[PORT PHILLIP] No. 1 Nelson’s Place, Williams Town. June 1840.

A$3,750 · Offered by Douglas Stewart Fine Books

Ink on paper, 122 x 270 mm; unsigned, but with artist s manuscript caption lower left No. 1 Nelson s Place, Williams Town. June 1840 ; scattered light foxing and toning, old central verical fold line, mild creasing at upper left corner and right edge; verso with a later manuscript note in pencil Please [xxxxx] without fail for W. H. Elsum and Stockade / W. Elsum in biro. A very early view of Williamstown, Port Phillip, in the Colony of New South Wales. It shows most of the settlement s first primitive buildings, which fronted Nelson s Place (now Nelson Place) between present-day Thompson and Cole Streets, directly opposite the stone jetty (now the Gem Pier). William s Town, as it was originally known, served as Port Phillip s first anchorage. Its first streets had been laid out during 1837, just some three years before the date of this drawing. Nelson s Place was the only thoroughfare to speak of, running along the waterfront from north to south. The later pencilled note on the back of the drawing refers to William H. Elsum, author of The history of Williamstown : from its first settlement to a city 1834-1934 (Melbourne : Frank S. Young, 1934); the drawing is indeed reproduced in one of the black-and-white plates in his book, where it is captioned An early sketch in Nelson Parade . Elsum does not give any provenance information, although the note on the reverse would imply that the drawing was lent to him for inclusion in his publication. He describes the drawing as follows:

• Binding: Hardcover

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