Twyford, the River Itchen, Hampshire
William spent the final months before his departure for Australia at a country house he leased on the River Itchen. It was there he met the Gandy family.
South Australia 1836-9
The Rapid, Gulf of St. Vincent
Light’s ship ‘The Rapid’ caught in a squall. This painting is probably a copy of Light’s watercolour sketch from early 1839. The initials D.B. may refer to a Miss Bice. In this speedy vessel Light and his companions made the journey from Southampton to South Australia via Cape Horn in a very quick time, justifying the ship’s name!
First Landing on Kangaroo Island
The Rapid reached Kangaroo Island 17 August 1836 where there was already a small settlement of whalers. Light made a black and white sketch of their tents which he turned into this watercolour in 1839. Kangaroo Island lies in Encounter Bay across from the mainland.
Rapid Valley 1836
Light came upon a sheltered bay which he named Rapid after his ship. He used this base to explore the inland wilderness which was eventually to become the basis for the settlement.
[Based on Light’s original drawings]
The Proclamation of Adelaide 28 Dec 1836
With the arrival of his ship, the Buffalo in late December, Governor Hindmarsh sought to establish his primacy by proclaiming the new city even though Light was sick in bed aboard ship and could not attend.
[Charles Hill 1856]
First Settlement January 1837
After the Proclamation, the first humble settlement of what was to become Adelaide was established.
[A later lithograph from an original sketch by William Light]
Port Adelaide 1838
The city grew at an astonishing pace, the new harbour already receiving large numbers of ships by the following year
[William Light watercolour]
Trinity Church, Adelaide
Built in the early years of the settlement, Adelaide’s oldest chapel before a later renovation.
[1839 Martha Berkeley]
The Bank of South Australia 1839
The North Terrace, Adelaide was already established with a bank and other buildings by 1839.
[William Light 1839]
Theberton Cottage
This is a much later painting of William’ Light’s cottage into which he moved in early 1839 after the disastrous fire that destroyed most of his papers and belongings. The original house, named after his childhood home at Theberton in Suffolk with the Doughty’s was more impressive. By the time of this painting, the cottage had fallen into disrepair. It is now in the suburb referred to as ‘Thebarton’.
[Augustus Barnes 1916]
Light Memorials, Adelaide
Montefiore Hill, Adelaide
Montefiore Hill is the highest point in central Adelaide. It is also called Lookout Point. Light is said to have laid out his vision for the new settlement from here. This statue is also the model for the statue of Francis Light at Fort Cornwallis George Town Penang
The Light Monument, Light Square
The original monument constructed in 1844 over Light’s grave.
[credit for image: Rita Bogna 2024]
The new Light monument 1905