Photographers of Maitland

Smithers, Alexander 

Maitland : 1857-1858

Alexander Smithers has been referred to as a Newcastle photographer through the period 1866 to 1871 and thereafter in Sydney, [1] however Smithers was active in Maitland in 1857-1858, advertising his business in the Maitland Mercury. [2]

                                  SMITHERS PORTRAITS must be perfection, since pictured by the sun’s
                                 direction; Heaven’s own bright rays – shed from above 
                                 To enshrine the form of those we love. [4]

Despite this poetic advertisement in May 1858, an accompanying  ‘rooms to let’ notice may have been an indication of financial concerns, since the next appearance of Smithers in the local press was a clearing sale in July.
The attention of 'Amateurs in the Photographic Art, School of Arts Committees, &c., &c.' was called to the sale, which included:  '1 PLATE CAMERA, complete Tripod, back ground, dark room Travelling chest fitter,
weights and measures  for the art; Water-colours, diamond and pliers, portrait and show-cases, with a large stock of photographic chemicals'. [5]

Smithers reappears in the press in December 1863, having imported a case of photographic goods [6] and is back in business in Newcastle by July 1866. [7]
Smithers’ Hunter Street gallery is available to let in June 1870, the proprietor “retiring from business on account of ill health”.  [10]

Smithers reappears in Sydney by 1876, [11]