The following sketches by artist (Draughtsman) Robert Issell Perrott (1822-1895)are part of a collection held at the State Library of NSW (PXA 1350). The collection is not digitised, however the following images were photographed in 2012 for research purposes by Ann Hardy.
Perrott was a sketcher, clerk of the peace, and farmer. He was also one of the early Police Magistrates in NSW, serving the township of Waratah and areas to the north during the late 1800s.
Born Plymouth Devon, England Perrott migrated with his family to NSW in 1839. He lived in various places including Jamberoo, Kelly’s Plains, Port Macquarie, Bathurst and New England region. He purchased ‘Haroldston’ (Armidale) from the Crown in 1861.
He retired as Police Magistrate in 1892 just 3 years before his death at age 77.
“Old and Indiscreet”
Robert Issell Perrott, police magistrate, of Waratah, is an old man. He has reached the allotted span of three score years and ten. He has served in the public service of the country thirty-three years. Mr. Perrott recently, from his place on the Bench at Wallsend, declared he would sooner take the word of one medical gentleman than fifty miners. (The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser Fri 20 May 1892)
REFERENCES
Sketchbooks of New South Wales by Robert J. Perrott, 1857-1895 – State Library of NSW
Fascinating sketches of early Newcastle. I have put up a page with some information on the Waratah copper smelter, including an interesting comparison with a Ralph Snowball photograph of the smelter.
http://lachlanwetherall.com/2017/01/copper-smelter-waratah/