Andrew MacCormac

Andrew MacCormac (23 December 1826 – 13 August 1918) was a portrait painter in South Australia.

History

Andrew was born on Dec 23 1826^[1] in Banbridge, County Down^[2] Ireland and studied at Lee's Academy in London. His father John MacCormac was the town clerk of Banbridge County Down, Ireland. Andrew was "He was induced to come to Australia by the late Mr. G. C. King (town clerk of Melbourne), when the latter was on a mission in England to stop the transportation of convicts to Victoria.^[1]" He and his wife travelled by steamer Golden Age to Melbourne, Victoria in 1854. He was ordained a minister of the Presbyterian Church, but at some stage became a Baptist, and when he moved to South Australia in 1868,^[3] where he ministered to the Moonta Baptist Church for a year, then moved to North Adelaide to follow the profession of portraitist in oils.^[4]

He was also a writer and poet of some ability. He published one small volume of verse Via Crucis; or Death and Life^[5] dedicated to Lord Hallam Tennyson.

He attempted painting landscapes, but those he exhibited at the Adelaide Easel Club, of which he was a member, were received without enthusiasm.^[6]

Some portraits

• Sir Henry Ayers^[7]
• Sir Richard Baker
• Sir John Cox Bray ^[8]
• John Howard Clark ^[9]
• Sir Lewis Cohen^[10]
• G. W. Cotton ^[11]
• Daniel Cudmore^[12]
• John Darling, Sr. ^[13]
• Rev. James Jefferis Congregationalist minister^[14]
• George S. Kingston ^[15]
• Sir William Milne ^[16]
• Sir John Morphett ^[17]
• Admiral W. J. S. Pullen^[18]
• Sir Robert Ross
• Sir R. R. Torrens^[19]
• Rev. James Way Congregationalist minister (drawing)
• John Whinham, founder of North Adelaide Grammar School

Family

He married Emily Mary Johnson (21 March 1847 – 3 November 1898). Their children included:

• eldest son Alexander Henry (11 Feb 1872 - 7 Aug 1944) married Esther May Leedham (6 May 1881 - 1 Sep 1958) on 14 September 1910 at the residence of her parents at Bowden on the Hill, SA
• second son Nicholas Chevalier (17 Jun 1873 - 25 Jul 1956) married Margaret Mary Edith Turner (1879-?) on 12 April 1906^[20] in Goodwood, SA
• David Johnson (07 Dec 1874 - ?)
• Mitchell Henry (21 Oct 1874 - 29 Oct 1954) married Mary Louise McGregor (cir 1889 - 5 Aug 1930) on 14 Jan 1915 at the Methodist Parsonage South Terrace, Adelaide
• eldest daughter Idelette (19 Jun 1868 – 8 June 1931) Never married
• daughter Muriel (12 Nov 1869 - 06 Nov 1939) married Harry Thomas Percy Macklin (1855 - 02 Aug 1902) on 19 August 1899 in Cuthburt Street Prospect, lived at Semaphore
• Emily Mary (15 Aug 1880 - 07 Nov 1880)
• youngest daughter Irene (07 Mar 1888 - 22 July 1963) married Friedrich Wilhelm Altmann (cir 1885 - 17 July 1954) on 16 October 1915, lived at Wilmington

They lived at Clifton Street, Prospect^[21]

Recognition

• He was awarded a gold medal at the International Exhibition in London 1862.^[3]
• He was awarded a gold medal at the International Exhibition in London 1873.^[22]
• Samples of his work are held by the Art Gallery of South Australia.
• Several of his portraits adorn the chamber walls of the House of Assembly, Adelaide City Council and the Town of Gawler.

References

1. "A PAINTER OF PORTRAITS". The Advertiser. 1918-04-06. p. 14. Retrieved 2016-01-09.
2. "Obituaries". Adelaide Observer (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 17 August 1918. p. 19. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
3. McCulloch, Alan Encyclopedia of Australian Art Hutchinson of London, 1968. Spelled "McCormac" in this reference.
4. "Obituary.". The Chronicle (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 24 August 1918. p. 39. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
5. MacCormac, A (1906), Via crucis, or, Death and life : a poem / by A. MacCormac, Vardon & Pritchard
6. "The Easel Clubs Exhibition". Quiz and the Lantern (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 22 October 1896. p. 8. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
7. "The Parliamentary Portrait Gallery". South Australian Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 24 June 1890. p. 4. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
8. "Sir John Bray". South Australian Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 27 August 1891. p. 4. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
9. "Public Library Board". The Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 18 April 1903. p. 8. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
10. "Presentation to the Retiring Mayor". South Australian Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 1 December 1891. p. 7. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
11. "A New Picture". Quiz and the Lantern (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 20 April 1894. p. 11. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
12. "Personal Pars". Quiz and the Lantern (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 25 March 1892. p. 6. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
13. "Fair and Unfair". Quiz and the Lantern (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 18 November 1897. p. 10. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
14. "News of the Week.". South Australian Chronicle and Weekly Mail (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 10 March 1877. p. 6. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
15. "Friday, June 3, 1881.". The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 3 June 1881. p. 4. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
16. "Portrait of Sir William Milne". Adelaide Observer (SA: National Library of Australia). 2 August 1890. p. 42. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
17. "The Week.". South Australian Chronicle (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 5 April 1890. p. 11. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
18. "Portrait of Admiral Pullen". South Australian Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 4 April 1883. p. 5. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
19. "Wednesday, March 31, 1886.". The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 31 March 1886. p. 4. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
20. Probably named for Nicholas Chevalier, the great Victorian painter.
21. "Google". www.google.com.au. Retrieved 2016-01-09.
22. "Colonial Works of Art". Adelaide Observer (SA: National Library of Australia). 1 May 1875. p. 8. Retrieved 20 January 2015. These two references may refer to one award, and one or other date is incorrect.