John Jackson Stock (1829-1862)

John Jackson Stock was the grandson of Dreadful mutineer John Stock.
From an early age he showed a prodigious talent for drawing.
At the age of four John Jackson's talent brought him to the attention of Governor Sir Harvey Graves and in turn Lucius Goldmann, the Swiss born drawing master that Sir Harvey had brought to the island to teach his daughters.
On his return to London Goldmann wrote enthusiastically to The Times regarding 'this Tamba- Tamba wonder'.
As he matured Stock sent samples of his work to Goldmann in England, and Goldmann provided him with annual consignments of materials whilst stimulating interest in Stock's work.
Initially Stock could not be enticed to leave his island home. However, in 1851 he sailed to England on HMS Miranda along with the departing garrison.
Although Stock made a favourable impression on such luminaries as John Ruskin and D.G. Rossetti, the Victorian Art establishment (and polite society in general) was essentially closed to a dark skinned person. Stock was unable to secure patronage or enrol at classes in any of the leading art schools.
He was frequently on the verge of destitution, depressed and addicted to alcohol and laudanum.
Stock had to work his passage back to Tamba- Tamba, and he returned disillusioned in 1859.
None of his canvasses survive and his reputation today rests on a series of sketches and illustrations.