The Nevin brothers, Thomas (T. J. Nevin, 1842-1923) and John (W. J. Nevin, 1852-1891) served the Police and Prisons Departments of the Tasmanian government from the late 1860s to the late 1880s. Thomas was contracted as prisons and police photographer by the family solicitor, Attorney-General and later Premier, W.R. Giblin, from 1868, serving the New Town Territorial Police and the Municipal Police at the Town Hall as special constable (1879), and assistant bailiff in the City Police Court and Supreme Court (1880s).
Constable W. J. Nevin ca. 1880.
Photo taken by his brother Thomas Nevin
© The Nevin Family Collections 2009 ARR
Thomas Nevin’s younger brother, W.J. Nevin, known as John (and Jack to the family), was a Constable at Cascades by 1875:
A BIRCHING, 1875
Constable Nevin, Mercury, 27 October 1875.
TRANSCRIPT
PEACE DISTURBERS. – Robert Evans and William Inman were charged by Constable Pearce, of the Cascades, with having disturbed the peace in Upper Macquarie-street on the 24th inst. The defendants pleaded “not guilty”. Constables Pearce and Nevin, of the Cascades, proved that the defendants were throwing stones and making a disturbance. The Police Magistrate said that in Upper Macquarie-street there existed the roughest of lads in Hobart Town. He would sentence both defendants to 14 days’ imprisonment, and warn them that on proof of a second they would probably be birched.
Jack Nevin was his elder brother’s assistant at the Hobart Gaol, Campbell Street during Thomas’ commissions as police photographer in prisons and police courts. He helped maintain one of their photographic studios, in New Town, until the late 1880s, so it can be assumed that he was also a proficient photographer. Jack Nevin was employed on salary at the Hobart Gaol under the supervision of the keeper Ringrose Atkins from 1874, became a Constable in 1875, and served on salary at H.M. Prison, Hobart until his untimely death at age 39 in 1891.
A younger Jack Nevin standing on viewer’s extreme right
The Nevin Group Portrait ca. 1876? (detail):
Jack Nevin, top right, Thomas Nevin seated
From © The Nevin Family Collections 2009 ARR
This is a detail of a group photo, taken ca. 1876-8 and reprinted at a later unknown date on newspaper, of Thomas and Elizabeth Nevin, both seated, with younger brother Jack Nevin standing with hands on hips, on viewer’s extreme right.
Jack Nevin ca 1874-6
Photographed by his brother Thomas Nevin
From © The Private Collection of Denis Shelverton 2006-2009 ARR.
This image was scanned from a reprint of a photograph taken ca. 1874-6 which had also been printed on newspaper at a later date, possibly 1900s, and pasted into the scrapbook of George Nevin (1880-1957), a son of Thomas and Elizabeth Nevin. The original carte by Thomas J. Nevin was taken at his studio The City Photographic Establishment, 140 Elizabeth Street, Hobart Town. Even such a poor image gives details of the studio decor which featured a diamond-patterned carpet, and a table with griffin-shaped legs.
In this image reproduced on newspaper, his brother Thomas captured him in a relaxed standing pose leaning on a book (signifier of literacy), wearing a shirt, tie, fob watch, and three piece suit with velvet collars. In the later photograph (first one above) taken ca. 1880, Jack Nevin looks very relaxed and very savvy about the process of being photographed. His gaze is direct and very keen, his clothes suitable for everyday work in a foul place such as a prison. His salaried positions were primarily in administration, with a career path and ranking similar to the Keeper’s. Older brother Thomas Nevin had been a Keeper too of a public institution, at the Hobart Town Hall between 1876-1880, a special constable during the Chiniquy Riots of 1879, and assistant bailiff in the courts during the 1880s. Jack Nevin’s presence at the Gaol points to a close family involvement by both Nevin brothers with prisoner documentation – visual and written.
DEATH by GUNSHOT WOUND at the QUARRY 1882
View from the hill above Quarry to the Hobart Gaol
Courtesy Archives Office of Tasmania
Ref: 30-5718c. Unattributed, ca. 1885.
On the 14 May 1882, Constable W.J. Nevin was on duty at 11.45am when the guard in the sentry box on the hill at the Quarry behind the stone-shed near the Hobart Gaol failed to return. Nevin was dispatched to investigate and found the guard, Frank Green, dying of a gunshot wound. “I am shot, John” were Green’s dying words as Nevin lifted his head.
Click on for readable version
Death by Gunshot Wound
The Mercury, 15 May 1882
At the inquest held at the Bird-in-Hand Hotel five days later, John Nevin was a key witness. The jury of seven reached a verdict of accidental death. Coroner Tarleton found the guard Frank Green had slipped when about to descend the hill and his double-barrelled breach loading gun had caught in a string on his coat, discharging a bullet through his abdomen and lung.
The Mercury 19 May 1882
ELECTORAL ROLL 1884
The Electoral Roll of the Electoral District of North Hobart, year commencing 11th April, 1884, showed this entry:
NEVIN, William John
Place of Abode: H.M. Gaol
Nature of qualification: Salary
Particulars of Qualification: H.M. Government
Nevin, William John: Electoral Roll for North Hobart 1884.
Source: Archives Office Tasmania
mfmN206 Tasmania Electoral Roll
SLTX/AO/EP/425 (NLA)
Vols: 1884-85;1886;1886-88
Click on images for large version
Source of Microfilm (shot from screen at NLA):
Archives Office Tasmania
mfmN206 Tasmania Electoral Roll
SLTX/AO/EP/425
Vols: 1884-85;1886;1886-88
The Royal Arms insignia on this document and which appeared on all government documents in 19th century Tasmania also appeared on Thomas Nevin’s studio stamps printed on the verso of convict identification photos taken at the Port Arthur and Hobart Town gaols, and on several of his portraits of people who may have been prison officials. e.g James Boyd, and A. H. Boyd.
The Keeper of H.M. Gaol, Hobart, from the 1st January 1874 was Ringrose Austin Atkins (see record above). He was listed on the Electoral Roll for North Hobart for the year commencing April 11th, 1884 on “salary“, and resident at the gaol in Campbell Street. The gaol was conventionally known as the Campbell Street Gaol [CSG]. In the same year, 1884, William John Nevin was also listed on “salary” at H. M. Gaol, Hobart, and also resident there. His position is not listed, but from earlier documents pertaining to his duties at H.M. Gaol , it is clear that he was in training as Keeper under Ringrose Atkins’ supervision. The term “Keeper” denotes a manager of an archive: it is still used as a position title at the Public Records Office of Victoria.
Family solicitor and mentor to the Nevin brothers, Attorney-General W. R. Giblin (1840-1887)
Portrait by Thomas Nevin ca. 1874
Courtesy of the Archives Office of Tasmania Ref: NS1013/1971
Map of the old Hobart Gaol
Photo © The Nevin Family Collection 2008 ARR
Click on thumbnail for large view
POLICE in UNIFORM late 1880s
Images courtesy Archives Office of Tasmania
Unattributed, ca. 1885
Refs: (top) NS1013-1-19 (below) NS1013-1c.
