A View of King’s Town (Newcastle) circa 1822-1825 (Published 1828)

A View of Kings Town (late Newcastle) (Courtesy of the National Library of Australia)

A View of Kings Town (late Newcastle)  Info: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135205567

The drawing above, in sepia wash, and measuring 17.7 x 37 cm, appears to be either the original drawing from which the published engraving in Dangar’s Index came from, or vice versa. See: http://libguides.newcastle.edu.au/aboriginalsourcebook/kingstown1

A VIEW OF KING’S TOWN (Courtesy of Cultural Collections, University of Newcastle, Australia)

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A View of King’s Town (Hand coloured engraving)
Photographer: Bruce Turnbull (Courtesy Newcastle Art Gallery)

c.1820
Unknown
A view of King’s Town. (c.1820/1828)

Acquatint, etching, hand coloured.
Sheet and plate: 21.9 x 40.8
Image: 17.3 x 37.5
Inscribed: printed on image the numbers 1-10 over landscape features corresponding to the inscription in the plate margins, l.l. – l.r. “No.1 River Hunter. 2. Public Wharf. 3. Nobby Island 4. North end of Breakwater once intended to connect with the Island. 5. Hospital. 6. Gaol. 7. Police Magistrates Residence. 8. Sessions House. 9. High Land on the South of Port Stephens. 10. Fort, Signal Station & Light.”; lower c. “A large portion of the Town Lies to the left, between the Church & River./ A VIEW OF KING’S TOWN./ (late Newcastle.)/ London, Engraved & Published, August 1st. 1828 by J. Cross, 18 Holborn…(illeg.)osite Furnivals Inn.” Purchased 1969 1969:14

Courtesy Newcastle Region Art Gallery See: https://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/4069674171

 


2 thoughts on “A View of King’s Town (Newcastle) circa 1822-1825 (Published 1828)

  1. The view of King’s Town, published by Cross in 1828, features in Dangar’s Index and Directory of 1828. He drafted this as he sailed to England in 1827. The Sessions House at the corner of Watt & Church was erected 1823. In 1827, this became the Police Magistrates residence (shown on the numbered image as ‘7’). Many of the convict cottages visible in images from 1816-1820 are not shown, and there are considerable sand drifts. However, Christchurch still has the full height of its spire, which had to be shortened in 1825. Dangar would have been fully aware of this when he departed Newcastle in 1827, as he was also aware of the re-purposing of the former Sessions House. It is believed that Dangar (and perhaps Joseph Cross) adapted a Lycett print of Newcastle, pubished in England in 1824. Lycett had left Newcastle late 1818 or early 1819 and would not have seen the 18213 Sessions House or known that the church steeple has been shortened. Dangar could also have ‘updated’ a Wallis print of Newcastle in 1818.

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