John Henry Chinner

John Henry Chinner (30 June 1865 – 15 December 1933) was a South Australian artist, best known for his caricatures of prominent people.

History

Chinner was born in Brighton, South Australia, son of George Williams Chinner (c. 1824 – 27 May 1880), and his second wife Mary Chinner, née Edwards.

Chinner, pḕre, arrived in SA before 1847, had a drapery shop on Rundle Street. He married Caroline Bowen (c. 1831 – 29 April 1861) on 6 April 1849. By 1859 he was a Hindley Street publican, Mayor of Brighton in 1860 and longtime councillor. He married Mary Edwards on 8 September 1863.

In 1879 he was enrolled at Prince Alfred College as a boarder, and later was a prominent batsman in the annual cricket match against St Peter's College.^[a]

This was the start of a lifelong commitment as an active member and finally president of the PAC Old Collegians' Association, longtime member of the College Committee and for 22 years the Council's Honorary Secretary.^[1]

The family moved to Parkside around 1880 and Chinner became involved with the local church literary society, taught bible classes, and was promoted by Alfred Catt to Sunday school superintendent. His devout, methodical, serious nature and no-nonsense leadership style made the Parkside Wesleyan Methodist Sunday school an example that other churches sought to emulate.^[1] His admiration for the Song of Australia as a National Anthem was tempered by Caroline Carleton's lack of reference to God, which Chinner made good with an additional verse:

There is a land, a morning land,
Which rose from nought at God's command,
Where peace and truth stand hand in hand;
Australia!
Lord, purge these shores suffused with light
From sins abhorrent to Thy sight,
Guard Thou with all Thy gracious might,
Australia! Australia! Australia!^[1]

His interest in caricature was first shown with contributions to the Literary Society's magazine, in which he published sketches of fellow-members, and it was not long before his work was to be seen in the pages of Quiz, The Bulletin and London Punch.^[2] He was a Fellow of the South Australian Society of Arts, and was urged by H. P. Gill to make a profession of his hobby.^[1]

Outside these interests he was an accountant — he was for 31 years Adelaide manager for the Atlas Insurance Company, retiring in January 1925.^[3]

Notable Citizens

Chinner produced a series of around 250 caricatures between 1923 and 1928 for the Adelaide Saturday Journal,^[4] No. 1 being of the South Australian Governor, Sir Tom Bridges.^[5]

Many of these were also carried by sister-publications The Register and The Observer.

The last of the series may have been of Charles Bastard, lessee of Adelaide's City Baths.^[6] Around 180 of these are listed below:

