Andrew Torning b. 1814 London, England, UK

  • Artist (Painter)
'Ballet dancer, pantomimist, gymnast, actor, scene painter, interior decorator, artist, theatre lessee, founder of a fire brigade and its first captain, and Deacon of the Pitt Street Congregational Church, Sydney', so described Eric Irvin about Andrew Torning, the multi-talented colonial artist. Particularly skilled at decorating, he was commissioned to design parts of buildings such as St Mary's.
Talk | Version history | Updated Oct. 19, 2011 | Created Jan. 1, 1992
Name
Andrew Torning
Birth date
26 September 1814
Birth place
London, England, UK
Death date
1900
Death place
Manly, Sydney, NSW
Burial place
Rookwood Cemetery, Rookwood, Sydney, NSW
Gender
Male
Roles
  • Artist
  • Artist (Painter)
Residence
  • 1867- 1900 Sydney, NSW
  • 1858- 1867 USA
  • 1842- 1858 Sydney, NSW
Other Occupation
  • Teacher
  • Actor
  • Decorator
Arrival
  • 21 October 1842 (Aboard the 'Trial', at Sydney, NSW.)
Active Period
  • 1842- 1875
Cultural Heritage
  • English
  • Danish
Languages
  • English
Is Indigenous
No
Initial Record Data Source
  • The Dictionary of Australian Artists: painters, sketchers, photographers and engravers to 1870

painter, scene-painter, decorator, art teacher, actor, fireman and entrepreneur, was born in London on 26 September 1814, reputedly the son of a Danish sea captain.

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Writers:
Staff Writer
Date written:
1992
Last updated:
2011
associate of
Thomas Tyrwhitt Balcombe
1810
Artist (Printmaker), Artist (Sculptor), Artist (Painter)
associate of
Thomas Agar Newall
Artist (Cartoonist / Illustrator), Artist (Painter)
child of
Ann Torning
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
spouse of
née Crew Eliza Torning
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
parent of
Thomas Torning
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
associate of
George Roberts
1800
Artist (Painter)
associate of
Thomas Spencer
Artist (Photographer)
associate of
Benjamin Tannett
Artist (Painter)
associate of
Parisian Decorator's Establishments
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
associate of
Sydney's Royal Hotel, NSW
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
associate of
Prince of Wales Theatre, NSW
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
associate of
Shakspere Saloon, Pitt St, Sydney, NSW
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
associate of
Royal Navy, Australia
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
associate of
San Francisco Fire Department, USA
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
associate of
Lyon & Cottier, NSW
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
associate of
Queen's theatre, NSW
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
associate of
Joseph Wyatt's Royal Victoria Theatre, NSW
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
associate of
No.1 Australian Volunteer Fire Company, Pitt St, Sydney, NSW
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
associate of
St Mary's Catholic Church, North Sydney, NSW
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
Corner of George and Hunter Streets
Date
1849
Collections
Sydney International Exhibition
1879- 1880
Exhibition ()
Garden Palace, Sydney, New South Wales
Metropolitan Intercolonial Exhibition
1877
Exhibition (exhibited at)
Sydney, NSW
Citations:
  • NSW Death Records : 6042/1900
  • Sydney Mechanics School of Arts Records, (Place: Sydney, NSW : Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, manuscript A4151)
  • H. Parkes Correspondence, (Place: Sydney, NSW : Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, manuscript, vol. 40)
  • Oppenheim, H., (1824), Colonial theatre: The rise of the legitimate stage in Australia 1824-1847, (Place: Sydney, NSW : Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, manuscript 3266)
  • (16 April 1900), (Obituary), (1880-01-28, 1868-06-29, 1868-06-08, 1868-05-01, 1861-04-12, 1860-12-28, 1858-12-02, 1858-10-23, 1858-09-16, 1858-07-05, 1853-11-23, 1853-05-18, 1853-03-21, 1853-03-18, 1852-10-30, 1852-06-12, 1852-03-11, 1851-11-01, 1851-09-04, 1851-08-27, 1851-08-13, 1851-03-08, 1850-12-19, 1850-11-15, 1850-09-05, 1850-07-02, 1850-06-30, 1850-03-08, 1850-02-16, 1849-06-14, 1848-07-13, 1847-04-09, 1849-09-12, 1843-05-12, 1843-03-20, 1843-03-11, 1842-12-27, 1842-11-02. Place: Sydney Morning Herald)
  • Irvin, E., (1985), Dictionary of the Australian Theatre 1788-1914, (Place: Sydney, NSW)
  • Adrian, C., (1984), Fighting Fire, (Place: North Sydney, NSW)