Albert Collins (painter)
Encyclopedia
Albert E. Collins was an Australian painter, teacher and actor born in New Zealand
. After a successful career in painting and teaching he joined ABC radio, where he gave pleasure to a generation of children as "Joe" of the Children's Session
and the main character in the long-running serial "Wide-awake Bunyip".
, New Zealand and in 1906 left to teach drawing at Abbotsleigh School for Girls
in Wahroonga
where he continued taking classes 1912. Among his students was Grace Cossington Smith
He also taught at Redlands School, Cremorne
from 1913–1916. The school yearbook reported that "Mr Collins class for design is fast becoming a popular one. There is evidently no lack of talent, and some of the work done shows great promise for the future." One notable student was Alison Rehfisch
(née Green). He awarded a special prize to another student, Jean Sulman for designing a new cover for the school magazine which was used from 1915 to 1938.
He was also on the teaching staff at Normanhurst
, Meridien, Ascham, St Vincent's (and perhaps others) at various times.
He also offered private tutoring. One such student was Muriel Cornish.
and Harry Julius) which specialised in quality art work for prestigious clients such as Dunlop and Berlei
. Artists they employed included Frank Burdett, Harold Cazneaux
, Adrian Feint
, Lloyd Rees
, Fred Britton, George Frederick Lawrence, James Muir Auld
, Roland Wakelin
, Roy de Maistre
, Percival Leason and Bill Sparrow.
He was an active member of the Society of Artists
and hon. secretary in 1921. He was an invited foundation member of the Australian Watercolour Institute
in 1923 along with Hans Heysen
, Norman Lindsay
, Blamire Young
, Arthur Streeton
, John D Moore, John Eldershaw and Sydney Long
.
His lithograph The world's loveliest harbour, Sydney, Australia is held at the National Gallery of Australia
In 1929 he designed the Common Seal for the Ku-ring-gai Council.
The Sydney Art Gallery purchased two of his works, The Tunnel and Broken Light. Other work is held in the State galleries in Hobart and the Powerhouse Museum
, Sydney.
He illustrated Odd Jobs, a book of poems by Ernest "Kodak O'Ferrall
, and with his daughter Kathleen, two children's books by H. S. Blake.
's Repertory Theatre Company and Doris Fitton
's Independent Theatre
, but never played professionally. He played Samuel Pepys
in the Doris Fitton
production of And So To Bed
in 1931 (and learned to play the recorder passably for the part). Other plays for the Independent Theatre in which he had a major part included By Candle Light
The Middle Watch
The Young Idea
Petticoat Influence
and Springtime for Henry.
The Constant Nymph
As "Joe", he was co-presenter of the ABC Children's Session and Argonauts' Club from 1938 to 1951, from 1942 playing the title role in the Ruth Park
series The Wide-Awake Bunyip, a popular feature of the program.
Patti Crocker remembers him as a "a very funny man ... small round and vague". His ready wit did not come out "on air" however, so Ida Elizabeth Osbourne
successfully rewrote his character as the butt of jokes from the rest of the cast.
, Queen Victoria's consort but to everyone (including himself), he was "Joe". In 1910 he married (Agnes Emily) Beatrice Fullerton, principal of Claremont College in Randwick
from 1902 to 1910 and previously assistant principal of Bethany High School, Balmain
. She died in 1952.
They had three daughters. Kathleen Fullerton (b. 1911) followed her father's love of amateur theatre and followed his footsteps into commercial art, gaining experience in London from 1937 to 1940. She married Roy Chandler in 1942 and moved to Adelaide
. She and her father illustrated the children's books The Little White Fox and All the Way to Barcelona for H. S. (Harold Sidney) Blake.
Beatrice Fullerton "Betty" (b. 1912) married Neal Dowling in 1934.
The youngest, Joan, married Robert Osbiston in 1938
They were living in Warringah Rd Mosman
in 1936 and by 1950 were at Addison Ave. Roseville
.
Albert was a member of Sydney Rotary Club and in 1936 president of Sydney Savage Club.
Albert died in hospital of bronchiectasis
while still working for the ABC. Children from Chatswood Primary School lined the streets as the funeral procession passed and his body was cremated. The Wide-Awake Bunyip series was terminated and re-started by Ruth Park
as The Muddle-Headed Wombat
with first Leonard Thiele
then John Ewart
in the title role and filling the vacancy in the Argonauts Club
team.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. After a successful career in painting and teaching he joined ABC radio, where he gave pleasure to a generation of children as "Joe" of the Children's Session
Argonauts Club
The Argonauts Club was an Australian children's radio program, first broadcast in 1933 on ABC Radio in Melbourne. Its format was devised by Nina Murdoch who had run the station's Children's Hour on 3LO and stayed on when that station was taken over by the Australian Broadcasting Commission...
and the main character in the long-running serial "Wide-awake Bunyip".
