Alfred Scott Broad


Alfred Scott Broad was an Australian artist, regarded as the first black-and-white artist born in South Australia to be published. He was known as "Alf", and was often referred to as "A. Scott Broad" as though his surname was "Scott-Broad", and was often written that way. An adult daughter was the subject of an unsolved mystery disappearance.

History

Alf was born in Adelaide a son of James Broad coachbuilder then music warehouseman and organ builder, who arrived in South Australia on the Osceola on 4 April 1851.
He studied at the South Australian School of Art and contributed drawings to Adelaide Punch from 1868, and The Lantern from 1874 to 1890.
He set up a studio in his father's organ-building workshop on the corner of Gilles and Hanson streets.
He was principal illustrator for The Portonian from 1871 to 1879. He moved to Melbourne, where he contributed to Australasian Sketcher, the Frearson brothers' Illustrated Australian News and Melbourne Punch. He was appointed to the staff of Illustrated Sydney News.
He returned to South Australia, and contributed to Frearsons' The Pictorial Australian from 1886. He was in 1892 a founding member of the Adelaide Easel Club.
The Art Gallery of South Australia has a watercolor by Alf Scott Broad: The First Stone House erected in South Australia, depicting George Bates's house on Kangaroo Island, painted in 1887. and a print Glenelg, Holdfast Bay, S.A. 1837 from c. 1880.
He ran an import business.

Family

James Broad was married to Ann Matilda Broad, née Scott : they had a residence "Trevethan House" on Hanson Street, Adelaide, from 1865 or earlier. Their family included:
  • John James Broad, organ builder, married Elizabeth Rogers on 25 March 1875. Their eldest son, Alfred Scott Broad, not to be confused with the subject of this article, married Nellie Nora Dyer on 24 December 1903 Their younger daughter Edie Muriel Broad married A. E. "Gus" Cawthorne, musician and noted businessman, on 25 March 1912; they lived at Ningana Avenue Kings Park
  • Alfred Scott Broad, artist and subject of this article, married Emmeline Fanny Ray of Melbourne on 12 June 1884. She was an artist herself, and author of The Sex Problem; In 1912 they had a home "Helmsdale" in Glenelg; his last address was 6 Kintore Avenue, Prospect.
  • Edwin Broad, manager of the Adelaide Telegraph Department married Phoebe Eliza Webb of Mount Gambier on 9 January 1883; they lived at Edith Street, Unley Park then 6 Rutland Ave. Unley Park. Their elder daughter Ethel Marguerite Broad married George R. Best, son of Sir Robert Best, on 27 December 1915.
  • Arthur Charles Broad of the city treasury married Esther Maud "Ettie" Carthy on 9 November 1882.
  • Matilda Jane Broad
  • Fred Scott Broad, photographer and noted lawn bowler, married Mary Jane Tonkin on 13 June 1887. They had a home, "The Boulevard", Hawthorn, Victoria.
  • William Henry Peers Broad married Helen Dove "Nellie" Low on 13 January 1892, lived at 9 Cambridge Terrace, Kingswood. Their son Ivan Charles Broad was a pioneering motorist.