Beattie, John, Watt, 1859-1930, photographer

Gender:

Male

Active Dates:

1859 - 1930

Active Area:

Oceania (continent)
Australia (nation)
Melanesia (region (general))
Tasmania (state)
Hobart (inhabited place)

Likenesses:

See between p.176 and p.177 of Cato's 'The story of the camera...' (1955).

Photographs:

None known to be held within the collection

Publications:

For a list of Beattie's publications see p.87 of Cato's 'The story of the camera...'.

Related Entries:

Beattie and Sanderson

John Watt Beattie was born in 1859 in Aberdeen, Scotland. He was educated at grammar school. His father, John Beattie, ran a portrait studio in George Street, Aberdeen. In 1878 a church dispute led to the Beattie family emigrating to New Norfolk, Tasmania. John Watt Beattie was an enthusiastic amateur photographer and in 1882 left New Norfolk to work for the Anson Brothers, Elizabeth Street, Hobart. In 1891 he bought the Ansons out and slowly began to expand the business. From 1896 Beattie became an official government photographer. Beattie was an expert on Tasmanian history and in 1901 became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Tasmania. He went on a five month tour on the mission steamer Southern Cross. In 1899 Beattie's photographs were used on the first full set of landscape postcards ever issued. In 1933 Beattie's studio was destroyed by fire. He died on June 24th 1930 (Cato 1955, p.80-87).

Sources:

Cato, Jack (1955), 'The story of the camera in Australia'. Melbourne: Institute of Australian Photographers.
Davies, Alan and Stanbury, Peter (1985), 'The mechanical eye in Australia: photography 1841-1900'. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

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