Teaching career
Albert Collins was born in AotearoaAotearoa
Aotearoa is the most widely known and accepted Māori name for New Zealand. It is used by both Māori and non-Māori, and is becoming increasingly widespread in the bilingual names of national organisations, such as the National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa.-Translation:The...
, New Zealand and in 1906 left to teach drawing at Abbotsleigh School for Girls
Abbotsleigh
Abbotsleigh School for Girls is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for girls, located in Wahroonga, on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
in Wahroonga
Wahroonga, New South Wales
Wahroonga is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Wahroonga is located 22 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council and Hornsby Shire....
where he continued taking classes 1912. Among his students was Grace Cossington Smith
Grace Cossington Smith
Grace Cossington Smith AO OBE was an Australian artist and pioneer of modernist painting in Australia and was instrumental in introducing Post-Impressionism to her home country...
He also taught at Redlands School, Cremorne
Cremorne, New South Wales
Cremorne is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Cremorne is located 6 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of North Sydney Council....
from 1913–1916. The school yearbook reported that "Mr Collins class for design is fast becoming a popular one. There is evidently no lack of talent, and some of the work done shows great promise for the future." One notable student was Alison Rehfisch
Alison Rehfisch
Alison Baily Rehfisch was an Australian painter born in Sydney. She was born Alison Baily Green in Woollahra, Sydney, and grew up in Mosman. Her mother, who was a proficient sculptor, painter and musician, encouraged her interest in painting and drawing...
(née Green). He awarded a special prize to another student, Jean Sulman for designing a new cover for the school magazine which was used from 1915 to 1938.
He was also on the teaching staff at Normanhurst
Loreto Normanhurst
Loreto Normanhurst is a private, Roman Catholic, day and boarding school for girls, located in Normanhurst, a suburb on the upper North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, Meridien, Ascham, St Vincent's (and perhaps others) at various times.
He also offered private tutoring. One such student was Muriel Cornish.
Painting
From 1916–1951 he was a director of advertising firm "Smith and Julius" (founded by Sydney Ure SmithSydney Ure Smith
Sydney George Ure Smith was an Australian arts publisher and promoter who 'did more than any other Australian to publicize Australian art at home and overseas'....
and Harry Julius) which specialised in quality art work for prestigious clients such as Dunlop and Berlei
Berlei
Berlei is a brand of women's lingerie and in particular bras and girdles.-History:The brand originated in Australia in 1917. Berlei undergarments are now sold in Australia by Pacific Brands and in the United Kingdom by Courtaulds Textiles....
. Artists they employed included Frank Burdett, Harold Cazneaux
Harold Cazneaux
Harold Cazneaux was and Australian pictorialist photographer; a pioneer whose style had an indelible impact on the development of Australian photographic history. In 1916 he was a founder of the Pictorialist Sydney Camera Circle...
, Adrian Feint
Adrian Feint
Adrian Feint was an Australian artist born in Narrandera, NSW and who worked in various media but is noted for his bookplate designs....
, Lloyd Rees
Lloyd Rees
Lloyd Frederic Rees AC CMG was an Australian landscape painter who twice won the Wynne Prize for his landscape paintings....
, Fred Britton, George Frederick Lawrence, James Muir Auld
James Muir Auld
James Muir Auld was an Australian artist. His works are signed J.Muir Auld.James Muir Auld was born in Ashfield, New South Wales, third son of Presbyterian minister, Reverend John Auld and his wife, Georgina née Muir. James Auld attended Ashfield Public School and later, Sydney Grammar School...
, Roland Wakelin
Roland Wakelin
Roland Shakespeare Wakelin was an Australian painter and teacher, born in Greytown, New Zealand, who with Roy de Maistre and Grace Cossington Smith are regarded as founding the modern movement in Sydney....
, Roy de Maistre
Roy De Maistre
Roy de Maistre CBE was an Australian artist of international fame. He is famous in Australian art for his early experimentation in "colour-music", and is recognised as the first Australian artist to use pure abstractionism. His later works were painted in a figurative style generally influenced by...
, Percival Leason and Bill Sparrow.
He was an active member of the Society of Artists
Society of Artists
The Society of Artists of Great Britain was founded in London in May 1761 by an association of artists in order to provide a venue for the public exhibition of recent work by living artists, such as was having success in the long-established Paris salons....
and hon. secretary in 1921. He was an invited foundation member of the Australian Watercolour Institute
Australian Watercolour Institute
The Australian Watercolour Institute is a non-profit membership organization devoted to the advancement of watercolour painting in Australia. It was founded in 1923 by six painters in Sydney, and was modeled after the Royal Watercolour Society and the American Watercolor Society.-History:The AWI's...
in 1923 along with Hans Heysen
Hans Heysen
Sir Hans Heysen, OBE was a well-known German Australian artist. He was particularly recognized for his watercolours of the Australian bush. He won the Wynne Prize for landscape painting a record nine times.-Biography:...
, Norman Lindsay
Norman Lindsay
Norman Alfred William Lindsay was an Australian artist, sculptor, writer, editorial cartoonist, scale modeler, and boxer. He was born in Creswick, Victoria....
, Blamire Young
Blamire Young
William Blamire Young , commonly known as Blamire Young, was an English Australian artist.-Early life:...
, Arthur Streeton
Arthur Streeton
Sir Arthur Ernest Streeton was an Australian landscape painter.-Early life:Streeton was born in Mount Duneed, near Geelong, and his family moved to Richmond in 1874. In 1882, Streeton commenced art studies with G. F. Folingsby at the National Gallery School.Streeton was influenced by French...
, John D Moore, John Eldershaw and Sydney Long
Sydney Long
Sydney Long was an Australian Artist.Born on 20 August 1871 at Ifield, Goulburn, New South Wales, Sydney Long began formal art classes at the New South Wales Art Society in 1890. in 1894 his Heidelberg School-influenced painting 'By Tranquil Waters' caused a small scandal, but was purchased by the...
.
His lithograph The world's loveliest harbour, Sydney, Australia is held at the National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery of Australia is the national art gallery of Australia, holding more than 120,000 works of art. It was established in 1967 by the Australian government as a national public art gallery.- Establishment :...
In 1929 he designed the Common Seal for the Ku-ring-gai Council.
The Sydney Art Gallery purchased two of his works, The Tunnel and Broken Light. Other work is held in the State galleries in Hobart and the Powerhouse Museum
Powerhouse Museum
The Powerhouse Museum is the major branch of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences in Sydney, the other being the historic Sydney Observatory...
, Sydney.
He illustrated Odd Jobs, a book of poems by Ernest "Kodak O'Ferrall
Ernest O'Ferrall
Ernest Francis "Kodak" O'Ferrall was a popular Australian poet and short story writer born in East Melbourne....
, and with his daughter Kathleen, two children's books by H. S. Blake.
Acting
He was a capable actor, starring in many productions of Gregan McMahonGregan McMahon
Gregan McMahon, CBE was an Australian actor and theatrical producer.McMahon was born in Sydney, elder son of John Terence McMahon, a clerk, and his wife Elizabeth, née Gregan. Both parents were emigrants from Ireland. McMahon was educated at Sydney Grammar School and St Ignatius' College, Riverview...
's Repertory Theatre Company and Doris Fitton
Doris Fitton
Doris Alice Fitton Mason, DBE was an Australian actress and theatrical director who founded and for 35 years headed Sydney's Independent Theatre, staging a diverse range of local and international dramas, many for the first time in Australia, including Sumner Locke-Elliott's wartime comedy, Rusty...
's Independent Theatre
Independent Theatre
The Independent Theatre was a dramatic society founded in 1930 by Doris Fitton , and was also the name given to the building it occupied from 1938. It was named for London's Independent Theatre Society founded by J. T...
, but never played professionally. He played Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
in the Doris Fitton
Doris Fitton
Doris Alice Fitton Mason, DBE was an Australian actress and theatrical director who founded and for 35 years headed Sydney's Independent Theatre, staging a diverse range of local and international dramas, many for the first time in Australia, including Sumner Locke-Elliott's wartime comedy, Rusty...
production of And So To Bed
J. B. Fagan
James Bernard Fagan was an Irish-born actor, theatre manager, producer and playwright in England. After turning from the law to the stage, Fagan began an acting career, including four years from 1895 to 1899 with Herbert Beerbohm Tree's company at Her Majesty's Theatre. He then began writing...
in 1931 (and learned to play the recorder passably for the part). Other plays for the Independent Theatre in which he had a major part included By Candle Light
The Middle Watch
The Young Idea
Petticoat Influence
and Springtime for Henry.
