Henri Tebbitt: The Story of My Life

Henri Tebbitt's lifespan could never be considered as being droll! He experienced many things in his journey through life, from manning street barricades in Paris against the Germans in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) at the ripe old age of 16, to dining with Charles Dickens while at the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Kent. He lived a life that would be the envy of most. He visited most of the countries in Europe, spent time in the United States and Canada, before permanently settling in Australia. From 1867 onwards, he enjoyed a regular allowance from his father, the compliments of an inheritance, and enjoyed an additional income through his much-admired paintings and his fine playing of the pianoforte, of which he was seen to have a natural talent. He considered his happiest days of life were those 34 years in Australia with his second wife, Robertha. His celebrity through his landscape paintings gave him contentment. Henri's artistic skills are well represented today in all the major galleries throughout Australia. His fame was such that upon his death in 1927, his obituary was carried by all the major newspapers in Australia.