Returning to Thornthwaite

ON the weekend descendants of Joseph Docker returned to Thornthwaite for a reenactment of a cricket game.

The cricket game is believed to be the first photographed in the world and one of the earliest surviving photographs taken in Australia; it was taken sometime before 1860 when Joseph left his Dartbrook property, Thornthwaite.

The cricket game on Saturday was much like the one played in the 1800’s informal, not sure if anyone kept score, but the weather was perfect for a picnic.

The Paspaley family who now own Thornthwaite opened the renovated homestead to Docker’s descendants.

See images of the homestead below.

Janet Merewether, film maker and granddaughter of Hope Docker had visited the homestead a few times and was glad to see it had been fully restored from its previously derelict state.

On the sandstone facade of the verandah she pointed out the crest which had been hand-carved by Joseph Docker in 1846 when the homestead was built and explained to her son Arlo how the different marks on each block of sandstone indicated which convict had laid the block.

“Joseph Docker was one of the earliest photographers in Australia whose prints still exist and he was using katolight photographs where he would mix the chemicals in situ on the farm and coat the plate and he was very interested in the chemistry because that was all emerging and the chemical emulsions and so forth was a developing art form,” said Ms Merewether.

“He was in touch with photographers overseas to get the latest progress and techniques associated with the development of early photography,” she said.

“Joseph Docker was also a Member of Parliament, a medical doctor and introduced some of the first vineyards to the Hunter Valley and so forth so he was quite a renaissance man.

“One of his sons Ernest Docker continued on with stereoscopic photography and they founded the first amateur photographic society of New South Wales and I am still very interested in photography and cinematography, so it is an interesting connection in the family and my cousin Malcolm is also a photographic enthusiast,” Janet Merewether said.

Janet Merewether spent ten years in Sweden’s arctic circle filming the documentary Reindeer in my Sammi Heart.

Related Story: 

• First Cricket Photo Reenactment