John Watt Beattie Index: Royal Society Collection

John Watt Beattie (1859 - 1930) who was born in Edinburgh, arrived in Tasmania in 1878 and settled at first in New Norfolk. He was a notable photographer, both of views and portraits and acted as photographer to the Tasmanian Government, and also took over Ansons' photographic studios (1892) in Hobart (the Beattie studios were sold shortly before his death). Many of Beattie's photographs of people and places were published in the Cyclopedia of Tasmania, (1st edn. 1900). He also prepared sets of lecture slides on the topography and history of Tasmania and gave many lectures himself. He was interested in the history and made an important collection of items relating to Port Arthur & convict days, which was sold to the Queen Victoria Museum, Launceston in 1927. Another collection was secured for the Tasmanian Museum Hobart after Beattie's death through William Walker, the City paying 250 pounds. Some of Beattie's lectures and photographic notes were placed with the Royal Society's manuscripts on loan by the Museum. Some other papers of J.W. Beattie were bequeathed by him to the Royal Society for safe-keeping. These consist of copies of historical manuscripts and some original manuscripts, press cuttings and notes. See RS.30. Includes personal papers, diaries and lecture note