Frederick James 'Fred’ Elliott was born in 1864 in Paignton near Brixham, Devon, UK, son of Alfred Elliott. Fred Elliott immigrated to Queensland in 1876 when his father was appointed teacher at Humpybong School near Redcliffe, Queensland. He died on 1 March 1949 in Paddington, NSW.

Elliott worked as a lithographic artist in the Queensland Government Printing Office from July 1896 to about 1903. He was a prolific artist, painting almost invariably in watercolours, occasionally in oils. He specialised in marine watercolour studies, travelling up and down the coast by ship and sketching scenes that he later turned into paintings. Elliott was active in Sydney from the 1890s to the 1920s, mainly painting Sydney Harbour (more correctly known as Port Jackson, NSW), including views and individual ships. His watercolours are characterised by a high key and strong atmospheric effects. He showed his paintings infrequently in the Queensland National Association’s exhibitions and with the Queensland Art Society and the NSW Society of Artists. He signed his paintings “F. Elliott”.

Writers:
Rost, Fred
Date written:
2009
Last updated:
2011