John White (South Australian painter)

John White (1854 – 8 January 1943) was a South Australian painter and pharmacist.

John White was born in Bath, England to Ellen White (nee Ford) and John White on 4 July 1854. He trained as a pharmacist in Bristol. John White emigrated to South Australia on 12 January 1878 on the SS Torrens under engagement to Mr E. S. Wigg who owned a significant pharmacy in Rundle Street,^[1]. John White later set up his own chemist's shop in Rundle Street in the 1880s which would become J. White & Sons Pty Ltd, Kent Town,^[2]. John White was also in partnership with Philip John Evans as chemists of The Parade, Norwood until April 1888.^[3] He purchased the retail arm of F. H. Faulding & Co., and set up pharmacies in Graves Street, Kadina from 1919, operated by his son H. G. White, and at Port Lincoln.^[1] He sold his original Rundle Street, Kent Town business and purchase Mr Eyre's pharmacy at 98 O'Connell St in North Adelaide who was the pharmaceutical chemist to the Governor of South Australia. He later moved his pharmacy into the Verco Building on the corner of North Terrace and Stevens Place in the city of Adelaide.

John White was strongly associated with the foundation of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Australia. He also served on the advisory committee which established the Food and Drugs Act of 1908 enacted by the Parliament of South Australia. He was one of the founding Society members appointed by the Governor to form the Pharmacy Board of South Australia following The Pharmacy Act of 1935 which restricted the use of the title 'pharmaceutical chemist'.

He was a member of George Brookman's original Coolgardie Goldmining Prospecting Company Limited,^[4] and made a fortune in the gold mines of Western Australia.^[5] He retired in 1899, leaving W. J. Burton as manager of the business.

John White was inspired to take up painting influenced by his cousin Dr Wheeler of Reigate (Surrey) who exhibited at the Royal Academy in London. At the age of 21 John White he travels throughout Wales on a painting expedition. He was highly respected as a fine amateur painter and connoisseur, judge and lecturer.^[6]

By 1877 he was a well-known artist in South Australia and had exhibited regularly. By he was awarded a prize in the Jubilee Exhibition and the Melbourne Exhibition of 1880.

He was a founding member of the Adelaide Easel Club in 1892 and he studied with James Ashton (4 April 1859 – 2 August 1935) the artist and an influential arts educator in South Australia. John White later became the treasurer of the Adelaide Easel Club from 1899. White's Land of the salt bush became one of his most recognised oil paintings. Around this time John White lived in 'Leighton' in Collinswood. He later moved to a large home called 'Conara' Bellevue Place in Unley Park.

John White joined the South Australian Society of Arts when the two clubs merged in 1901 and served as its president 1911–1914; 1919–1921 and 1923–1927. He was a member of the Board of Governors of the South Australian Institute (which included the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery)^[7] and president of the council, S.A. School of Arts and Crafts 1926–1928.

Works held by the Art Gallery of South Australia

• Land of the salt bush 1898
• From the Sand Dunes 1899
• Near the Pioneer's Anchorage, Nepean Bay, Kangaroo Island 1908
• Swamp Lands 1908

Selected works

These are some works which were praised by contemporary media:

• Torrens Lake at Sunrise 1888^[8]
• Joy cometh in the morning 1901^[9]
• Where the Mallee Grows 1902^[10]
• Where Ti-trees Bend 1903^[11]
• The Great North Land 1905
• Springtime 1906 ^[12]
• The Pioneer's Anchorage, Nepean Bay, Kangaroo Island 1908^[13]
• The Golden Hour pastel 1910^[14]
• Sunset, Nepean Bay pastel 1912^[15]

He continued into old age to paint and exhibit fine works, but was no longer selected for special comment by newspaper critics.

He was on the board of management of the Adelaide Hospital.

First Marriage: On 24 August 1882, he married Katherine Isabella "Kate" Brookman (1857 – 2 November 1893), second daughter of Benjamin Brookman of Parkside, South Australia, and sister of Sir George Brookman. She died shortly after the birth of their fourth son, Clifford George White, who also died in infancy.

Children from the first marriage:

• Leslie Ford White (4 December 1884 – 1963), married Violet Hasheen Hall (1885–1971) on 21 June 1904; they divorced in 1921.
• Alfred John White (17 October 1886 – 5 March 1970)
• Howard Gordon White (24 October 1889 – 1972), pharmacist, resided on Melbourne Street, North Adelaide.
• Mildred Stella Katherine "Katie" White (8 September 1891 – 30 September 1913)
• Clifford George White (6 September 1893 – 11 November 1893)

Second Marriage: In 1895, following the death of his first wife John White married Helen Georgina Nicholson (1873 – 25 April 1918, Melbourne), a cousin of his first wife. She was the daughter of Matthew R. Nicholson (1832–1866) and Catherine Brookman (1831–1922). The marriage took place at ‘Tranmere’, 37 Bryson Street, Canterbury, Melbourne, Victoria.

Children from the second marriage:

• Dr Alan Hubert White (18 May 1896 – 1950, Adelaide), medical practitioner
• Wilfred Neil White (11 December 1899 – 1949, Adelaide)
• Helen Audrey "Audrey" White (1 November 1903 – 1968), Western Australia
• Catherine Dorothy White (20 June 1905 – 1982, Horton, Newcastle upon Tyne, England)