Hawkesbury Independent IND 170 JULY 2024 | Page 10

HAWKESBURY HISTORY

with Michelle Nichols & Jonathan Auld

Henry Grant Lloyd – the wandering artist

Henry Grant Lloyd was a nineteenth century artist based in Tasmania . He was an industrious artist who toured all over Australia leaving behind an all-encompassing collection of works , including some of the Hawkesbury district , historically significant to the community .

Born in Chester in northern England in 1830 , Henry Grant Lloyd was the son of Lieutenant Henry Lloyd and his wife Charlotte nee Williams . Henry ’ s father commanded the 36th Bengal Native Infantry and had spent over a decade in India . In 1840 Lt . Lloyd , his wife and two of his three surviving children migrated to Tasmania . They travelled from New Brunswick , King Georges Sound , arriving onboard the ‘ Brothers ’ in 1841 . Lt . Lloyd eventually acquired one hundred acres in New Norfolk and named the property Bryn Estyn , after his home in Wales .

Henry was well-educated and from 1849 attended Christ ’ s College in Tasmania ’ s Bishopsbourne to study for the priesthood . Two years later he was deemed unacceptable as a candidate by Bishop Nixon , who had established Bishopsbourne for higher education for university and also a theological college .

As a young man , Henry commenced sketching and for the next ten years toured around the island drawing mainly landscapes . He was fortunate to have private income which allowed him to

pursue his passion of travel and art . He studied first with artist John Skinner Prout and later with Conrad Martens and was certainly influenced by both .

He began his extensive travels journeying throughout NSW from 1858 until 1864 . He also spent some time in Britain , travelling around Wales and sketching the scenery before returning to Australia in 1872 . On his return he was in NSW prior to a visit to Queensland between 1875 and 1880 .

You may ask , what does Henry Grant Lloyd have to do with the Hawkesbury ? The artist first visited the district in the early 1860s producing sketches of North Richmond , Ebenezer and Sackville in 1863 . He also sketched Windsor ’ s Thompson Square , wharf and punt across the Hawkesbury .

He returned to the Hawkesbury in 1875 , visiting the Grose Valley to paint and joined the painting and photography camps of conservationist and patron of exploration , Eccleston du Faur with the NSW Academy of Art . At an intellectual gathering held by the above Academy that same year , du Faur promoted the magnificence of the Hawkesbury River .

He asked , “ how many in this room have ever seen it below Windsor ? … Has it ever been illustrated , except , I think , at Wiseman ’ s Ferry by Mr C Martens , and near its mouth by Mr Slade [ q . v .], and roughly sketched by Mr

On the Hawkesbury Windsor , 1863 by Henry Grant Lloyd . Courtesy State Library of NSW .

Grant Lloyd of Tasmania .” He recorded views of Wisemans Ferry and the Macdonald Valley in 1878 . Between 1881 and 1899 Henry lived in New Zealand where he joined the celebrated Otago Art Society and exhibited regularly . Other exhibitions included the Melbourne Intercolonial Exhibition of 1875 and the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition of 1876 , where he is known to have won several medals .

Henry went back to Tasmania in the early 1900s to manage the Bryn Estyn estate and was still sketching . He suffered paralysis in 1903 and passed away the

following year . Henry Grant Lloyd was buried in the cemetery at New Norfolk .

Known as ‘ Australia ’ s peripatetic artist ’ – Henry was meticulous with identifying and dating his drawings , some even included compass directions . He left behind a legacy of several thousand drawings . It was noted that most of his compositions were “ rough field sketches rather than finished paintings ” with their principal significance as historical manuscripts .

The majority are held in the collections of the Mitchell and Dixson Library and many can be viewed digitally online .

On the Macdonald past Wisemans Ferry , 1878 by Henry Grant Lloyd . ourtesy State Library of NSW .

Vale of Avoca Grose River , 1863 by Henry Grant Lloyd . Courtesy State Library of NSW .

( 02 ) 4577 8200 38 Fairey Road , SOUTH WINDSOR www . difftrans . com We can replace your tired old original Gear Box , Driveline & Rear End parts with new or reconditions after market components . FOR CARS – 4WD – TRUCKS – MACHINERY

Also Mini Spools , Full Spools , Detroit Locker , Tru-Trac , Planetary Gear kits .

Diff conversions a speciality , Billet axles made to order Mark Williams - Moser stockist , 9 inch Borg Warner and Hi-Lux , Kaaz race LSD units - Manual Gearboxes - free strip and quote . We are the Top Loader - Muncie - Saginaw and Tremic TKO Specialists . Complete I . R . S . AND S . T . Differential Assembly . Don ’ t delay - call the experts today !

10 ISSUE 170 // JULY 2024 theindependentmagazine . com . au THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT