ACT Heritage Library Manuscript Collection

HMSS 0351 First Survey Camp, watercolour painting by Les Edwards

Framed water colour painting by local artist, Les Edwards, of the First Survey Camp, Capital Hill.  Painted ca. 1940 and presented to his sister, Lillian Frances Wilcox, of Sydney.  Donated to the ACT Heritage Library January 2013 by his niece, Lyn Pedvin.

Les Edwards (1891-1969), draftsman, musician and artist, was born Sydney, son of Walter Henry and Elizabeth Edwards.  Les was 20 when he arrived in Canberra in 1911 as part of the first survey camp.  He was 20 years old.

He remained in Canberra for most of his life, except for a seven year transfer to Melbourne in 1915 and the last 18 months of his life spent in a nursing home in Sydney.

Les married Nina Land in 1915.  The Land family were Queanbeyan pioneers.  They had one daughter, Sybil, born 1917.  The family lived in Acton until 1936, then moved a a new home at 10 Mugga Way, Red Hill. Nina died in 1954 and Les sold the house in 1957y, moving to a room at the Kingston Hotel.

Professionally, Les became Chief Draughtsman for the Federal Capital Commission and served as such in the Department of the Interior until retirement in 1956.

Les maintained an active cultural life.  He was a member, including committee member, of the Canberra Philharmonic Society and the Canberra Art Society. 

He was a regular at socials and concerts in Canberra and played cornet.  He played two cornet solos as part of the first radio broadcast from Canberra from the Causeway Hall in 1926. 

Les was was well known for his watercolours, some of which were of district places and views, particularly Blundells Cottage and First Survey Camp.  Apart from exhibiting his paintings, Les was also a judge at some exhibitions.  He spent a good deal of his retirement travelling the countryside and painting.  The First Survey Camp was a favourite theme and there are, extant, up to four paintings on the theme.

The family state that he was commissioned to paint a watercolour for the Duke and Duchess of York on the occasion of the opening of Parliament House, Canberra in 1927 and also for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh in 1963 as part of the 50^th anniversary of the naming of Canberra as capital of Australia.

Watercolours by Edwards were finalists in the Wynne Prize for "the best landscape painting of Australian scenery in oils or watercolours or for the best example of figure sculpture by Australian artists completed during the 12 months preceding the [closing] date" in the 1930s and 1940s

1932 The “Tingara”

1941 First Survey Camp, Canberra (probably the painting in the ACT Heritage Library's collection)

1942 Autumn, Canberra

1943 Landscape, Blundell's Farm

1945 The Old Mill, Queanbeyan

1947 Tarban Creek

A watercolour of a Canberra landscape was purchased in 1946 for the National Gallery of Australia collection.

Les designed the school crest for Canberra Girls Grammar School in 1933.  It was used between 1933-1999.  His daughter, Sibyl, was Head Prefect of the school 1933 and1934.

He was well known for his Buick car bought new in 1930 which he kept in immaculate condition until 1968, a year before his death.  His first car in the 1920s was a Buick Tourer. 

Les died in Sydney on 3 March 1969 following a long illness.