John Aitken | [approved] |
sketcher and Anglican clergyman, came to Adelaide early in July 1854 aboard the Lorna on a preaching tour of the Australasian colonies. He left for Tasmania in the Lady Bird almost immediately. In early August he was at Melbourne, then travelled to the diggings. By 17 September he was in Sydney. He visited Bathurst and Wellington, then left in mid-October in the appropriately-named Meteor for New Zealand. After equally whirlwind tours of South and North America, he was back home before the end of 1855, preaching on 29 October at Whittle-le-Woods, Liverpool, England.
His album, Sketches taken by John Aitken on a Trip round the World 1854 55, is held at the Mitchell Library. None of his Australian works is dated, but all carry descriptive titles. There are scenes on the Ballarat and Bendigo goldfields, landscapes, churches and residences. The album also contains 16 lithographs by S.T. Gill and two ink drawings by G. Lacy.
Staff Writer.
Details
Arrival: | Date:1854-07Note:Arrived Adelaide SA, aboard the Lorna. |
Period active: | Dates:c. 1854 - 1855 |
Medium: | Drawing |
Collection: | Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW |
Associate: | Gill, S. T. |
Associate: | Lacy, G. |
Residence: | Dates:c. 1854-07 -Place:Adelaide, SA |
Residence: | Dates:c. 1854-07 - 1854-08Place:Tasmania |
Residence: | Dates:c. 1854-08 -Place:Melbourne, Vic. |
Residence: | Dates:c. 1854-08 -Place:Ballarat, Vic. |
Residence: | Dates:c. 1854-08 -Place:Bendigo, Vic. |
Residence: | Dates:c. 1854-09 -Place:Sydney, NSW |
Residence: | Dates:c. 1854-09 - 1854-10Place:Bathurst, NSW |
Residence: | Dates:c. 1854-09 - 1854-10Place:Wellington, NSW |
Residence: | Dates:c. 1854-10 -Place:New Zealand |
Residence: | Dates:c. 1854-10 - 1855-10Place:South America |
Residence: | Dates:c. 1854-10 - 1855-10Place:North America |
Residence: | Dates:c. 1885-10-29 -Place:Whittle-le-Woods, Liverpool, England, UK |
Other occupation: | Clergyman |
Biographer: | Staff Writer |
Source of info: | The Dictionary of Australian Artists: painters, sketchers, photographers and engravers to 1870 |
Date written: | Date:1992 |
Reference: | Title:Encyclopedia of Australian ArtYear:1984Author:McCulloch, A.Published:Second edition, Melbourne, Vic. |
Reference: | Title:Sketches taken by John Aitken on a Trip round the World 1854-55Author:Aitken, J.Published:Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW, Sydney, album, PXD 254 |
Reference: | Author:Bruce, CandicePublished:Information sourced from |
Summary: | Colonial sketcher and clergyman who managed to produce an album of sketches while on a whirlwind 12 month world tour that took in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, New Zealand, South and North America. |