Thomas Nevin’s portraits of his parents before 1875 …
Mary Nevin, mother of Thomas Nevin early 1870s
From © The Nevin Family and Shelverton Collections 2007-2010 Arr
Mary Nevin (nee -? 1810-1875), mother of Tasmanian photographer Thomas James Nevin (1842-1923), was born in England in 1810. She married Belfast-born John Nevin (1808-1887) probably in northern Ireland soon after his return from service in the Royal Scots at the Canadian Rebellions 1837-38, and migrated to Hobart, Tasmania in 1852 with her husband who worked their passage as a warden on board the convict transport Fairlie. They accompanied 30 or so boys from the Parkhurst prison on the Isle of Wight.
John Nevin, father of Thomas Nevin early 1870s
From © The Nevin Family and Shelverton Collections 2007-2010 Arr
This pioneer Tasmanian family brought their four children, all under 12 years of age – Thomas (born 1842), Mary Ann (born 1844), Rebecca (born 1847) and William John (called Jack, born 1852, babe in arms on the voyage out). They settled on a farm and orchards at Kangaroo Valley, known as Lenah Valley since 1922, with gardens stretching down to the Franklin Museum (Ancanthe). Soon after settling at Kangaroo Valley, John Nevin built their cottage and became the keeper and school master on the property owned by the Trustees of the Wesleyan Chapel (1 acre), and established orchards (1 acre) on an adjoining property owned by Mary Nairn.
John Nevin snr wrote and published poetry. Two pamphlets are held in public collections: “My Cottage in the Wilderness”, published in April 1868, is held at the Mitchell Library NSW; and “Lines written on the sudden and much lamented death of Mr William Genge who died at the Wesleyan Chapel, Melville-street, Hobart on the morning of 17th January 1881, in the 73rd year of his age” as a ten stanza lament, is held at the State Library of Tasmania.
Poems by John Nevin snr, 1868 (SLNSW) and 1881 (SLTas)
These particular images of Mary Nevin (mother) and John Nevin (father), are scans from prints on sepia newspaper of cartes which had been pasted into the scrapbook of Thomas’ son George Nevin, held by a great grandson. The original photographs are yet to be located.
Parents Mary and John Nevin.
© The Nevin Family and Shelverton Collections 2006-2009 Arr
The studio decor of these standard studio full-length portraits by Nevin of his family, and of other clientele during these years, consistently featured a diamond-patterned carpet, a shiny-backed low easy chair, a table with griffin-shaped legs, a curtain draped down one side of the frame, and a river-scene wall-hanging (not visible here).
They were taken in Thomas Nevin’s studio, The City Photographic Establishment, 140 Elizabeth Street, Hobart Town, ca. 1870, and no later than 1875, the year his mother Mary died.
The Tasmanian Pioneer Index lists a second marriage for the father, John Nevin. At the age of 71 yrs old, he married Martha Salter, aged 46 yrs, in Hobart, on the 23rd October, 1879.
Source: Tasmanian Pioneer Index: 711/1879/RGD:37
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