painter and publican, was a painter and lithographer in Surrey, England, before emigrating to Adelaide with his two sons after the death of his wife, née Gerrard, in 1848. His earliest known Australian work is a watercolour, Corroboree, South Australia (1849, National Library of Australia). In 1850-52 he was listed as the licensed victualler of the Stag Inn, Rundle Street, Adelaide, but then resumed the profession of full-time artist. His watercolour of the Norfolk Arms Hotel, Adelaide (1851, Art Gallery of South Australia [AGSA]), belongs to this period and is perhaps a subject in which Glover had a commercial as well as artistic interest.
From 1854 to 1858 the South Australian Directory lists Harry Glover as an artist of Grey Street, North Terrace. This must have been the father rather than his namesake son (who signed his work 'H.H. Glover’ to distinguish himself from his father, 'H. Glover’) since Glover junior is supposed to have been in Melbourne during the latter part of the period. The Mitchell Library holds three watercolour views of Adelaide in 1856; one depicts the first railway bridge over the Torrens River, the others are views of King William and Rundle streets, Adelaide. The National Library holds a watercolour, Holton Brook near Adelaide, Residence of Charles Finn (1856).
Harry Glover also painted portraits, including several of William Baker Ashton, first superintendent of the Adelaide Gaol (AGSA & Mortlock Library). His lively watercolour of The Governor and his Staff (1850, Mortlock Library) depicts Ashton flanked by his dog, his young son Albert and the rag-bag staff of the gaol, all posed in front of the gate and gaoler’s lodge of 'Ashton’s Hotel’.
- Writers:
- Staff Writer
- Date written:
- 1992
- Last updated:
- 2011
