Sir John See - two illuminated addresses and two photographic albums, ca. 1880-1889, 1894, 1902

PXD 948

fonds

1880-1889, 1894, 1902

Graphic Materials, Photographs, Watercolours, Textual Records

441580

1 album (134 photoprints, 2 panoramas) - 38 x 59 cm.
1 album (55 photoprints) - 41 x 51 cm.
1 watercolour & manuscript illuminated address - 24 x 29 cm. (boxed)
1 watercolour & manuscript illuminated address - 26 x 34 cm.

For a biography of merchant and politician, Sir John See (1845-1907), see: Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 11, 1891-1939. Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press, 1988 (pp. 560-562)

ILLUMINATED ADDRESSES (BOX 1)
1. "To the Honourable John See, Premier of N.S. Wales, Camden, 21 May 1902. Dear Sir, We, the undersigned Mayor and Aldermen of the Municipality of Camden, do ourselves the honour to bid you a Hearty welcome to the Town of Camden ... more appreciated from the fact that no Premier has visited Camden, since the time of Sir Charles Cowper ... over thirty years ago. It is unfortunate that you find us in the midst of a severe and disastrous drought ... We trust that ... when prosperous times return, you will again visit us, and see our District under more favourable conditions. We are, Sir, Your obedient servants, G.M. Macarthur-Onslow, C.T. Whiteman, Geo. F. Furner, W.C. Furner, E.F. Druitt, [?], A. Denison Little, H.J. Asher, S. Procter."

2. "To the Honourable Sir John See, K.C.M.G., Premier of the State of New South Wales in the Commonwealth of Australia. Dear Sir, We the members of the Loyal Hand of Friendship Lodge of the Independent Order of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity, desire to express our gratification at this your response to our invitation to visit the Town and District of Glen Innes on this occasion, being that of our Lodge Anniversary. ... we extend a most cordial welcome ... Although the rules of our Order preclude us ... from taking an active part in general politics, we seize this opportunity to convey our appreciation of the legislation which your Government successfully effected ... by the introduction ... of the Amended Friendly Societies Act, thereby relieving the Order of many disabilities and improving its legal status. ... hearty congratulations on the ... honours bestowed upon you by His Majesty King Edward VII ... Fraternally yours, Jas Flynn, Noble Grand, John Whyte, Vice Grand, Albert E. Pye, Elective Secretary. Glen Innes, 10th Nov 1902."

PHOTOGRAPH ALBUMS (BOXES 2-3)
Box 2. Photographs Illustrating the Earliest Times of New South Wales / [Government Printer / Sydney : Government Printing Office, 1880-1889] This album includes two panoramas of Sydney, taken from the roof of the Government Printing Office, 12 Nov 1885. The Library holds a similar photographic album in the Dixson Library collection at DL PXX 67. (For a Contents list, see Related Works below).

Box 3. Photographs of Grafton and the Clarence River District, New South Wales. Sydney : Charles Potter, Government Printer, 1894. The Library holds a similar photographic album in the Mitchell Library collection at PXD 520. (For a Contents list, see Related Works below)

See also: Sir John See - papers, 1885-1905
The illuminated addresses and the photographic albums are bound in leather with gilt titles and tooled decorations
The Government Printing Office collection of photonegatives includes portraits of Sir John See and the photographs in the two albums. They can be viewed online.
References relating to the panorama:
Fixed in time, Australian photographs 1845 to 1984, State Library of New South Wales 14 November 1984 - 26 May 1985 : [guide to exhibition] / State Library of New South Wales. [Sydney] : The Library, [1984?]
The mechanical eye in Australia : photography 1841-1900 / Alan Davies & Peter Stanbury ; with assistance from Con Tanre. Melbourne : Oxford University Press, 1985, p. 60
Shades of light : photography and Australia 1839-1988 / Gael Newton ; with essays by Helen Ennis and Chris Long and assistance from Isobel Crombie and Kate Davidson. Canberra : Australian National Gallery : Collins Australia, 1988, pp. 26-27, 53-54
William Reese Company, Catalogue 229, Voyages and travels with some early navigation manuals -- item 3 is a copy of the Government Printing Office panorama, 1885

"John Sands, Sydney" -- lower edge of the left hand page of both illuminated addresses