General meeting October 2024
Emanda Fretwell and Peter Whitford
50 years of the Yankalilla & District Sketchbook
Yankalilla Library Meeting Room
The talk at the October meeting was a celebration of 50 years of the Sketchbook by Ken Whitford, one of Rigby’s sketchbooks of Australian places.
Emanda Fretwell welcomed Peter, Ken’s son, and other Whitford family members. Peter Whitford OAM brought as a display paintings from the extensive Whitford art collection and books by Ken and Peter’s mother Dora.
Ken Whitford (1901-93) learnt the saddlery trade and was variously employed in sign writing and sales of motor parts before buying Roslyn Vale dairy farm at Myponga. The aim was to milk cows in the morning and evening thus leaving Ken and Dora free to pursue art work during the day! The Whitfords were active in art societies in Adelaide and their work has been acquired by state and country art museums. When they went on sketching tours of the Yankalilla District in the 1920s they had classes with etcher Henri Van Raalte, who had retired to Second Valley after a period as curator at the South Australian Art Gallery. The cover illustration of Ken’s book is the Van Raalte home at Second Valley. In 1971, Ken had a solo exhibition, ‘Off the Beaten Track’, at a Norwood Gallery. The Whitfords’ oeuvre includes illustrated books on Mintaro and Tumby Bay and ‘The Art of Etching’.
Emanda discussed the thirty odd places in the Sketchbook, from prominent buildings in Myponga to the now demolished Grain Store and Goods Shed at Normanville. Ken’s sketches record lost buildings and places as they were fifty years ago, for example, the Agricultural Hall’s former fencing and large trees.
Peter is familiar with all the sites depicted in the Sketchbook and when discussing them he added his memories from a life time in the district. He gave anecdotes from his marriage with Madge and during his time as Mayor. As a result, the talk was a warm recollection of people and places.


