Historical information

Matthew Burnett (1839 - 1896). Wesleyan temperance evangelist. Born in Yorkshire, came to Australia in 1857 with his wife Sarah Gibson. He spent the years 1864 to 1867 on the goldfields evangelising against drink and securing temperance pledges. Sarah Burnett died in 1871 and Matthew returned to England in 1873, meeting leading temperance reformers. He returned to Australia in the mid-1870s. He went to South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand as a temperance campaigner, and claimed to have received pledges from 140,000 people. He returned to England in 1890 and died at Scarborough in 1896.

Physical description

Sepia toned head and shoulders studio portrait of Matthew Burnett in three quarter profile.

Inscriptions & markings

"Yours faithfully Matthew Burnett"