Photographer Thomas James Nevin married Elizabeth Rachel Day in July 1871 at the Wesleyan Chapel, Kangaroo Valley, Hobart. Seven children were born between 1872 and 1888, six of whom survived to adulthood.
THE DREW FAMILY ALBUM
The Tasmanian Archives and Heritage Office (TAHO) received copies of photographs from the estate of Mary Ann Drew, known to the Nevin family as Minnie, donated by V. Hooper of the funeral directors firm Hooper & Burgess, on the 30th August 1974. The photographs were enlarged black and white copies from a family album, and were most likely prepared by Mr V. Hooper for Minnie Drew's funeral service which was conducted on 14 September 1974 at her residence in Mt Stuart, Hobart.
Southern Cemeteries burial record; Mary Ann Drew nee Nevin, known as Minnie, 14 September 1974, aged 89 yrs.
Minnie Nevin was born on 11 November 1884.
MINNIE NEVIN (1884-1974)
The photographer of the original photos was not recorded by the TAHO in 1974, and no studio stamp is evident of the recto of each copy. As the original family album from which they were copied has yet to come to light, the photographer attribution can be adduced from the date of the sittings - 1884 - when Thomas J. Nevin registered Minnie's birth signed with his profession "photographer, New Town 18th December 1884". The copies deposited at TAHO by the Drew family included two childhood photographs of Thomas and Elizabeth Nevin's daughter Minnie Nevin, and one of son George Nevin.
The earlier one is of Minnie as a 2 year old toddler, wearing a large white bib, probably taken in 1886.
Minnie Nevin, aged 2yrs, ca. 1886
Photograph by her father Thomas Nevin, New Town studio
b&w copy deposited 30/8/1974
Ref: NS434/1/236 Tasmanian Archives Collection (TAHO)
1884: dismissed from the Town Hall position three years earlier, Thomas Nevin was working from his studio in New Town when he wrote his profession, address and signature as "photographer, New Town, 18 December 1884" on the birth registration of Mary Ann Nevin (1884-1974), known as Minnie to the family and named after Thomas' sister Mary Ann Nevin who died in 1878. Thomas' mother's name was also Mary Nevin.
The later photograph of Minnie Nevin from her estate was taken ca. 1900 as a fifteen year old teenager, seated on a pillar, with a sprig of leaves, and wearing a spotted dress, stockings and boots.
Minnie Nevin, aged 15yrs, ca. 1900
Unattributed, b&w copy deposited 30/8/1974
Tasmanian Archives Collection (TAHO) Ref: NS434/1/230
GEORGE NEVIN (1880-1957)
Thomas J. Nevin was employed principally as the Office Keeper of the Hobart Town Hall for the City Corporation, Mayor's Office and Municipal Police Office when his fourth son George Ernest Nevin was born there in April 1880. First son and namesake Thomas James "Sonny" Nevin was born at Nevin's photographic studio, 140 Elizabeth St Hobart, in 1874. The second son Sydney John Nevin was born at the Hobart Town Hall in October 1876 but died a few months later in January 1877. The third son William John Nevin was also born at the Hobart Town Hall in March 1878 but died in a vehicle accident in 1927.
Southern Cemeteries burial record; George Ernest Nevin , 30 July 1957, aged 77 yrs.
Born at the Hobart Town Hall on 2 April, 1880.
The childhood photograph of George Ernest Nevin, copied from the Drew Family Album and deposited at the Tasmanian Archives Office in 1974 from his sister Minnie Drew's estate, was taken ca. 1885- 6, or in the same sitting as the photograph of Minnie (above) as a 2yr old. George was photographed with short hair, wearing bloomers and jacket, and seated on a wooden horse.
George Nevin, aged 6 yrs, ca. 1886
Photograph by his father Thomas Nevin, New Town studio
B&w copy deposited 30/8/1974
Tasmanian Archives Collection (TAHO) Ref: NS434/1/245
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- Elizabeth’s children 1872-1888
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- First son Thomas 'Sonny' Nevin in Salvation Army uniform
- Thomas James “Sonny” Nevin (1874-1948)
- Sonny Nevin’s American journey with the Bates family
- Third son William John Nevin (1878-1927)
- Fourth son George Ernest Nevin (1880-1957)
- William John Nevin (1878-1927)
- Albert Edward Nevin, youngest son (1888-1955)
- Portraits of youngest son Albert Nevin with horse 1914-17
- Emily Maud Davis, daughter-in-law m. Albert Edward
