Henry Walter Barnett

Image of Henry Walter Barnett, c. 1894

Henry Walter Barnett, c. 1894

Image courtesy of the National Library of Australia1

Summary list of events in Henry Walter Barnett's life

Although Barnett was closely involved with Marius Sestier in producing the first motion pictures taken in Australia, there is no evidence that he did any of the filming. Quite possibly he experimented with operating Sestier's Lumière cinématographe but there is no reason to believe that any film taken in Sydney or Melbourne was shot by him.


Summary list of events in his parents' and siblings' lives

References and notes

[1] Detail from National Library of Australia (NLA): Portrait of H. Walter Barnett:
call number 1135302; PIC Box PIC/5458 #PIC/5458; http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-141547809.

[2] File for entry for Henry Walter BARNETT in the online Australian Dictionary of Biography (ADB).

[3] English census returns of 3 April 1881 (The National Archives (TNA), London: RG 11/173, f 104 p 50, schedule number 204) and 2 April 1911 (TNA: RG 14/584, schedule number 264); and 29 September 1939, England and Wales Register (at Dawlish, Devon: Registration District and Sub-district 272-1, schedule number 302).

[4] September 1897, The Photogram (England), p.279, Current Topics.

[5] 1884 - 1889, Sands' Sydney directories, alphabetical, trades, and street indexes.

[6] ADB file: marriage certificate;
22 July 1889, The Sydney Morning Herald, p.1a, Marriages.

[7] 16 March 1895, The Herald (Melbourne), p.2ab, THE FALK STUDIOS

[8] The events for Marius Sestier are included to show that it was impossible for Barnett to have met him at any time between his departure from Marseille and arrival at Sydney. See The meeting of Marius Sestier and H. Walter Barnett for further details on this matter.

[9] New South Wales Land Registry Services: Certificate of Title, volume 1196 folio 133.
The land appears to have been bought as an investment, as there is no indication that the Barnetts ever built or lived there.

[10] Ann Galbally and Anne Gray (ed's): Letters from Smike: the letters of Arthur Streeton, 1890-1943, pp.70-72;
NLA: NL 759.994 S915

[11] 20 January 1934, Lyon Républicain (Lyon, France), p.5e; FUNERAILLES D'AUJOURD'HUI
[Why was he cremated at Lyon?]

Copyright © 2015 - 2023
Tony Martin-Jones
Edition 2  (2023-05-26)
[First edition in 2012-01]