George Barron Goodman, also known as George Baron Goodman, was a practitioner of the Daguerreotype in the 1840s and Australia’s first professional photographer. He was also one of the first to hold the rights to use Daguerre's process in the British Colonies.
Early life George Barron Goodman was the son of A. Goodman of Nottingham Terrace, Regent's Park London.Family Notices (1843, January 6). The Australian (Sydney, NSW : 1824 - 1848), p. 3. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37114546 Geoffrey Batchen claims that "‘George Bar(r)on Goodman’ is an Anglicised inflection of Gershon Ben Avrahim, the daguerreotypist’s name by birth."
Sydney, 1842 After buying rights to use the daguerreotype process in the British Colonies from Richard Beard, Goodman set sail from England for Australia.An Eye for Photography, Alan Davies, State Library of New South Wales, Miegunyah Press, 2000, p. 4-6 In November 1842, he arrived in Sydney on board the Eden along with the requisite apparatus for taking daguerreotypes.To the Editor. (1842, December 3). The Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston, Tas. : 1835 - 1880), p. 2. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66019768COASTERS OUTWARDS. (1842, November 5). Australasian Chronicle (Sydney, NSW : 1839 - 1843), p. 3. Retrieved January 18, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article31737769 On 12 December he set up the Colony’s first photographic studio on the roof of Sydney's then tallest building, the Royal Hotel, in George Street.NEWS AND RUMOURS. (1842, December 14). The Colonial Observer (Sydney, NSW : 1841 - 1844), p. 5. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226361583 Exposure times were around 30 seconds and images were processed and framed for the sitter in a few minutes.CITY COUNCIL MEETING. (1842, December 13). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28650300 The studio itself was encased in blue glass, a feature which helped speed up exposure times due to the process's sensitivity to blue wavelengths of the light spectrum. The cost was around one guinea per image.
On 4 January 1843, Goodman married Sarah Polack who he appears to have met onboard the Eden while voyaging from England.Marriage contract, State Library of New South Wales, https://www2.sl.nsw.gov.au/archive/discover_collections/society_art/jewish/religious/yorkstreet/marriage_contract.html The marriage took place at Charlotte Place, Sydney, the residence of her father, well-known Sydney emancipist and auctioneer Abraham Solomon Polack. Two weeks later, on 21 January, the Governor, Sir Gerorge Gipps, visited his rooftop studio, and along with his wife Elizabeth, had their likeness taken by Goodman.NEWS AND RUMOURS OF THE WEEK. (1843, January 28). The Sun and New South Wales Independent Press (Sydney, NSW : 1843), p. 1. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article228130966 By March he had set up his apparatus to allow the taking of full length photos, group shots and landscapes.COLONIAL INTELLIGENCE. (1843, March 11). Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842 - 1843; 1854 - 1876), p. 3. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71569120
Hobart, 1843 Unfortunately Goodman had arrived in Australia during one of the Colony’s first economic depressions.Broomhill, R. (2008). Australian Economic Booms in Historical Perspective. The Journal of Australian Political Economy, (61), 12–29. To make the most of his monopoly on the use of the daguerreotype Goodman was forced to travel widely. In August 1843 he and Sarah left Sydney for Hobart, Tasmania, where they set up a studio to take portraits there.CLEARANCES. (1843, August 3). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12420732 Upon arriving in Hobart he found another photographer, Thomas Bock, was advertising the fact that he had the apparatus and skill to take daguerreotypes. In a letter to the editor of the Hobart Courier, Goodman made it clear he was the only person licensed to take daguerreotypes in Australia.1843 'DAGUERREOTYPE.', The Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859), 6 October, p. 1., viewed 17 Jan 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2952053 Goodman set up his new studio in the garden of Mrs Wilmot’s boarding house on St. Patrick Street.LOCAL. (1843, August 25). The Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859), p. 3. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2952270
By November 1843 business was on the wane and Goodman, still in Hobart, was advertising his intention to leave for Kolkata, India and was offering photos at reduced prices.LOCAL. (1843, November 3). The Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859), p. 3. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2951941 The following month he was preparing to leave for Port Phillip, Melbourne, in Victoria and try his fortunes there. However it appears he changed his plans so he could execute a series of landscape views of Hobart, a set of which was bought by James Ebenezer Bicheno, Colonial Secretary of Van Diemen's Land.November 17). The Austral-Asiatic Review, Tasmanian and Australian Advertiser (Hobart Town, Tas. : 1837 - 1844), p. 3. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article232482054
