John Watt Beattie
Encyclopedia
John Watt Beattie was an Australian photographer.
Beattie was born in Aberdeen
, Scotland
. He was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of Tasmania
in 1890. He was appointed Photographer to the Government of Tasmania on 21 December 1896.
He did extensive photography around Tasmania, as well as in the Central Highlands and on the West Coast of Tasmania
. He was employed by the North Mount Lyell Company
to photograph between Gormanston, Tasmania
and Kelly Basin in the 1890s.
He travelled with lantern slide shows on various subjects — A trip through Tasmania, From Kelly's Basin
to Gormanston
as well as Port Arthur
and Tasman Peninsula
In the 1890s he also prepared composite pictures of the Governors of Tasmania
1804–1895, as well as Parliamentarians of Tasmania 1856–1895.
He also travelled to Norfolk Island
and did photographic work there as well. He died in Hobart
.
Beattie was born in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
in 1890. He was appointed Photographer to the Government of Tasmania on 21 December 1896.
He did extensive photography around Tasmania, as well as in the Central Highlands and on the West Coast of Tasmania
West Coast, Tasmania
The West Coast of Tasmania is the part of the state that is strongly associated with wilderness, mining and tourism, rough country and isolation...
. He was employed by the North Mount Lyell Company
North Mount Lyell
North Mount Lyell was the name of a mine, mining company, locality and former railway near Gormanston on the West Coast of Tasmania...
to photograph between Gormanston, Tasmania
Gormanston, Tasmania
Gormanston is a town in Tasmania on the slopes of Mount Owen, above the town of Queenstown in Tasmania's West Coast. At the 2006 census, Gormanston had a population of 167....
and Kelly Basin in the 1890s.
He travelled with lantern slide shows on various subjects — A trip through Tasmania, From Kelly's Basin
Kelly Basin, Tasmania
Kelly Basin is a bay on the south eastern side of Macquarie Harbour on the West Coast of Tasmania, Australia.It was the location of the terminus of the North Mount Lyell Railway, and the ghost town of Pillinger....
to Gormanston
Gormanston, Tasmania
Gormanston is a town in Tasmania on the slopes of Mount Owen, above the town of Queenstown in Tasmania's West Coast. At the 2006 census, Gormanston had a population of 167....
as well as Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Tasmania
Port Arthur is a small town and former convict settlement on the Tasman Peninsula, in Tasmania, Australia. Port Arthur is one of Australia's most significant heritage areas and the open air museum is officially Tasmania's top tourist attraction. It is located approximately 60 km south east of...
and Tasman Peninsula
Tasman Peninsula
Tasman Peninsula is located around by road south-east of Hobart, at the south east corner of Tasmania, Australia.-Description:The Tasman Peninsula lies south and west of Forestier Peninsula, to which it is connected by an isthmus called Eaglehawk Neck...
In the 1890s he also prepared composite pictures of the Governors of Tasmania
Governors of Tasmania
The Governor of Tasmania is the representative in the Australian state of Tasmania of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as the Governor-General of Australia does at the national level.In accordance with the...
1804–1895, as well as Parliamentarians of Tasmania 1856–1895.
He also travelled to Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
and did photographic work there as well. He died in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
.
External links
- Australian Dictionary of National Biography entry
- Journal of a Voyage to the Western Pacific in the Melanesian Mission Yacht Southern Cross 25 August-10 November 1906
- Catalogue of a Series of Photographs Illustrating the Scenery and Peoples of the Islands in the South and Western Pacific. Photographed and Published by J. W. Beattie, 1907.
- Photograph of Beattie late in life
Further reading
- Tassell, Margaret and Wood, David (1981) Tasmanian Photographer — From the John Watt Beattie Collection — From the Collections of the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery South Melbourne, Macmillan Company of Australia. ISBN 0333337379.