Samuel Nixon was born in Birmingham, England, on 12 September 1847, the son of William Millington Nixon, a gunsmith who arrived in Adelaide with his family in January 1855. William Nixon became a photographer then moved to a farm at Pomanda near Wellington about 1859. Three of his sons, Stephen Edward, Joseph Henry and Samuel also became photographers. Samuel was probably a member of the photographic firm of Nixon Brothers (q.v.) in the early 1860s, and could have been associated with his father who for a time was working as W.M. Nixon & Sons.
In August 1869 Samuel Nixon spent several weeks taking portraits at Saddleworth where it was reported that ‘considering the dullness of the times’ he had been well patronised. ‘He has succeeded in taking some very fine portraits and has given general satisfaction to those who have favoured him with a visit. He will be welcome to come to this part again.’1 In February 1871 he was again at Saddleworth. ‘Mr Samuel Nixon, the travelling photographer, has paid us his yearly visit and gave, as usual, satisfaction.’2
When Samuel Nixon married Rose Hannah Ireson at Norwood on 28 January 1873 his address was given as Pomanda. It is thought he moved to New South Wales when his father took up land in the Deniliquin district in the late 1870s, and in 1882 he selected blocks of Crown Land beside Lake Gunbar and called his property Gunbar Farm. One of his cartes de visite (Noye collection) has the imprint ‘S.Nixon, Photographer, South Australia and New South Wales. Residence, Harbourne near Deniliquin’.
Samuel Nixon died at Hillston, New South Wales, on 27 December 1922.
1Kapunda Herald, 20 August 1869; South Australian Register, 21 August 1869.
2South Australian Register, 3 March 1871.
Text taken from:
Noye, R.J. (2007) Dictionary of South Australian Photography 1845-1915, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. CD-ROM, p.217.
- Writers:
- Staff Writer
Nerina_Dunt
- Date written:
- 1992
- Last updated:
- 2013
