{{Short description|English painter}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} Brothers '''William Joseph Wadham''' (1863–1950) and '''Alfred Sinclair Wadham''' (1866–1938) were English painters in watercolors who were active in Australia in the late 19th century. The younger brother invariably used the name '''Alfred Sinclair'''.

==History== Wadham and Sinclair were sons of Benjamin Brassett (or Braffat) Wadham (1816–1904), a painter of some note who was deaf and dumb from birth.<ref name=home>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59423266 |title=Home Again |newspaper=The Register |location=Adelaide |date=20 August 1915 |accessdate=27 January 2015 |page=7 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Joseph learnt to paint at his father's side, and accompanied him on his many sketching trips throughout England and Wales, and had the privilege of seeing many of England's premier artists at work. Joseph had his first picture accepted for exhibition by the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, at age 14. In 1885 he left for Australia.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article161806737 |title=Mr. W. Joseph Wadham |newspaper=Adelaide Observer |date=21 July 1894 |accessdate=27 January 2015 |page=16 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Alfred studied at the Liverpool Academy of Arts and left for Melbourne, Australia, in 1887, to join his brother, who had made the journey a year earlier. After a brief stay they moved to Adelaide, and joined the South Australian Society of Arts. They had exhibitions in Melbourne in 1889 and 1895, which were favourably and extensively reviewed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article145920435 |title=The Wadham-Sinclair Pictures |newspaper=Table Talk |location=Melbourne |date=22 November 1895 |accessdate=27 January 2015 |page=14 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

They set up a gallery "Wadham & Sinclair's Fine Art Institute" on Grenfell Street where they showed their works and ran art classes. They made an extended visit to Mount Gambier in mid-1888. In 1891 they moved their studio to Mutual Chambers, King William Street, and had several art classes running.

In 1892 they were elected to the Adelaide Art Circle,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48230814 |title=Adelaide Art Circle |newspaper=South Australian Register |location=Adelaide |date=5 April 1892 |accessdate=28 January 2015 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> whose president was H. P. Gill, and the South Australian Society of Arts, but were among those (like G. A. Reynolds and A. Scott Broad) who later in the year resigned to form the Adelaide Easel Club, with Joseph its first president.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48560209 |title=S.A. Society of Arts |newspaper=South Australian Register |location=Adelaide |date=5 October 1892 |accessdate=28 January 2015 |page=5|publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

They had a sketching holiday in New Zealand in 1896, and on their return moved their studio to new premises in the Widows Funds Building, Grenfell Street.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53673100 |title=Wadham & Sinclair's New Gallery |newspaper=South Australian Register |location=Adelaide |date=20 February 1896 |accessdate=28 January 2015 |page=7 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Joseph Wadham took an exhibition to Perth in 1896 and 1897, touring the goldfields and making further sketches. A major exhibition in 1897, opened by the Governor, featured several paintings of Kalgoorlie and Perth; among the works shown was a joint effort – ''Precipice Gorge, New Zealand'', painted in oils.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article35075111 |title=New Gallery of Paintings |newspaper=The Advertiser |location=Adelaide |date=6 April 1897 |accessdate=27 January 2015 |page=6 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Shortly after this exhibition, Alfred returned to England.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54503548 |title=Advertising. |newspaper=South Australian Register |location=Adelaide |date=30 July 1897 |accessdate=27 January 2015 |page=8 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Joseph stayed longer in Australia, married and had several children, but he had great ambitions, and made several trips to South Africa, Canada and New Zealand painting, exhibiting and organising exhibitors for an exhibition of Dominion art in 1897, which was attended by the Prince of Wales, and 1898. He helped found the Royal British Colonial Society of Artists, which had a successful exhibition in 1902.<ref name=home/>

In the early 1920s Wadham opened the Wadham Art Gallery in Sydney, which carried works by a large number of artists, the best-known being Sir John Millais, as well as himself.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16011395 |title=Wadham Art Gallery |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=5 July 1922 |access-date=28 January 2015 |page=9 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} This reference mentions a grandfather, Sir William Wadham, painter and collector.</ref> He sold up and returned to England in 1923.

Works by Wadham and Sinclair have been held by the Art Gallery of South Australia and the Art Gallery of Western Australia.

==Some works== ;Benjamin Brassett Wadham {{Cite web|url=https://artuk.org/discover/artists/wadham-benjamin-brassett-18161904|title=Your Paintings|publisher=Art UK|accessdate=28 January 2015}} ;W. J. Wadham *{{Cite web|url=http://moadoph.gov.au/blog/australian-politicians-c-1887/|title=Australian Politicians, c. 1887|author=Michael Richards|publisher=Museum of Australian Democracy|accessdate=28 January 2015}} *{{Cite web|url=http://www.artnet.com/artists/william-joseph-wadham/past-auction-results|title=William Joseph Wadham (British, 1863–1950)|publisher=artnet auction results|accessdate=28 January 2015}} *{{Cite web|url=http://www.askart.com/askart/w/william_joseph_wadham/william_joseph_wadham.aspx|title= William Joseph Wadham (1863–1950)|publisher=Ask ART-The Artists' Bluebook|accessdate=28 January 2015}} *{{Cite web|url=http://www.invaluable.com/artist/wadham-william-joseph-3szb5e0jfp/sold-at-auction-prices/|title=William Joseph Wadham Auction Price Results|publisher=Invaluable – The world's premier auctions|accessdate=28 December 2015}} ;A. Sinclair *{{Cite web|url=http://www.invaluable.com/artist/sinclair-alfred-wadham-yiknhnegid|title=Alfred Wadham Sinclair (1866-1938)|publisher=Invaluable – The world's premier auctions|accessdate=28 December 2015}} *{{Cite web|url=http://www.askart.com/askart/artist.aspx?artist=11130715|title= Alfred Wadham Sinclair (1866–1938)|publisher=Ask ART-The Artists' Bluebook|accessdate=28 January 2015}}

==Family== ;William Joseph Wadham :"Mr. Wadham was 18 when he came out to South Australia to settle, and, as it proved, to marry and gather around him a little family. But there were sad years to come! He has lost all those who were dear to him with the exception of this fine lad ..."<ref name=home/> He married Josephine Yates née Smith (1865-) at Rooty Hill near Sydney on 4 Dec 1889. He married Fanny Sophia Kate Griffiths ( – ca.14 August 1920) in Victoria in 1915. More detail is not readily available. ;Alfred Sinclair Wadham He married Lucy Strapps of Adelaide on 1 November 1893. She was one of his art students; died 9 February 1907 in Fairbourne, North Wales.

They had another brother, Benjamin Thomas Wadham, who was also a painter.

== References == {{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wadham, William Joseph}} Category:Australian painters Category:19th-century English painters Category:English male painters Category:20th-century English painters Category:20th-century English male artists Category:19th-century English male artists Category:British emigrants to Australia