John Miller Tregenza (1931-1999)
Papers

MSS 0049

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Series 8: Art Gallery of SA (Historical Pictures Index)  34 cm

The South Australian Historical Pictures Index (SAHPI) sought to record, through annotated photographs, all works of art in Australasian public collections that depict identifiable South Australian scenes and subjects of the colonial era, 1836-1900. The Index was divided into two parts: an Artist index and a visual subject index.

The Index was begun in 1977 by Dr J M Tregenza when he was Curator of Historical Collections in the Art Gallery of South Australia and was later continued with the help of a professional research assistant, Mrs Kathleen Patitsas. Mrs Jean Tregenza also gave honorary assistance at various times. The enterprise continued when Dr Tregenza became senior historian of the newly-formed History Trust of South Australia in 1981. In 1987, when he retired from the Trust, he transferred the Index to the State Library of SA.

About the HPI

• Notes on the South Australian Historical Pictures Index / Tregenza. 11 p. typescript.
• Article by Kathleen Patitsas and Tregenza on the South Australian Historical Pictures Index from SAPH Newsletter No. 3 (July 1981)
• notes on subject index and proposed index
• Lecture by Tregenza ‘The visual dimension of colonial history: with special reference to the Torrens Valley & the Walkerville District’ and forthcoming announcement; annotated drafts etc

Reports and correspondence re reports 1979-1986

• Includes grant applications and financial statements, notes by Tregenza November 1980, report to the Board January 1981, progress housing the collection in the planned South Australiana Library

Correspondence sorted alphabetically by correspondent 1982-87 (2 folders)

Correspondence with K.T, Borrow re historic pictures 1976-77, and 1982 re Kangaroo Island

Memo to Elizabeth Ho (SLSA) with draft of Tregenza’s new Introduction to the Historical Pictures Index 4/6/1977

Letter from Diana Laidlaw (Minister for the Arts) to Kathleen Patitsas 23/12/1999 re future of the Historical Pictures Index at the State Library

South East visit October 1984: correspondence, contacts, notes on pictures, map of Mt Gambier region 1984-85

(In 1984 Tregenza visited the South East of SA to identify and photograph scenes depicted by Eugene Von Guerard and to identify, record and photograph any paintings or drawings of South Australian historical interest for the HPI)
See also Von Guerard exhibition file in Series 9.5

Miscellaneous: ‘To do’ lists, some AGSA valuations, notes on history SA Institute

Lists of resources etc

• List of ‘Pictorial collections in South Australia (excluding Art Gallery of SA) = photocopied from “Directory of Australian Pictorial Resource”s / M. Davies & H Boyce (Melb., 1980?)
• Mitchell Library. Correspondence re SA pictures in the collections, 1976-80
• Pamphlet: ‘Some nineteenth century portrait drawings by Australian artists’ / Art Gallery of SA [4] p.
• South Australian Archives. Photocopied ms list of ‘Photographs etc’ Accession books; ms list made by ‘A’
• SA political cartoons: correspondence with K.T. Borrow 1976 re specimens and lists of cartoons from Portonian, The Lantern, Adelaide Punch, Figaro and Mirror

Notes of format of index

• Suggested system for HPI: typescript ‘Computer processing of data on the European industrial history collection of the South Australian Museum’ / D.A Cumming, Dept of Civil Engineering, University of Adelaide … 1982
• Samples of prints required
• ‘Guidesheet to accompany extracts from the South Australian Historical Pictures Index’ Typescript. 1 p.
• Abbreviations used for libraries etc

Research files on individual pictures and subjects (includes photocopies of pictures and index sheets, newspaper clippings, correspondence):

• Annie Watt. (Ketch) Newspaper article Old Annie waits for her tide, The Advertiser, October 14, 1971, and 2 black and white photographs.
• Church of Christ annual picnics 1908, 1911. Photocopies
• Clint, Alfred. Correspondence and photocopies re Clint’s ‘Prominent citizens of South Australia” Nos. I & II
• Curnow pictures. Photocopies of 4 early sketches and notes by Cornish horticulturalist, William Curnow.
• Gilfillan, John Alexander. List of present location of paintings etc; photocopied sketch of Adelaide 1850
• Light, Colonel William. 1986 correspondence re portrait
• Long, Alexander Wearing. Notes and correspondence on drawing ‘Cottage erected by W.A. Long nr. Adelaide’ by long
• Marble Hill paintings. Photocopies and correspondence re false attribution of painting to Norah Godlee
• National Bank of Australia: pictures from Calendars 1965-71. Also typed notes on G.F. Angas picture of Terraworta, S.T. Gill picture of Vale Farm at Walkerville, James Shaw picture of Harling House at Mitcham, and J. Hichen ‘A view of J. Barton Hack … farm at Echunga Springs.
• South East homesteads, historical pictures in (June 1978)
• Southeby’s sale 27/9/1978. Notes and correspondence re SA items for sale and unsuccessful bids
• ‘Stirlingshire Tannery’, Hindmarsh, with brief biographical note on Reid.
• Torrens Valley and Walkerville, pictures on
• Wreck of the Admella. Internal Memorandum from Tregenza to David Thomas regarding a painting ‘The Wreck of the Admella’ by James Shaw and a photocopy of page 13 from: Mudie, Ian [1966] “Wreck of the Admella”, Rigby, Adelaide; Sunday Telegraph, (1980) ‘Admella disaster shocked colonies,’ History Feature, Sunday Telegraph, July 13 1980, p. 37; The South Australian Advertiser, (1858) vol. 1, no. 1, July 12 1858, facsimile reprint 1979, Adelaide; Photocopied newspaper article ‘Wreck of the Admella: A survivor’s thrilling story’ marked ‘Register 21-1-22’; Loney, J.K. Admella, “Famous Wrecks” Series, no. 4, Geelong; Photocopy of a medal awarded to Uriah Marshall of the Adelaide Pilot Boat and accompanying letter; copies of newspaper articles 1860 and 1959 re Admella medals; correspondence re wheel of the Admella 1978
• Wreck of the Star of Greece (watercolour) / George F. Gregory. Includes notes and newspaper clippings on the wreck at Pt Willunga by the Society for Underwater Historical Research in 1977 aiming to complete a photographic survey; notes on signal cannon 1978
• Miscellaneous notes, images, photocopies etc on individual works
• Draft and completed cards for paintings etc., with associated notes and correspondence
• Slides of HPI works. 122 slides identified as ‘HPI’ works on header labels. Mostly annotated. 1 sheet 9 slides labelled ‘The Proclamation’