Charles Albert Cooke (1836-1902) painter engraver, draughtsman and illustrator, was born in England, and after studying under James Duffield Harding, a watercolourist and lithographer who also taught Ruskin, emigrated to Victoria in 1854, at the same time as Grosse. He apparently tried his luck on the goldfields then reverted to art, possibly being associated with the first Ballarat Punch. He was listed in Melbourne directories as a ‘draughtsman-artist’ between1865-1869. He also did a large amount of work as an architectural draughtsman and subsequently made a fellow of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects despite his lack of formal training.Throughout his career he worked as an illustrator for newspapers such as the Illustrated Australian News, the Leader, Illustrated New Zealand News, Illustrated Melbourne and Sydney News and for the Picturesque Atlas of Australasia 1883-1888 and other illustrated handbooks of the day. Cooke must have visited Western Australia during the 1860’s to capture this image of Fremantle but moved permanently in about 1890, where he produced watercolours of local scenes and did at least one chromolithograph of Fremantle. He retired to Melbourne and died in 1902.
Frederick Grosse (1828-1894) engraver, professional photographer and vigneron was born at Aschersleben, Prussia. He arrived in Adelaide then Melbourne in 1854. After spending some time in the goldfields near Bendigo he set up business in Melbourne as a designer and wood engraver running a successful business in Collins Street.Grosse is best known as a reproductive engraver, having engraved for nearly all the illustrated magazines and newspapers in Melbourne up to the time he entered government service in 1868 where he was appointed supernumerary wood engraver to the Government Printing Office. In 1877 he was given a permanent appointment as engraver and electrotyper but his office was abolished 3 years later and he was dismissed with compensation. He became a full time vigneron and cellar owner until his death in 1894.
