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C1854
Captain Madgwick’s Railway on Locomotive Bridge, Oakenville Creek
Very rare engraved view of Oakenville diggings near Nundle in 1854. Many of the visitants at the Hanging Rock will be glad to learn that that indefatigable prospector, Captain Madgwick, has “hit the vein at last, and after having by … Read Full Description
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Details
Full Title:
Captain Madgwick’s Railway on Locomotive Bridge, Oakenville Creek
Date:
C1854
Condition:
In good condition.
Technique:
Hand coloured engraving.
Image Size:
147mm
x 125mm
AUTHENTICITY
Genuine antique
dated:
1854
Description:
Very rare engraved view of Oakenville diggings near Nundle in 1854.
Many of the visitants at the Hanging Rock will be glad to learn that that indefatigable prospector, Captain Madgwick, has “hit the vein at last, and after having by his labours benefitted many a lucky digger, has now a good prospect of making a pile himself. He is at work on a ridge by Oakenville Creek, opposite Mr. Butler’s stores, and has constructed a rough railway up the ridge, by which, as his full buckets of stuff descend to the washing ground, the empty ones are drawn up. Captain Madgwick has already done well there. On Swamp Creek and towards the top of the rock, also, the diggers are still obtaining gold, above 100 ounces being bought in that locality by Mr. Haydon. Cox’s company have erected a large water- wheel, to be worked by the water from a race they are cutting, leading up towards Captain Madgwick’s ridge. The wheel has been tried and found to answer well.
From the original edition of The Illustrated Sydney News.
References:
Gibbs & Shallard. Illustrated Sydney News. ISSN 2203-5397.
Collections:
State Library New South Wales: F8/39-40
State Library Victoria: PCINF SLVIC=1853-1872
National Library Australia: Bib ID 440095
Walter George Mason (1820 - 1866)
Mason was born in London, the second son of Abraham John Mason, a well-known wood engraver and lecturer. Walter’s father began teaching him the art of wood-engraving when the family lived in New York in the 1830’s. Walter was sent back to London to train under Mr G. Bonner before 1839. In England, Walter Mason became very well known as a wood engraver and worked with The Illustrated London News, Punch, Pictorial Times, The Art Journal,and other periodicals. Walter’s brothers, George and Charles, had immigrated to Australia in about 1850 and worked in Sydney as wood engravers.It seems likely that they encouraged Walter to join them. In 1852 Walter and his family left England for Australia, arriving in Sydney via the Windsor on 4 November 1852. Soon after his arrival in Sydney, Mason became involved in the founding of The Illustrated Sydney News.Despite a small permanent staff and the fact that 4000 copies of the first issue were sold at sixpence a copy, the paper had financial problems from the beginning. Over a few months in 1854, five of the original proprietors left the partnership and Walter Mason became printer and publisher. Despite engraving illustrations for a large number of newspapers, books and magazines, Walter was in financial difficulties for most of his time in Sydney.
