Alfred Chopin
Encyclopedia
Alfred Chopin was a convict transported
to Western Australia
. He became one of the colony
's first portrait
photographers.
Nothing is known of Alfred Chopin's early life, but on 4 December 1865 both he and his brother William
were convicted in the Manchester
courts and sentenced to be transported. Alfred Chopin was convicted of receiving stolen goods, and received a sentence of ten years. His brother was convicted of uttering forged notes and was sentenced to twenty years. The two brothers were transported to Western Australia on board the Norwood, which arrived at Fremantle
in July 1867.
In February 1869, Alfred Chopin received a free pardon, having been falsely accused. He then obtained a confectioner's licence and opened a small shop in Perth
. When his brother obtained his ticket of leave, Alfred employed William in his shop for a short time. In March 1872 Alfred Chopin married Ellen Mary McNamara; they would have eight children.
In 1872, Chopin started a business as a photographer. "As a token of official remorse" (Erickson 1983) for his wrongful conviction and imprisonment, the governor
commissioned him to take some photographs, and thereafter he advertised himself as "by appointment to His Excellency". Because of the historical significance of some of the officials that Chopin was commissioned to photograph, a number of his portraits have been preserved, including portraits of Sir Frederick Barlee
, Sir Malcolm Fraser
and Sir Luke Leake. During the 1870s the photography market became very competitive, and Chopin began to tour country districts in search of custom. His business declined nonetheless, and in June 1877 he was declared bankrupt. According to Erickson (1983), "many an old colonial family album of photographs is the richer for his work".
In his later years, Chopin lived at Guildford
, and worked as a mechanic
. He died at his home in October 1902.
Penal transportation
Transportation or penal transportation is the deporting of convicted criminals to a penal colony. Examples include transportation by France to Devil's Island and by the UK to its colonies in the Americas, from the 1610s through the American Revolution in the 1770s, and then to Australia between...
to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. He became one of the colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
's first portrait
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
photographers.
Nothing is known of Alfred Chopin's early life, but on 4 December 1865 both he and his brother William
William Chopin
William Chopin was a convict transported to Western Australia. After gaining his Ticket_of_leave#Australian_convicts he worked as a chemist and later as an illicit abortionist....
were convicted in the Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
courts and sentenced to be transported. Alfred Chopin was convicted of receiving stolen goods, and received a sentence of ten years. His brother was convicted of uttering forged notes and was sentenced to twenty years. The two brothers were transported to Western Australia on board the Norwood, which arrived at Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
in July 1867.
In February 1869, Alfred Chopin received a free pardon, having been falsely accused. He then obtained a confectioner's licence and opened a small shop in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. When his brother obtained his ticket of leave, Alfred employed William in his shop for a short time. In March 1872 Alfred Chopin married Ellen Mary McNamara; they would have eight children.
Governor of Western Australia
The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia's Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The Governor performs important constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:* presiding over the Executive Council;...
commissioned him to take some photographs, and thereafter he advertised himself as "by appointment to His Excellency". Because of the historical significance of some of the officials that Chopin was commissioned to photograph, a number of his portraits have been preserved, including portraits of Sir Frederick Barlee
Frederick Barlee
Sir Frederick Palgrave Barlee KCMG was Colonial Secretary of Western Australia from 1855 to 1875; Lieutenant-Governor of the British Honduras from 1877 to 1882; and Administrator of Trinidad in 1884....
, Sir Malcolm Fraser
Malcolm Fraser (surveyor)
Sir Malcolm Fraser KCMG was a powerful public servant in colonial Western Australia in the 1870s and 1880s.Malcolm Fraser was born in Gloucestershire, England in 1834. Nothing is known of his early life, except that he must have qualified as a surveyor at some stage, and that he emigrated to New...
and Sir Luke Leake. During the 1870s the photography market became very competitive, and Chopin began to tour country districts in search of custom. His business declined nonetheless, and in June 1877 he was declared bankrupt. According to Erickson (1983), "many an old colonial family album of photographs is the richer for his work".
In his later years, Chopin lived at Guildford
Guildford, Western Australia
Guildford is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located 13 km northeast of the city. Its Local Government Area is the City of Swan.-History:Guildford was established in 1829 on the Swan River, being sited near a permanent fresh water supply...
, and worked as a mechanic
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
. He died at his home in October 1902.