Caroline Chisholm, Maitland, NSW, Australia
S 32° 44.548 E 151° 34.041
56H E 365774 N 6376354
In Australia, Caroline Chisholm is well known for her 'suffrage' work, as she has been on the Australian $5 dollar note.
Waymark Code: WMW1NR
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Date Posted: 06/28/2017
Views: 0
On the western side of the Maitland Visitors Centre are four framed cast bronze panels that highlight the work that Caroline Chisholm (1808-1877) did while in the Maitland area and in Australia.
There is a small plaque on the base of the concrete pillars on the western side, which reads:
"A tribute to the of
CAROLINE CHISHOLM
who contributed so much
to Maitland and Australia
in the pioneering days
A gift to the city from
The Maitland Mercury
to mark 150 years of publication 1843-1993"
The three concrete pillars (which had been painted white, but are now rather discoloured) are connected by two concrete arches over the panels. Each panel has a similar, but reverse perspective, on the other side.
The panels show (reverse sides first, closer to the Visitors Centre):
* Four ladies (one of which is seated on a wicker chair, wearing a hat); three are facing the other way, and one (could be a boy) is shown in profile. There is a kerosene lamp hanging 'on a wall'.
* Possibly a family, of mother and father, with three children. One young boy is holding a pitch fork - facing the other way; with a girl and boy facing 'this way' (the boy holding a plate under his arm.)
The 'Obverse Sides' show the other view:
* The seated lady (with hat) on the wicker chair, is holding a book on her lap. One girl appears to be supporting or comforting the other. With the androgynous girl in profile is now seen holding a partly rolled up magazine. There appears to be a two-storey building in the background.
* The father and mother in the other panel appear to be encouraging the boy with the pitch fork. The girl is hidden, and only the back of the other boy is seen (on the left of that panel). The mother is holding either a potato peeler, or a weaving shuttle in her right hand.
There is no obvious indication of who the artist is; or how Caroline Chisholm was contributing to these two scenes.
More information on Caroline Chisholm can be found on Wikipedia: (
visit link)
Or from her obituary in the Maitland Mercury: (
visit link)
Visited: 1625, Sunday, 31 January, 2016