Giclée, Port Adelaide, F. R. Nixon, South Australia, Tall-ship, Mount Lofty, 1845

Archival Limited Edition Giclee of an original tri-tint lithograph, hand coloured for “12 Views of Old Adelaide from Sketches in 1840-1849” published by E.S.Wigg & Son in 1886 after a series of 1845 sketches by Frederick Robert Nixon

Size of image = 13.5cm  x 19.5cm (5 1/3 x 7 2/3 inch)

Archival Edition Limited to /300. Issued with numbered certificate

This view of Port Adelaide based on a Sketch by Frederick Robert Nixon ten years after South Australia's settlement. The scene has an anchor in the immediate foreground in long grass, two rowboats with passengers, then eight tall-ships in the harbor either delivering migrants or trade goods. Behind the ships we see Storehouses and beyond that Mount Lofty. The Port was a lifeline for news of "home", be it letters or newspapers. Being 6 miles away from the population of Adelaide, they relayed the arrival of ships in port by relaying the respective ships flags along the Port Road to finally be displayed on the General Post Office flag pole. (It was a long way by horse and cart, so best to be sure). It was here the Clipper-Ship, CITY OF ADELAIDE, arrived to deposit passengers between 1864-1893, like future Surveyor General, George Woodroofe Goyder

Frederick Robert Nixon (1817-1860)

Nixon was an etcher, cartoonist, journalist and sketcher of Adelaide society after his arrival from London in May 1838 on the "Trusty". He had been appointed assistant surveyor only to be resign within months due to a disagreement with Deputy-Surveyor, George Kingston along with most of the other staff. The issued was resolved and he remained in the government's employment until he was to leave with a "female Friend" for Mauritius in 1848. In 1841 he purchased land where in 1843 he built the second windmill in South Australia. In November 1845 he joined the Police Force. It was formed on 28 April 1838 after concerns about felons entering the new settlement from neighboring colonies. All the while he took a great interest in in the local cultural scene contributing articles, cartoons and sketches to newspapers and magazines, like we see here.