Name	Relevant article	Notes
Chinner monograms	This article
Abe Shannon	Abe Shannon	pastoralist philanthropist
Albert Ernest Clarkson	H. L. Vosz	glass merchant
Albert James Hannan	Albert James Hannan	Crown Solicitor
Alec Bagot	Alec Bagot	politician
Alexander John McLachlan	Alexander McLachlan
Alexander Vigors Benson	A. V. Benson	Port Adelaide Racing Club
Alfred Austin Lendon	A. A. Lendon	medico
Alfred C. Minchin	A. C. Minchin	zoo director
Alfred Edward Simpson	Alfred Edward Simpson	architect
Alfred Jabez Roberts	A. J. Roberts	business, sport
Alfred Norwood Day	A. N. Day	railways
Alick J. Murray	Alick J. Murray	pastoralist
Andrew Alexander Kirkpatrick	Andrew Kirkpatrick
Andrew Douglas Young	Andrew Douglas Young	stockbroker
Angas Johnson	Angas Johnson	city health officer
Archibald Thomas Strong	Archibald Strong	scholar, poet
Arnold Edwin Victor Richardson	A. E. V. Richardson
Arthur Graham Rymill	Arthur Graham Rymill
Arthur Nutter Thomas	A. Nutter Thomas
Arthur V. Kewney	Arthur V. Kewney	Victoria Racing Club
Benno Seppelt	Benno Seppelt	winemaker
Albert Edwin Hamilton	A. E. Hamilton	accountant, rose fancier
Bert Hinkler	Bert Hinkler
Brailsford Robertson	Thorburn Brailsford Robertson	Adelaide Uni
Brian Wibberley	Brian Wibberley	Methodist
Cecil Thomas Madigan	Cecil Thomas Madigan
Charles Bastard	Charles Bastard	manager, City Baths
Charles Edward Goldsmith	None^[7]	Savings bank
Charles Edward Owen Smyth	C. E. Owen Smyth
Charles Fenner	Charles Fenner	technical education
Charles Hawkes Todd Connor	None^[7]	mill owner
Charles Howard Angas	Charles Howard Angas
Charles Richmond Glover	Charles Richmond Glover
Clem Hill	Clem Hill
Coleman Phillipson	Coleman Phillipson	International Law
Darnley Naylor	Darnley Naylor
David John Gordon	David Gordon
Donald Reid	James Marshall & Co.	merchant
Douglas Mawson	Douglas Mawson	geologist
E Harold Davies	E. Harold Davies
Ebenezer Daniel Hedley Virgo	None^[7]	stockowners' representative
Edgar John Field	None^[7]	public servant
Edgar Ravenswood Waite	Edgar Ravenswood Waite
Edward Allan Farquhar	Edward Allan Farquhar
Edward Erskine Cleland	Edward Erskine Cleland	lawyer
Edward Henry Rennie	Edward Rennie
Edward Holdsworth Sugden	Edward Holdsworth Sugden
Edward Howard Bakewell	E. H. Bakewell
Edward Julius	Edward Julius	forestry
Edward Lucas MLC	Edward Lucas
Edward S. Kiek	Edward S. Kiek	Congregationalist
Edward Wheewall Holden	Edward Holden
Edwin Mitchell Smith	Edwin Mitchell Smith	surveyor-general
Ernest Maurice Sabine	None^[7]	police magistrate
Ernest Pringle Ramsay	Ernest Pringle Ramsay	deputy postmaster-general
Ferdinand Lucas Parker	F. L. Parker	parliamentary clerk
Francis Villeneuve Smith	Francis Smith
Frank Lymer Gratton	Frank Lymer Gratton	1000 voice choir conductor
Frank Marlow	Frank Marlow	secretary football league
Frank Moulden	Frank Beaumont Moulden
Frank Sandland Hone	Frank Sandland Hone
Frederic Wood Jones	Frederic Wood Jones
Frederick Allen Lakeman	James Marshall & Co.	merchant
Frederick Charles Bevan	Frederick Bevan	Conservatorium
Frederick George Scarfe	George Scarfe	of Harris, Scarfe & Co
Frederick Taylor Whitington	Fred T. Whitington
Frederick William Birrell	Frederick William Birrell
Frederick William Bullock	Frederick William Bullock
Frederick William Richards	Frederick William Richards
George A. J. Webb	George A. J. Webb
George Brookman	George Brookman
George Davidson (minister)	George Davidson	Presbyterian
George Edward Young	George Edward Young
George Frederick Claridge	George Frederick Claridge	home for incurables
George Frederick Jenkins	George Frederick Jenkins
George Giffen	George Giffen
George Hubert Wilkins	George Hubert Wilkins
George McEwin	George McEwin	councillor
George Richards Laffer	George Richards Laffer
Gordon Richardson	Gordon Richardson
Hans Heysen	Hans Heysen
Harold Edward Winterbottom	Harold Edward Winterbottom	Chamber of Manufactures
Harold Gordon Darling	Harold Gordon Darling
Harold Jack Finnis		Royal Agric. Soc.
Harold Septimus Power	Harold Septimus Power
Harry Dove Young	Harry Dove Young
Henri Benedictus van Raalte	H. van Raalte	Art Gallery
Henry Barwell	Henry Barwell
Henry Tassie MLC 01	Henry Tassie
Henry Thomas (miller)	Henry Thomas
Herbert Allchurch		police prosecutor
Herbert Henry Ernest Russell		OBE
Herbert Mathew Hale		museum
Hermann Koeppen Wendt
Horace Percy Beaver		town clerk
Immanuel Gotthold Reimann	Immanuel Gotthold Reimann
