James Stirling Campbell

CAMPBELL, James Stirling (1823?-1855) — Melbourne

Engraver, lithographer & copperplate printer. Produced Garrard & Shaw, Map of the town and suburbs of Geelong 1850 — with William Macartney; Plan of the town of Beaumaris near Brighton 1853; Edward Gilks, Map of Melbourne and Collingwood ca.1853; Plan of subdivision of the township of Bristol near Williamstown ca.1853; Plan of the township of Kensington situate in the parish of Mulgrave ca.1853; Wreck of the barque Sacramento : on Point Lonsdale ca.1854 — with James Fergusson; Map of Melbourne & Collingwood 1855 — with Fergusson; A plan of the entire parish of Prahan (advertised in the Melbourne Argus, 26 Jul 1856), etc.

Although it is known that Campbell’s mother’s maiden name was Scot, details of his early life are wanting. He first arrived in Australia at Adelaide with John Penman and William Galbraith in 1848, but soon removed to Melbourne where he traded as “Campbell & Macartney” with William Macartney 1850-1851, advertising that they had “commenced business … prepared to engrave and lithograph maps, plans, bills of lading, exchange, and acceptances, invoices and account tops, marriage, visiting and business cards, circulars, &c., &c. C. & M. having had upwards of ten years experience in the business in the principal cities of England and Scotland, feel assured that any work entrusted to them will in style and neatness give entire satisfaction to those who may honour them with their patronage. Family crests and mottoes found and engraved on plate or seals” (Melbourne Argus, 17 Jun 1850). Campbell married Elizabeth Carlow, daughter of a Scottish wool-merchant, 2 Oct 1851. The firm advertised for a lost pocket-book and bank draft in December 1851 and then extensively for lithographic printers from January to March 1852. By August of that year the partnership in Collins Street had become “Macartney & Galbraith”, with William Galbraith, but this partnership was dissolved 16 Jul 1853, with Campbell moving back into the premises to trade as “J. S. Campbell & Co.” 1853-1854; then as “Campbell & Fergusson”, with James Fergusson (1829-1888), 1854-1855. Campbell and Fergusson gave popular demonstrations of lithographic printing at the 1854 Victorian Exhibition. Campbell died at St. Kilda at the age of thirty-two 17 Sep 1855.

30 Collins Street West, Melbourne — 1850-1855

NLA. Niedorf. Trove.