The Constant Nymph
As "Joe", he was co-presenter of the ABC Children's Session and Argonauts' Club from 1938 to 1951, from 1942 playing the title role in the Ruth Park
Ruth Park
Ruth Park, AM was a New Zealand-born author, who spent most of her life in Australia. Her best known works are the novels The Harp in the South and Playing Beatie Bow , and the children's radio serial The Muddle-Headed Wombat , which also spawned a book series .-Personal history:Park was born in...
series The Wide-Awake Bunyip, a popular feature of the program.
Patti Crocker remembers him as a "a very funny man ... small round and vague". His ready wit did not come out "on air" however, so Ida Elizabeth Osbourne
Ida Elizabeth Osbourne
Ida Elizabeth Osbourne was an actor and broadcaster born in Brighton, Victoria, the only daughter of Mr and Mrs W. L. Osbourne and educated at Firbank Grammar School.-Career:...
successfully rewrote his character as the butt of jokes from the rest of the cast.
Personal
He had been named for Prince AlbertPrince Albert
Prince Albert was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria.Prince Albert may also refer to:-Royalty:*Prince Albert Edward or Edward VII of the United Kingdom , son of Albert and Victoria...
, Queen Victoria's consort but to everyone (including himself), he was "Joe". In 1910 he married (Agnes Emily) Beatrice Fullerton, principal of Claremont College in Randwick
Randwick, New South Wales
Randwick is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Randwick is located 6 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Randwick...
from 1902 to 1910 and previously assistant principal of Bethany High School, Balmain
Balmain, New South Wales
Balmain is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Balmain is located slightly west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
. She died in 1952.
They had three daughters. Kathleen Fullerton (b. 1911) followed her father's love of amateur theatre and followed his footsteps into commercial art, gaining experience in London from 1937 to 1940. She married Roy Chandler in 1942 and moved to Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. She and her father illustrated the children's books The Little White Fox and All the Way to Barcelona for H. S. (Harold Sidney) Blake.
Beatrice Fullerton "Betty" (b. 1912) married Neal Dowling in 1934.
The youngest, Joan, married Robert Osbiston in 1938
They were living in Warringah Rd Mosman
Mosman, New South Wales
Mosman is a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mosman is located 8 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Mosman.-Localities:In February...
in 1936 and by 1950 were at Addison Ave. Roseville
Roseville, New South Wales
Roseville is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Roseville is located north-west of the Sydney central business district and sits across the local government areas of Ku-ring-gai and Willoughby...
.
Albert was a member of Sydney Rotary Club and in 1936 president of Sydney Savage Club.
Albert died in hospital of bronchiectasis
Bronchiectasis
Bronchiectasis is a disease state defined by localized, irreversible dilation of part of the bronchial tree caused by destruction of the muscle and elastic tissue. It is classified as an obstructive lung disease, along with emphysema, bronchitis, asthma, and cystic fibrosis...
while still working for the ABC. Children from Chatswood Primary School lined the streets as the funeral procession passed and his body was cremated. The Wide-Awake Bunyip series was terminated and re-started by Ruth Park
Ruth Park
Ruth Park, AM was a New Zealand-born author, who spent most of her life in Australia. Her best known works are the novels The Harp in the South and Playing Beatie Bow , and the children's radio serial The Muddle-Headed Wombat , which also spawned a book series .-Personal history:Park was born in...
as The Muddle-Headed Wombat
The Muddle-Headed Wombat
The Muddle-Headed Wombat is a fictional wombat featured in the radio serials and later in the children's books of the same name written by Australian author Ruth Park.-History:...
with first Leonard Thiele
Leonard Teale
Leonard Teale AO , born Leonard George Thiele in Brisbane, was a well-known Australian actor of radio, television and films....
then John Ewart
John Ewart
John Ewart was an Australian Film Institute award winning actor.-Career:Ewart was born in Melbourne. He began his acting career when he was cast at the age of four in a radio production of Snow White...
in the title role and filling the vacancy in the Argonauts Club
Argonauts Club
The Argonauts Club was an Australian children's radio program, first broadcast in 1933 on ABC Radio in Melbourne. Its format was devised by Nina Murdoch who had run the station's Children's Hour on 3LO and stayed on when that station was taken over by the Australian Broadcasting Commission...
team.