Sketchbook, 1871-1878 ; map of Australia, 1854 / drawn by Alfred F.H. Stephen

PXE 958

fonds

1854, 1871-1878

Graphic Materials, Drawings

457035

Drawings - 12 drawings : pencil - 14.5 x 24 cm - 1 map : pen & ink, watercolour - 28 x 38.5 cm

Alfred Farish Henderson Stephen was born, ca 1845, on the island of Helgoland (North Sea, off the German coast) and educated in Dresden, Germany. He came to Australia in 1865, studied law in Melbourne and joined the Oriental Bank.

Following the discovery of gold in New Caledonia in 1870, Stephen worked as a representative of his father, George Milner Stephen (1812-1894), in the goldmine at Manguine, in northern New Caledonia on the Diahot River.

Manguine has also been known as Movendine, Moindine or Manghine. The reef was so rich at Fern Hill, the point of discovery, that it soon attracted miners from the goldfields in Australia. The southern border of the Fern Hill claim was called One Tree Hill.

Stephen returned to Australia in the 1870s. Following his return to Sydney, he became a mining registrar in Gulgong, New South Wales before transferring to the Audit Office. He retired to a vineyard in Pokolbin where he died in 1928.

Alfred F.H. Stephen is a nephew of Sir Alfred Stephen (1802-1894).

References:
Delvinquier, Benoit, correspondence dated 11 May 2007 (ML 07/64).
Delvinquier, B. and Jegat, P., `Contribution a l'historique des mines de la region du Diahot' in Societe d'Etudes Historiques da la Nouvelle Caledonie, Bulletin no. 136, 2003, pp 3-39.
Gibbney and Smith, A Biographical Register, 1788-1939 (1987) p. 279.

SKETCHBOOK (Call No.: PXE 958/Item 1)
1. `Scrap of Coast line - West Coast of New Caledonia - 10 March '71' ; signed `A.H.S'
2. `View of the River "Diahot" from "One Tree Hill" on the Southern Boundary of the Prospectors [?] - New Caledonia 4th June 1871' ; signed `A.H.S'
3. `View from my hut door - "Movendine" New Caledonia 3rd July 1871' ; signed `A.H.S.'
4. `View of my hut - "Fern Hill Reef" - "Movendine" New Caldeonia 13 July 1871' ; signed `A.H.S.'
5. `Deserted Native Village on the River "Diahot" New Caledonia 17th Augt '71' ; signed 'A.H.S.'
6. `Portion of Village of Bonde on Diahot River. 27th Augt. '71' ; signed `A.H.S.'
7. `Residence of Captn Vincent - "Baaba" Island. 22nd Septr '71 "Gandy Island" in the distance - North End of New Caledonia' ; signed `A.H.S.'
8. `"Coe" Sugar Plantation - 14 miles from Noumea - residence of Monsieur Numa Joubert'
9. [Mining]
10. [Coastline]
11. `"Kiama" - Easter Monday 1878'
12. `Thirroul'
MAP (Call No.: PXE 958/Item 2)

Out of copyright: Artist died before 1955.
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Page 1 of sketchbook is signed: `Alfred F.H. Stephen'.