James Arthur Seymour		Chalmer's church
James Ashton	James Ashton
James Gartrell	James Gartrell
James Hall		horse racing
James Hay Gosse	James Hay Gosse
James Jelley	James Jelley
James Marshall	James Marshall & Co.
James McGuire (railways)	James McGuire
James Percy Morice		clerk of parliament
James Richard Fowler
James Sadler
James Walters Kitto		deputy PMG
James Wigham McGregor		manufacturer
John Baird, Lord Stonehaven	John Baird, 1st Viscount Stonehaven
John Cowan MLC	John Cowan
John Frederick Bailey	John Frederick Bailey
John George Bice	John George Bice
John Gunn MHA	John Gunn
John Henry Chinner	(this article)	artist, by his son
John Lloyd Price	John Lloyd Price
John Marshall Reid
John McInnes MHA	John McInnes
John Millard Dunn	John Millard Dunn
John Sincock		govt reporting staff
John Stoward Moyes	John Stoward Moyes
John Verran	John Verran
John White (South Australian painter)	John White
Joseph Verco	Joseph Verco
Josiah Symon	Josiah Symon
Julian Bickersteth	Julian Bickersteth
Kerr Grant	Kerr Grant
Lachlan McTaggart		pastoralist
Lancelot Stirling	Lancelot Stirling
Laurence Hotham Howie	Laurence Hotham Howie
Legh Winser	Legh Winser
Lennon Raws	John Garrard Raws	Chamber of Commerce
Leslie Penfold-Hyland	Leslie Penfold Hyland
Leslie Salter		dried fruits board
Leslie Wilkie	Leslie Wilkie
Lewis Cohen (mayor)	Lewis Cohen
Lionel Gee		Mines Department
Lionel Laughton Hill	Lionel Laughton Hill
Lionel Lindsay	Lionel Lindsay
Malcolm McIntosh MHA	Malcolm McIntosh
Maxwell Gavin Anderson		of Orient Line
Mellis Napier	Mellis Napier
Napier Kyffin Birks	Napier Kyffin Birks
Noel Augustin Webb		federal arbitration court
Norman Jolly	Norman Jolly
Norman Murray Gladstone Gratton		Scotch College
Oscar Seppelt
Oswald Vick Hoad		military commander
Owen Forbes Phillips	Owen Phillips	base commander Brig-Gen
Owen Hindmarsh Stephens		electoral college
P. William Vaughan	None^[7]	Commonwealth Bank
Patrick McMahon Glynn	Patrick McMahon Glynn
Percy William Charlton Wise	Percy W. Wise	canon Wise
Raymond Lionel Leane	Raymond Lionel Leane
Reginald Robert Stuckey		under-treasurer
Reginald Victor Wilson	Reginald Victor Wilson
Richard Butler MHA	Richard Butler
Richard Layton Butler	Richard Layton Butler
Richard William Bennett		judge
Robert Duncan
Robert Hugh Crawford	Robert Hugh Crawford
Robert Scott Young		Bank of Adelaide
Robert William Chapman (engineer)	Robert William Chapman
Samuel Albert White	Samuel Albert White
Samuel Henry Prior	Samuel Prior	of The Bulletin
Samuel James Mitchell	Samuel James Mitchell
Samuel Joshua Jacobs	Samuel Joshua Jacobs
Samuel Perry	Samuel Perry
Sid Torr		racehorse owner
Sidney Kidman	Sidney Kidman
Stanley Bruce	Stanley Bruce
Stanley Price Weir	Stanley Price Weir
Sydney Talbot Smith	Sydney Talbot Smith
Theodore George Bentley Osborn	Theodore George Bentley Osborn
Thomas Henry Jones	Thomas Henry Jones
Thomas Pascoe MLC	Thomas Pascoe
Thomas Payne Bellchambers		naturalist
Thomas Shuldham O'Halloran KC	Thomas Shuldham O'Halloran KC
Thomas Slaney Poole	Thomas Slaney Poole
Tom Bridges	Tom Bridges
Victor Ryan		tourist bureau
W. G. T. Goodman	W. G. T. Goodman
Wallace Bruce
Wallace Sandford	Wallace Sandford
Walter Edwards Chinner		of Wilkinson & Co.
Walter Ernest Rogers 01		auditor-general
Walter Gill	Walter Gill
Walter Gordon Duncan	Walter Gordon Duncan
Whitmore Blake Carr	Whitmore Blake Carr
Will Ashton	Will Ashton
William Alfred Webb	William Alfred Webb
William Bennett (headmaster)	William Bennett
William Hague MHA	William Hague
William Henry Foote	William Henry Foote
William Henry Jeanes		SA Cricket Assn
William Henry Jeffries	William Jeffries (minister)	Methodist conference
William Herbert Phillipps	William Herbert Phillipps
William Hutchinson Robinson		Methodist conference
William Jethro Brown	William Jethro Brown
William John Colebatch		Roseworthy College
William John Hill		both (Adel, Assoc) Chambers of Commerce
William John Masson
William John Warren		State Bank
William Joseph Denny	William Joseph Denny
William Mitchell (philosopher)	William Mitchell
William Percival Nicholls		Pulteney Grammar
William Ramsay Smith	William Ramsay Smith
William Reynolds Bayly	William Reynolds Bayly
William Rooke Creswell	William Rooke Creswell
William Taylor McCoy		director of educ.
William Thomas Shapley	William Thomas Shapley	of Methodist conference
William Thornborough Hayward	William Thornborough Hayward

