Caroline Chisholm (1808–1877), philanthropist and political agitator, grew up in England and came to Sydney in 1838 with her husband and two sons, having spent the previous five years in India. Shocked by the conditions faced by single women immigrants in New South Wales, she resolved 'never to rest until decent protection was afforded them'. She began by taking newly arrived women into her own home and in 1841 opened the Female Immigrants' Home, which provided shelter and operated as an employment agency. Despite official indifference and hostility from squatters, Chisholm led convoys of horse-drawn vehicles into rural areas, settling people on farms. By 1842, she claimed to have helped 'upwards of 2000 persons' find homes, husbands and employment. Back in England from 1846, she continued lobbying on behalf of assisted immigrants. Chisholm returned to Australia in 1854 and busied herself on the Victorian goldfields, but became sick, struggled financially, opened a girls' school and faded into relative obscurity.
This black-and-white engraving by J. B. Hunt, after a daguerreotype by Antoine Claudet, portrays Chisholm in her later years. It was made in London in 1853, the year Chisholm published The Emigrant's Guide to Australia. Claudet learned photography from Louis Daguerre, and established his own daguerreotype studio in London in 1841.
Purchased 2015
The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the
Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a
Reproduction request. For further information please contact
NPG Copyright.
