• Title
  Item 2: [Portrait of John Busby], May 1836 / drawn by Richard Read
• Call number
  ML 1512
  
• Level of description
  item
• Date
  
  May 1836
• Type of material
  Graphic Materials, Drawings
• Reference code
  9621346
• Issue Copy
  Digitised
• Physical Description
  1 drawing - watercolour on paper
  
• ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
  
  John Busby (1765-1857) a surveyor and civil engineer, arrived in Port Jackson in February 1824. He was responsible for establishing Sydney’s first regular water supply, known as Busby’s Bore. Using convict labour, the tunnel – which ran two miles from Lachlan Swamp (now Centennial Park) to Hyde Park – took ten years to complete. Busby’s work is commemorated by Busby’s Bore Cairn in Centennial Park and Busby’s Bore Fountain in Hyde Park.
  
  Source: Library correspondence file.
• Scope and Content
  1 framed watercolour portrait of John Busby on wove paper. The original wooden frame is decorated with gilt and matte coating. The watercolours were executed with pencil underdrawing, pigmented watercolour and white body colour.
  
  John Busby is wearing a typical suit of a gentleman of the 1830s. He is seated with a copy of an ‘Arts & Sciences’ book on the table beside him.
• Access Conditions
  
  Access via appointment
• Copying Conditions
  Out of copyright: Creator died before 1955
  Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
• Signatures / Inscriptions
  
  Inscribed on verso of watercolour: Busby Esq. Painted by Richd. Read No. 45 Pitt Street Sydney New South Wales. May 1836
• Name
  Busby, John, 1765-1857
  
• Subject
  Portraits, Australian--19th century.
  Civil engineers, Australian--19th century.
  
• Open Rosetta viewer
  IE10443459

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