Gosper family albums of photographs and drawings, autograph album and prints, 1884-1986

PXD 1177
PXE 1240/Box 1
PXE 1240/Box 2
PXE 1240/Box 3

fonds

1884-1986

Graphic Materials, Drawings, Watercolours, Photographs, Prints

904966

4 albums (89 watercolours and pencil drawings, 1 photograph) - 28.5 x 38 cm and smaller
5 albums (304 photographs) - 17 x 32.5 cm and smaller
25 loose photographs - 25 x 20 cm and smaller
6 pencil sketches - 33 x 41 cm
4 prints - 42.5 x 33.5 cm and smaller

Clarence Thomas Gosper was born at Musswellbrook in 1865. At the age of about 16 he moved to Sydney where he gained employment as an artist for John Sands Ltd working on illuminated addresses. In about 1914 he began to work freelance while continuing to paint for John Sands. His eldest daughter, Essie (born in 1890) joined him until her marriage in about 1924. She specialised in flower painting. His son Neville (born in 1902) also joined him in 1918 and continued the business after his father's retirement. His work encompassed illuminated addresses, coats of arms, diplomas and certificates. Neville retired in 1970 and died in 1986. Essie Henderson died in 1989.

Clarence Gosper (PXE 1240 / Box 1)
Album of photographs of illuminated addresses, 1884-1922

Neville Gosper (PXD 1177)
1. Six pages of roughs of an illuminated address to T.B. Heffer, 1950.
2. Three certificates and the draft of a memorial to Sir Roden Cutler.
3. Copy of a letter from the University of New England, 10 August 1954, with photographs of illuminated addresses, certificates and coats of arms.
4. Invitation (blank) to a Ball at Sydney Town Hall in Honour of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, 1954.

Essie Henderson (nee Gosper) (PXE 1240 / Boxes 2 & 3)
1. Album containing 9 watercolour sketches of Bateau Bay, 1951-1954, and one of Grotto Point, Middle Harbour, Sydney, 1954, "the day the Queen came here".
2. Album titled "My holiday to Queensland in 1954", containing 16 watercolour sketches of Brisbane, Cairns, Port Douglas and Mossman. Also contains a photograph of Essie Henderson in 1950 and a newscutting annotated by her.
3. Album containing 12 watercolour sketches including "Rocky Ridge Brookvale", "Manly Gravel Pit", "Church of God Blackheath" and a group of Queensland flowers, 1944-67. Also includes an illustration for "The Clue : Extracts from Poetry Prose and Philosophy compiled by R.M. Henderson", 1914.
4. Album containing 50 pages of wash, pencil and watercolour sketches, 1912-32. The watercolours include views of Myall Lakes, HMS Renown, Sydney Botanical Gardens, Fort Denison, Bondi, Lord Howe Island, Clontarf and Grotto Point (Sydney), 1918-1932.
5. Watercolour sketch of the Three Sisters, Katoomba, 1946.
6. Three albums of photographs of family and friends at the family home "Wandilly", Ryde and at Bondi, Manly, Austinmer, Palm Beach, Cronulla, Maroubra, Blackheath, Como, 1911-1986
7. Album of photographs and drawings, "Sydney to Fiji November, 1920". Includes photographs of Myall Lakes.
8. Autograph album illustrated with photographs and watercolours, 1907-1911.

Forms part of Essie Henderson papers, 1890-1982 at MLMSS 5623

Copyright restrictions may apply: Photographs in this collection created before 1955 are all out of copyright. Photographs created after 1955 are in copyright.
Copyright status:: In copyright - Life of creator plus 70 years (Artistic Works created after 1955)
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Pic.Acc. update Project - Information transferred from Pic.Acc.7129 as part of the eRecords Project, 2012-2013

Captions and/or titles appear on most of the drawings by Essie Henderson.