Thomas LUKE.

Thomas Luke, ‘daguerreotype and photographic artist on silver-plates, ivory, and vases, collodion on glass etc.’ advertised that his Adelaide Daguerreotype and Photographic Institute, opposite the Southern Cross hotel in King William Street, would open on 22 November 1853. He assured the public that his apparatus was ‘in good working order’, and that ‘his experience on the continent and some of the principal establishments in England renders comment unnecessary … Time of sitting from 7 seconds.’ He was at his studio daily, between the hours of 10 and 4.

However, Luke had only been in business for one week when he had to announce that, ‘in consequence of recent advice from home’, he had to return to England. On 3 December 1853 his advertisement in the Register offered ‘the whole of his daguerreotype instruments, materials, plates, boxes, passe-partouts, glasshouse, etc.’ for sale, and said that he was leaving for England in a few days. Although his name appears in the directory for 1854, he may have been gone from South Australia by the end of 1853.

End.