Thomas Adcock was born In Brompton, Adelaide in 1856 son of English immigrants Thomas Adcock schoolmaster and secretary of Hindmarsh Institute, Hindmarsh councillor and Elizabeth daughter of John Burnell. Thomas’s career was varied; as a Baptist pastor and evangelist well known for his 'picture preaching’ by lantern slides which drew large audiences, journalist and Temperance advocate He studied at the Union College theological around 1875 later holding the role of Sunday-school superintendent at the Hindmarsh Christian Church and was ordained circa 1893. Adcock was variously pastor of the Christian Church in Bentham street, Adelaide,(1891) the Baptist Church at Wayville,(1894) and the Fremantle Baptist Church (1896-97. His various photographic businesses ran concurrently from 1887 until circa 1918.
From 1882 Adock was presenting lantern slide lectures including in 1883 at the Congregational Church, Gawler, Clare Town Hall on insurance for the AMP Society. The following evening at the Hall he showed fifty slides of Christ and St Paul. He continued with religious theme lantern slide and musical presentations and services as minister at Wayville into the 1890s.
By 1885 Adcock was making photographs as he became a foundation member of the South Australian Photographic Society and opened how own studio in 1887, offering a range of portrait and view services at Port Road, Hindmarsh. He attracted commissions undertaking in 1890 portraits of the Premier and Speaker of the House of Assembly and fifty two members. Adcock was working as a portrait and enlarging artist at a studio in Freeman street by 1894. He took over Saul Solomon’s Rundle street studio c 1890.
How Adcock learned photography or portrait art is not known but he was a nephew of local photographer George Burnell.(q.v.) Adcock was known for his enlarged portraits some life size – a skill perhaps arising from his experience with lantern slide projection. He published a series of South Australian stereographs in the mid 1880s, a number held by the State Library of South Australia.
From 1891-95 Adcock had studios in Hindmarsh, Kadina, possibly Gawler and Moonta and in Frearson’s Building, King William Street, Adelaide from 1894-1899. He also made visits to Western Australia as a minister. From 1903-05 he was located at 143 Rundle street Adelaide, trading as Alpha studios.
Religion and social causes were a constant in Adcock’s career. An advocate for temperance since the mid 1880s, from 1900 to 1902 Adcock was secretary for the South Australian Temperance Alliance and editor of Alliance News to which he position returned briefly in 1906. He advocated the use of photo postcards for Alliance campaigning.
On 3 February 1917 _The Mail _ described his commodious studio in the new City Market building in Grove street – noting as well that he had once been a lecture in photography at the School of Mines. His role as a pastor continued apparently and he died in 1923 whilst performing a marriage ceremony at his Church in Southwark, Thebarton.
- Writers:
-
newtog
- Date written:
- 2022
- Last updated:
- 2022
