painter, music and singing teacher and minister, showed a painting, A Bush Road , at the 1869 Geelong Mechanics Institute Exhibition and was listed as its artist. He had lent two paintings to the 1857 Geelong exhibition— Woodman and Dog and A Meadow Scene —but was catalogued only as their proprietor, the artist not being identified. I’Erson was primarily a music and singing teacher in Geelong. When he left for Rockhampton, Queensland, in November 1869, his Geelong students and admirers presented him with a farewell illuminated address (Rockhampton District Historical Society) praising his abilities.

In Rockhampton I’Erson served as a Baptist minister as well as continuing as a music and singing teacher. At the School of Arts on 4 July 1870 he helped establish the Rockhampton Philharmonic Society and became its director. The first concert, held in October, was not well patronised and, despite the presence of Governor Blackall at a concert in 1872, both membership and audience numbers remained low. I’Erson, disillusioned, resigned as both conductor and director soon after the vice-regal visit. He seems to have been considered temperamentally incapable of organisation; the Musical Union he directed 16 years later survived even fewer concerts. In 1890 I’Erson was a member of the North Rockhampton branch committee of the Central Queensland Separation League which was lobbying for a separate North Queensland colony with Rockhampton as its capital. No painting activities of any kind are known during his Queensland years.

Writers:

Staff Writer

Date written:

1992

Last updated:

2011