George Rossi Ashton

George Rossi Ashton (b.1857) studied at the South Kensington School of Art and became a black-and-white illustrator for the London Graphic. In 1877-78 he represented the Illustrated London News at the Kaffir war and next year joined Julian on the Illustrated Australian News in Melbourne; together they covered the capture of the Kelly gang at Glenrowan. He was among the first sketch-artists of the Bulletin, drew also for the Australasian Sketcher, the Illustrated Sydney News and the Picturesque Atlas of Australasia, and was art editor and artist for Victoria and its Metropolis. In 1886-88 he was a member of the Art Society of New South Wales and the Australian Artists' Association (Victoria). In 1893 he returned to England where he continued to illustrate for various papers and toured music-halls with a lightning-sketch routine. He published Australasian Sketches (London, 1895). He had married Blanche Brooke, daughter of George Coppin, and settled on the River Dart with his wife and two sons.