Design and Art Australia Online

natural history painter, teacher, architectural draughtsman, surveyor and Church of England clergyman, was sent to Van Diemen’s Land by the Anglican missionary Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. Ordained just before his departure by the Bishop of London, Rev. Thomas Spurr arrived at Hobart Town with his wife, two daughters and a son in the Fortitude on 20 June 1840 and was appointed chaplain at Clarence Plains. He announced in the Hobart Town Courier of 19 March 1841 that he was running a school there in conjunction with his parish duties and advertised for four students, mentioning that he could offer references from Cambridge University. He was still living at Clarence Plains on 9 February 1844 when he advertised in the same newspaper that he was available for employment as an architectural draughtsman, land surveyor or private tutor in mathematics or classics, by then having been dismissed from his clerical duties. By 1848 he was living at North Hobart and again offering all the above expertise (including 'any description of ornamental Line, or watercolour pencilling’), as well as 'drawings of insects from life and native plants, flowers &c.’ He also offered to teach painting. At the same time Mrs Spurr was advertising lessons in knitting flowers.

Spurr finally found full-time employment with the government as a draughtsman in the Survey Department. By 1851 he had been promoted chief draughtsman, the former occupant of the position having been dismissed; but on 17 August 1851 he too was given the sack, for insolence, drunkenness and incompetence. On 14 August 1856 Thomas Spurr, aged 55, died of apoplexy and alcoholism. No surviving art works have been identified.

Writers:

Staff Writer

Date written:

1992

Last updated:

2011