Studio portrait of Elizabeth Smith (Spicer), wife of Sir Edwin Smith, businessman, mayor and politician. Adelaide, South Australia, circa 1883.

Albumen print photograph, cabinet card format, 166 x 113 mm (mount); recto of mount with gilt imprint of ‘George & Walton, late Tuttle & Co., 65, Rundle Street, Adelaide’; verso with identifying caption in pencil in a later hand (copies from an album mount) ‘Elizabeth Smith née Spicer’; a superb print in fine condition, as is the mount.

Elizabeth Spicer (1846-1911) was born in Adelaide, the daughter of Edward Spicer and Elizabeth Hoskin. She married wealthy brewer and councillor Edwin Thomas Smith in Adelaide on 11 November 1869. (Smith received a knighthood in 1888, several years after this portrait of Elizabeth was taken at the newly established studio of George & Walton around 1883). The following obituary for Elizabeth was published in The Register (Adelaide), 7 June 1911:

‘We regret to have to announce the death of Lady Smith, wife of Sir Edwin Smith, which occurred at The Acacias at 7 o’clock on Tuesday evening. The deceased was the second daughter of the late Mr. Edward Spicer, a well-known merchant, and was married to Mr. E. T. Smith, who was then a widower, in 1869. She took a prominent part in the public life of her husband, and was five times each Mayoress of Adelaide and of Kensington and Norwood. Lady Smith was an ideal hostess, and hundreds of citizens have enjoyed the hospitality of Sir Edwin and his wife in their charming home at Marryatville. In later times, with advancing years, they had lived a more retired life, especially since a carriage accident in King William street early In 1909, which caused such a shock to Lady Smith’s system that she never completely recovered. She had one child, who died in infancy.’