James Alfred Pearce (1873–1944) drew caricatures in a similar style for the Adelaide News in a series entitled "Familiar Figures" in 1930. No. 19, Frank L. Gratton may be viewed here. Pearce was born in Burra to Cornish parents.^[8] Lionel Coventry (1906–1986) was a later News caricaturist, seen here and here (F. L. Parker in 1945 and 1949 respectively)

Other interests

Although Chinner was best known for his caricatures, he was also a fine painter in watercolors.

He was also known for his skill as a poet, particularly as a hymnwriter.

He was deeply involved in municipal affairs, and was a longtime member of the Unley Council and served as mayor.

He was a board member of the Epworth Book Depot for over thirty years.

He was a lifelong supporter of Prince Alfred College in every aspect of its activities.

Family

Chinner married Harriet Agnes Wallace (died 22 September 1948) at Parkside Wesleyan Church on 11 September 1889. Their children were:

Mary Wallace Chinner (3 October 1890 – ) married Robert Harold Davidson in 1919
Dorothy Agnes Chinner (27 March 1892 – 1916)
Marjorie Wallace Chinner (29 August 1894 – ) married James Montrose Maughan in 1919
Harry Wallace Chinner (26 December 1896 – 11 July 1975)
John Wallace Chinner (5 March 1901 – 1972)

They had a home at 33 Foster street, Parkside.

Notes and references

^ His elder brother, the musician William Bowen Chinner (1850 – 2 July 1915) was educated at St Peter's College. See his article for more family details.

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "The Late Mr J. H. Chinner". Australian Christian Commonwealth. 9 February 1934. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^ McCulloch, Alan; Nodrum, Charles (1984). Encyclopedia of Australian Art. Hutchinson of Australia. ISBN 978-0-0914-8560-3.
^ "Social to Mr Chinner". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 3 February 1925. p. 11. Retrieved 13 December 2020 – via Trove.
^ "Notable Citizens in Caricature". The Register (Adelaide). Vol. LXXXVIII, no. 25, 773. South Australia. 4 August 1923. p. 12. Retrieved 2 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Notable Citizens". The Saturday Journal. Vol. LVIII, no. 16190. South Australia. 28 July 1923. p. 17. Retrieved 2 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Advertising". Saturday Journal. Vol. XLIII, no. 16447. South Australia. 30 June 1928. p. 13. Retrieved 2 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Article started in userspace but abandoned as unlikely to meet notability criteria.
^ "Meet Mr. J. A. Pearce". The News (Adelaide). Vol. XI, no. 1, 606. South Australia. 6 September 1928. p. 6. Retrieved 30 January 2021 – via Trove.

Gallery

A few "notable citizens":

A. E. Clarkson
Hans Heysen
Douglas Mawson

[1] His elder brother, the musician William Bowen Chinner (1850 – 2 July 1915) was educated at St Peter's College. See his article for more family details.

[acc-2] "The Late Mr J. H. Chinner". Australian Christian Commonwealth. 9 February 1934. Retrieved 2 December 2020.

[3] McCulloch, Alan; Nodrum, Charles (1984). Encyclopedia of Australian Art. Hutchinson of Australia. ISBN 978-0-0914-8560-3.

[4] "Social to Mr Chinner". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 3 February 1925. p. 11. Retrieved 13 December 2020 – via Trove.

[5] "Notable Citizens in Caricature". The Register (Adelaide). Vol. LXXXVIII, no. 25, 773. South Australia. 4 August 1923. p. 12. Retrieved 2 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.

[6] "Notable Citizens". The Saturday Journal. Vol. LVIII, no. 16190. South Australia. 28 July 1923. p. 17. Retrieved 2 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.

[7] "Advertising". Saturday Journal. Vol. XLIII, no. 16447. South Australia. 30 June 1928. p. 13. Retrieved 2 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.

[abandoned-8] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Article started in userspace but abandoned as unlikely to meet notability criteria.

[9] "Meet Mr. J. A. Pearce". The News (Adelaide). Vol. XI, no. 1, 606. South Australia. 6 September 1928. p. 6. Retrieved 30 January 2021 – via Trove.

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