Lady Franklin Gallery

Last updated

Lady Franklin Gallery
Lady Franklin Gallery.jpg
Gallery and Ancanthe parkland in 2023
Australia Tasmania location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Tasmania
Former name
Lady Franklin Museum
Established1843 (1843)
Location Lenah Valley, Tasmania, Australia
Coordinates 42°51′58″S147°16′41″E / 42.86611°S 147.27806°E / -42.86611; 147.27806
Type
Architect James Blackburn
Owner Hobart City Council
Public transit access
Nearest car parkOn site
Website artstas.com.au
Place ID2,610 [1]
StatusPermanently Registered

The Lady Franklin Gallery and Ancanthe Park is a historic sandstone museum and 2.96-hectare (7.3-acre) [2] parkland in Lenah Valley, Tasmania, Australia. [3] When it opened on 26 October 1843, it became the first privately funded museum in Australia.

Contents

History

“A pretty little design for a Glyptothek... I mean nothing more than 1, 2 or 3 rooms, of small size tho’ good proportions, to hold a small number of pictures, and a dozen of casts of the Elgin and Vatican marbles”. [4]

– Lady Franklin's museum vision in 1841

In 1836, Lady Jane Franklin and her husband Sir John Franklin relocated to Van Diemen's Land when he was appointed lieutenant-governor of the colony. In 1839, she purchased 53 hectares (130 acres) of land in Lenah Valley with the intent of building a museum and botanical garden, which she named Ancanthe, Ancient Greek for "blooming valley". [5] Built at her own expense in the Greek revivalist style with convict labour, the sandstone museum opened to the public on the 26th October, 1843. The museum displayed Tasmanian memorabilia, books, botanical specimens, sculptures, and other items from Lady Franklin's personal collection. Her hopes for the parklands to be transformed into a botanic garden never materialised. When the Franklins departed Tasmania in 1853, the museum and estate were entrusted to the nearby Queen's College, which itself was purchased by the Hutchins School in 1893. During this period, Lady Franklin's artefacts were dispersed, large portions of the parklands were sold for housing and the museum became a storehouse for apples. [3]

The museum and parklands remained privately owned and in a state of disrepair until they were purchased by the Hobart City Council in 1921. [6] The Art Society of Tasmania located to the premises in 1949. [7] The Lady Franklin Gallery is designated on the Tasmanian Heritage Register. [8]

Ancanthe Park development

In 2013, the Saving Ancanthe Action Group unsuccessfully petitioned for the Hobart City Council to facilitate the purchase of former parkland surrounding the gallery on the merits of its historical and environmental value as a means to save it from housing development. The group further hoped to establish a Cultural Landscape and Historic Centre in the Vicinity of Ancanthe Park. [9] In 2014, author Alison Alexander, who won the National Biography Award for her book The Ambitions of Jane Franklin, Victorian Lady Adventurer opposed the subdivision of sixteen allotments of Ancanthe Park. [10] Since at least 2015, the Ancanthe parkland has been further subdivided, with allotments sold for housing development. This resulted in the extension of Ancanthe Avenue, which runs directly through the former estate.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hobart</span> Capital city of Tasmania, Australia

Hobart is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the southernmost and least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-smallest if territories are taken into account, before Darwin, Northern Territory. Hobart is located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, making it the most southern of Australia's capital cities. Its skyline is dominated by the 1,271-metre (4,170 ft) kunanyi/Mount Wellington, and its harbour forms the second-deepest natural port in the world, with much of the city's waterfront consisting of reclaimed land. The metropolitan area is often referred to as Greater Hobart, to differentiate it from the City of Hobart, one of the seven local government areas that cover the city. It has a mild maritime climate.

Councils of Tasmania are the 29 administrative districts of the Australian state of Tasmania. Local government areas (LGAs), more generally known as councils, are the tier of government responsible for the management of local duties such as road maintenance, town planning and waste management.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glenorchy, Tasmania</span> Suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Glenorchy is a suburb of Hobart, in the state of Tasmania, Australia. Glenorchy is bound by the River Derwent to the east, Mount Wellington to the west, Hobart City to the south and Brighton to the north. The city officially begins at Creek Road New Town, in Hobart's northern suburbs, and includes, Moonah, Derwent Park, Lutana, Goodwood, Montrose, Rosetta, Berriedale, Chigwell, Claremont and Austins Ferry. It is the seat of the local government area of the same name, the City of Glenorchy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Hobart</span> Local government area in Tasmania, Australia

Hobart City Council is a local government body in Tasmania, covering the central metropolitan area of the state capital, Hobart. The Hobart local government area has a population of 53,684 and includes the suburbs of West Hobart, Lenah Valley, Mount Stuart, South Hobart, New Town, Sandy Bay and most of Fern Tree, North Hobart and Mount Nelson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Glenorchy</span> Local government area in Tasmania, Australia

Glenorchy City Council is a local government body in Tasmania, and one of the five municipalities that constitutes the Greater Hobart Area. The Glenorchy local government area has a population of 50,411, covering the suburbs north of central Hobart on the western shore of the Derwent River, including its namesake suburb, Glenorchy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Crowther (Australian politician)</span> Tasmanian politician (1817–1885)

William Lodewyk Crowther FRCS was a Tasmanian politician, who was Premier of Tasmania from 20 December 1878 to 29 October 1879.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bothwell, Tasmania</span> Town in Tasmania, Australia

Bothwell, Tasmania is a small town with a population at the 2021 census of 499. Situated in central Tasmania on the River Clyde in a broad valley, it is notable for hunting and being a lake district. It is part of the municipality of Central Highlands Council and celebrated the bicentenary of its founding in 2022. Nearby locations include Hollow Tree, Hamilton, Ouse and Kempton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Franklin</span> British explorer (1791–1875)

Jane, Lady Franklin was the second wife of the English explorer Sir John Franklin. During her husband's period as Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land, she became known for her philanthropic work and her travels throughout south-eastern Australia. After John Franklin's disappearance in search of the Northwest Passage, she sponsored or otherwise supported several expeditions to determine his fate.