Sydney, Windsor, Bathurst, 1844-1845
Goodman and Sarah arrived back in Sydney, on the brig Caroline, in March 1844.SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. (1844, March 30). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12408814 On 21 June 1844, Sarah, gave birth to a daughter while at their residence at 49 Hunter Street Sydney.Family Notices (1844, June 22). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 1 (Supplement to SMH). Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28651334 On 17 August 1844 Goodman announced he would be opening a new daguerreotype studio located at the back of his home and before this finally opened to the public in December 1844, he appears to have had a studio at 14 Hunter Street. A portrait would now cost the sitter 21 shillings.Advertising (1844, August 17). The Australian (Sydney, NSW : 1824 - 1848), p. 2. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37120844 Full length portraits were still one guinea each.Advertising (1844, September 12). The Australian (Sydney, NSW : 1824 - 1848), p. 2. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37122272
By this time it appears Goodman’s daguerreotypes were greatly improved on the ones taken during his previous stay. In particular, correspondents noted that the horizontal lines left by the polishing machine on his earlier photos were almost completely removed in the newer ones.SYDNEY EXTRACTS. (1844, July 5). The Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859), p. 4. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2950857 Other improvements meant Goodman no longer needed to rely on taking images in the ‘blue chamber' as improvements in the emulsions sensitivity meant they could now be taken outside on a fine day. Examples of Goodman’s work from this period include portraits of Mr Siddons the keeper of the light-house at South Head and Captain Underwood.IN INSOLVENCY. (1844, August 15). The Australian (Sydney, NSW : 1824 - 1848), p. 3. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37125683 In November 1844 Richard Beard sent instructions to Goodman on how to colourise daguerreotypes. This new offering was immediately added to his advertisements, and sold for one guinea each.Advertising (1844, December 12). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12419945 By January 1845, Goodman’s new portraits of Dr William Bland, Dr. Bennett, Mr. Mort, and other well-known Sydney-siders could be viewed at a variety of establishments in George-street.SPIRITS AND TOBACCO. (1845, January 14). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12876708 A photograph of Dr Bland taken around this time has been identified by photography historian Alan Davies as the earliest extant photograph taken in Australia. Over the course of May and June 1845 Goodman travelled to Bathurst and Windsor in Regional New South Wales where he secured numerous portraits.ODD FELLOWSHIP. (1845, June 12). Hawkesbury Courier and Agricultural and General Advertiser (Windsor, NSW : 1844 - 1846), p. 2. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66378581Advertising (1845, May 14). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12879478 In May he appears to have visited 'Veteran Hall', in Prospect. This was the property of the Lawson family and he made a number of portraits while there. Some of these are now held by the State Library of New South Wales.Lawson family photographs by George Goodman, Catalogue Record, State Library of New South Wales, MIN 142, MIN 155, MIN 157, MIN 158, Min 323
Melbourne, Adelaide, 1845 Searching for new business, Goodman arrived in Melbourne on board the Thistle on 30 July 1845.DAGUERREOTYPE. (1845, August 2). Geelong Advertiser and Squatters' Advocate (Vic. : 1845 - 1847), p. 2. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article94447218 However, before he could announce his services to the public he needed to find a place to set up his equipment.Local Intelligence. (1845, August 1). Port Phillip Patriot and Melbourne Advertiser (Vic. : 1839 - 1845), p. 3. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226347257 By 6 August he had secured premises in the stores of Mr Wesby in Flinders Lane.DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE. (1845, August 6). Port Phillip Gazette (Vic. : 1838 - 1845), p. 2. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224812888 It was also rumoured he would travel to Gellong if there were enough subscribers.