A letter written to Maurice Keppel by John William Lindt in 1903.A letter written to Maurice Keppel by John William Lindt in 1903. John William Lindt was born in Germany in 1845. At 17 he took a working passage to Australia on a Dutch sailing ship. Taking up work as an itinerant piano-tuner, he traveled amongst towns in Victoria and New South Wales before settling in Grafton in 1863 where he became assistant and apprentice to photographer Conrad Wagner. After a brief return to Germany in 1867 Lindt took over management of Wagner’s studio in 1869. He married Wagner’s daughter, Anna on 13 January 1872. Over 1873-1874, using the slow and laborious wet-plate collodion process, John Lindt produced photographs of the local indigenous people both in their environment conducting actual traditional ceremonies in the Clarence River district, and in his studio. Twelve of this series is included in his 1874 album Australian Aboriginals. John Lindt moved to Melbourne in 1876 where he worked for Batchelder & Co. before opening his own opulent studios at number 7 at the top of Collins Street opposite the Treasury, in 1877. John Lindt's business of this period was wide-ranging, and included portraits, records of Melbourne public buildings and streetscapes, the Botanical Gardens, and Port Melbourne. He was a welcome photographer of members of parliament and other Melbourne personalities, their society and cultural life including the theatre, and was known as a ‘rich man’s photographer’ for those whose families he grouped informally on the lawns in front of their mansions, with servants at the rails of the upstairs balconies. He continued with landscape, producing folios Fernshaw and Watt River Scenery, Victoria ( c.1878-82), Scenery on the Ovens and Buckland Rivers, Victoria (c.1878–82) and Lorne, Louttit Bay and Cape Otway Ranges (1883). Sales of his Black Spur scenery amounted to approximately 25,000 copies printed from the original negatives between 1882 and 1892. John Lindt, in collaboration with Nicholas John Caire, produced a tourist booklet on the area around "The Hermitage" in 1913. Maurice Keppel, from Ireland, was one of the first landholders in the newly surveyed town of Marysville in 1864. He and his wife ran the successful Keppel’s Australian Hotel. Two of their sons, John and Jerry, established a farm and opened up the surrounding high country. The Keppel lease was one of the longest held in the high country and the Keppel Family were amongst Marysville's pioneering families.maurice keppel, keppel family, keppel's australian hotel, marysville, victoria, john william lindt, conrad wagner, australian aboriginals, batchelder & co, nicholas john caire, anna lindt

A card to travellers and excursionists that was published to promote The Australian Hotel in Marysville. The card shows a long poem expounding the attractions of The Australian Hotel and some of the local attractions in the district. The Australian Hotel was the first hotel to be opened in Marysville. The hotel was opened by the Keppel Family in 1865. The Keppel Family were among Marysville's earliest pioneering families.A card to travellers and excursionists that was published to promote The Australian Hotel in Marysville. The Australian Hotel was the first hotel to be opened in Marysville. The hotel was opened by the Keppel Family in 1865. The Keppel Family were among Marysville's earliest pioneering families.keppel hotel, keppels australian hotel, australian hotel, keppel family, maurice john keppel, marysville, victoria

An early black and white photograph of the main road in Marysville in Victoria showing the Keppels Australian Hotel.An early black and white photograph of the main road in Marysville in Victoria showing the Keppels Australian Hotel which was built and opened by the Keppel Family in 1865. The Keppels Australian Hotel was the first hotel to be opened in Marysville. The Keppel Family were among Marysville's earliest pioneering families.ARMSTRONG COLLECTION 42 STATION STREET/ SANDRINGHAM 3191/ TEL. (03) 9521 5442/ IAN M.L. ARMSTRONG OAMaustralian hotel, marysville, keppel family, maurice john keppel, keppels australian hotel, keppels hotel, victoria

An early black and white photograph of the Keppels Australian Hotel in Marysville in Victoria.An early black and white photograph of the Keppels Australian Hotel which was built and opened by the Keppel Family in 1865. The Keppels Australian Hotel was the first hotel to be opened in Marysville. The Keppel Family were among Marysville's earliest pioneering families.ARMSTRONG COLLECTION 42 STATION STREET/ SANDRINGHAM 3191/ TEL. (03) 9521 5442/ IAN M.L. ARMSTRONG OAMkeppel hotel, keppels australian hotel, australian hotel, keppel family, maurice john keppel, marysville, victoria