Lenah Valley is a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania. It is situated in the foothills of Mount Wellington, north of the CBD between Mount Stuart, New Town and the City of Glenorchy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Society of Tasmania</span>

The Royal Society of Tasmania (RST) was formed in 1843. It was the first Royal Society outside the United Kingdom, and its mission is the advancement of knowledge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery</span> Art and history museum in Hobart, Australia

The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) is a museum located in Hobart, Tasmania. The museum was established in 1846, by the Royal Society of Tasmania, the oldest Royal Society outside England. The TMAG receives 400,000 visitors annually.

Lady Frankin may refer to:

James Blackburn was an English civil engineer, surveyor and architect best known for his work in Australia, where he had been transported as a sentence for forgery. According to the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Blackburn "has claims to be considered one of the greatest engineers of his period in Australia, and his architectural achievements established him as Tasmania's most advanced and original architect." He was key to the formation of the Department of Public Works in 1839, serving as one of its core members under Alexander Cheyne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hobart City Centre</span> Suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Hobart City Centre is a suburb surrounded by metropolitan Hobart, which comprises the original settlement, the central business district, and other built-up areas. It is the oldest part of Hobart and includes many of the city's important institutions and landmarks, such as Parliament, the Supreme Court, Franklin Square, the Elizabeth Street Mall, the Royal Hobart Hospital, the Theatre Royal, Odeon Theatre, State Library, the NAB Building, the Museum, and the Cenotaph. The city centre is located in the local government areas of the City of Hobart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trams in Hobart</span>

Trams no longer operate in Hobart, the capital of the Australian state of Tasmania, but the city once had an extensive and popular system that reached the majority of its suburbs. It was the first complete electric tram system in the Southern Hemisphere, and the only one in Australia to operate double-decker trams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral division of Hobart</span> Tasmanian Legislative Council electoral division

The electoral division of Hobart is one of the 15 electoral divisions in the Tasmanian Legislative Council. It was originally created in 1856 when the Council became the upper house of the Parliament of Tasmania. The seat was abolished in 1999 and re-created in 2008 after a redistribution saw the former division of Wellington returned to its former name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franklin Square (Hobart)</span> Public square in Hobart, Tasmania

Franklin Square is a 1.6-acre (0.63-hectare) oak-lined public square located in the Hobart City Centre in Tasmania, Australia. It is named for Sir John Franklin, an Arctic explorer and former Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land. The centrepiece of the park is a statue of Franklin, with an epitaph written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. As the city's most central urban parkland and transportation hub, Franklin Square is frequently utilised for festive markets, public gatherings and as a place for public protest.

The Tasmanian Heritage Register is the statutory heritage register of the Australian state of Tasmania. It is defined as a list of areas currently identified as having historic cultural heritage importance to Tasmania as a whole. The Register is kept by the Tasmanian Heritage Council within the meaning of the Tasmanian Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995. It encompasses in addition the Heritage Register of the Tasmanian branch of the National Trust of Australia, which was merged into the Tasmanian Heritage Register. The enforcement of the heritage's requirements is managed by Heritage Tasmania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollow Tree, Tasmania</span> Town in Tasmania, Australia

Hollow Tree is a rural locality in the local government area of Central Highlands in the Central region of Tasmania. It is located about 17 kilometres (11 mi) north-east of the town of Hamilton and about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) south-west of the town of Bothwell in one of Tasmania's key pastoral districts. The 2021 census determined a population of 33 for the locality.

The Art Society of Tasmania was founded as the Tasmanian Art Association in 1884 by Louisa Swan and Maria Evans as a means to cultivate artistic culture and practice in the Colony of Tasmania.

References

  1. "Permanent and Provisional Registrations as at 22 Jan 2021" (PDF). Tasmanian Heritage Register. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  2. "ANCANTHE PARK MASTER PLAN" (PDF). Hobart City Council . Inspiring Place. 1 March 2015. p. 6. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  3. 1 2 Rääbus, Carol (17 October 2017). "Lady Franklin Gallery: Why there's a Greek-style building at the back of Lenah Valley". abc.net.au. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  4. "ANCANTHE PARK MASTER PLAN" (PDF). Hobart City Council . Inspiring Place. 1 March 2015. p. 4. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  5. Woodward, Frances J., "Franklin, Lady Jane (1791–1875)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 17 September 2018, retrieved 17 September 2018
  6. "Jane Franklin: A remarkable woman". Royal Museums Greenwich. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  7. "History of the Lady Franklin Gallery". The Art Society of Tasmania. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  8. "Permanent and Provisional Registrations as at 22 Jan 2021" (PDF). Tasmanian Heritage Register. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  9. Sheridan, Gwenda (8 January 2012). "Ancanthe… all that will be lost". Tasmanian Times . Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  10. Mounster, Bruce (4 August 2014). "Hobart historian and author Alison Alexander wins $25,000 National Biography Award for 'engrossing' work on Lady Jane Franklin". The Mercury (Hobart) . Retrieved 27 November 2022.