Legislative Council in 1883. The unidentified toddler on the right may be a boy rather than a girl, another brother of Laura and Richard called Albert Francis, born 1873. The verso of his/her photograph bears Nevin's most common commercial studio stamp, unlike the other two, and may have been taken earlier or later than 1874.

In 1884, their father William Thomas McVilly was registered on the Electoral Roll at the address, Colville St. Hobart. Thomas Nevin's younger brother, Constable John Nevin, was registered in the same district and list, salaried to H.M. Government (messenger, photographer), abode H.M. Prison.

Electoral Roll Hobart 1884

McVilly Records
This record is held at the Archives Office of Tasmania: -

Colonial Tasmanian Family Links Detail
Link: http://portal.archives.tas.gov.au/menu.aspx?detail=1&type=P&id=391934

MCVILLY, WILLIAM THOMAS
Gender: Male
Birth 1837 -
Marriage/Relationship: 1859 - HOBART, Tasmania ( FRANCIS, SARAH ) [@]
Death:
FAMILY INFORMATION
Children:
391920 MCVILLY RICHARD WILLIAM 1861
391933 MCVILLY WILLIAM HENRY 1863
391889 MCVILLY JOSEPH HENRY 1865
391932 MCVILLY WALTER FREDERICK 1868
391894 MCVILLY LAURA BLANCHE 1870
391843 MCVILLY ALBERT FRANCIS 1873
391886 MCVILLY HENRY REGINALD TASMN 1875
391929 MCVILLY TRAFINA MABEL 1879
391895 MCVILLY LOUISA FRANCES 1880
391927 MCVILLY THOMAS HAWKINS 1885

The Photographs by T. J. Nevin
These three carte-de-visite portraits of the McVilly children are held in the National Library of New Zealand.

1. Laura Blanche McVilly

Date: 18 Dec 1874 By: Nevin, Thomas J, 1842-1923
National Library of New Zealand Ref: PA2-1198
Inscriptions: Inscribed - Verso - Laura Blanche McVilly, aged 4 years 18 December 1874.
Verso:

Verso: Citation
Nevin, Thomas J, 1842-1923. Nevin, T J (Hobart) fl 1867-1875 :Portrait of Laura Blanche McVilly. McVilly, Richard William, 1862?-1949 :Photograph albums and a group portrait. Ref: PA2-1198. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22801544

2. Unidentified toddler, possibly a boy rather than a girl - eg Albert Francis McVilly, born 1873.

Date: 1867-1875 By: Nevin, Thomas J, 1842-1923
National Library of New Zealand Ref: PA2-1197
Verso:

Verso: Citation
Nevin, Thomas J, 1842-1923. Nevin, T J (Hobart) fl 1867-1875 :Portrait of unidentified young girl. McVilly, Richard William, 1862?-1949 :Photograph albums and a group portrait. Ref: PA2-1197. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22395505
(Aside: actually, this toddler may be a boy)

3. Richard known as "Dick" McVilly

Date: 1867-1875 By: Nevin, Thomas J, 1842-1923
National Library of New Zealand Ref: PA2-1196
Inscriptions: Inscribed - Verso - In ink : Jn Dick.
Verso:

Verso; Citation
Nevin, Thomas J, 1842-1923. Nevin, T J (Hobart) fl 1867-1875 :Portrait of Jn Dick. McVilly, Richard William, 1862?-1949 :Photograph albums and a group portrait. Ref: PA2-1196. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22906805

Many thanks to the National Library of New Zealand for their assistance.

RELATED POSTS main weblog

IN HIS OWN WORDS...

"T. J. NEVIN
PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTIST,
Returns his sincere thanks to his friends and the public for past favours, and having made a considerable Reduction in his Prices to suit the times, he solicits a continuance of their patronage, and invites attention to his circulars, showing particulars of the small cost for a first-class faithful Likeness.
140 ELIZABETH-STREET"
Hobart Mercury, 1st February 1873

“I hope that you have not got it in your mind that I am implicated with the ghost“.
Hobart Mercury, 4 December 1880

"Defendant said that he was the father of a large number of children, and did not know which one was referred to. (Laughter.)"
Hobart Mercury, 11 August 1886

"Mr. Thos Nevin was under the impression that the police should be under stricter supervision."
Hobart Mercury, 19 July 1888.

BIOGRAPHY: professional photographer Thomas James Nevin snr (1842-1923) produced large numbers of stereographs and cartes-de-visite within his commercial practice, and prisoner identification photographs on government contract. His career spanned nearly three decades, from the early 1860s to the late 1880s. He was one of the first photographers to work with the police in Australia, along with Charles Nettleton (Victoria) and Frazer Crawford (South Australia). His Tasmanian prisoner mugshots are among the earliest to survive in public collections, viz. the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Launceston; the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart; the Tasmanian Heritage and Archives Office, Hobart; the Port Arthur Historic Site, Tasman Peninsula; the National Library of Australia, Canberra; and the Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW, Sydney. Thomas J. Nevin's stereographs and portraits are held in public and private collections in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark, France and Switzerland.

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Important Notices

INDIGENOUS NOTICE:
lutruwita/Tasmania/Van Diemen's Land (loo-tru-wee-ta) always was, always will be Aboriginal land.

This weblog pays respect to the ancestors and elders past, present, and emerging of the first Australian peoples and acknowledges their continued connection to land, sea and culture as the traditional custodians of this country.

Irish-born Thomas J. Nevin would have been keenly aware that the residence and photographic studio he occupied at No's 138-140 Elizabeth St. Hobart in the 1870s was built on the traditional lands, nipaluna/Hobart, of the palawa people. It is no small irony that today, the very same property, which is renumbered as No. 198 Elizabeth St. Hobart and is occupied by the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, has returned to its traditional owners.

Looking east from the corner of Patrick St., the Royal Standard Hotel, 142 Elizabeth St. then T. J. Nevin’s studio and residence, 140-138 Elizabeth St. Hobart, 1870s

We also acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation as the traditional custodians of the City of Sydney, and the Ngunnawal people of the Australian Capital Territory on whose lands this site is maintained.

PLEASE NOTE: images on this weblog represent deceased people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Viewing such images may cause sadness and distress.

DISCLAIMER: We have not voluntarily contributed to any publication which supports the misattribution of T. J. Nevin's prisoner/convict photographs (300+ extant) to the non-photographer A. H. Boyd, nor do we condone any attempts by public institutions or private individuals to co-opt the work on these Thomas J. Nevin weblogs and associated sites to apply the misattribution.

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Anthony Trollope at Port Arthur

Thomas Nevin's VIP commission 1872

VISIT TO PORT ARTHUR.- Mr. Trollope and the Hon. Howard Spensly, Esq., Solicitor-General of Victoria, accompanied the Hon. the Premier, J.M. Wilson, Esq., and the Hon. the Attorney-General, W.R. Giblin, Esq., embarked in the Government schooner late last night, some time after Mr. Trollope had concluded his lecture on "Modern Fiction, as a recreation for young people," and left for Port Arthur. Their visit to the Peninsula will be a very hurried one, and will afford them only scant opportunity of inspecting the penal establishment, it being the intention of Messrs. Trollope and Spensly to leave Hobart Town for the North, en route for Victoria in a few days ...

Source: The Mercury 2 February 1872