Portrait of William Cain c1870

Summary

This pencil and gouache portrait of alderman William Cain (1831–1914) is thought to have been copied from a daguerreotype. The artist is unknown, though the work is signed ‘H.J.W.’. Made around 1870 and showing Cain as a young man, the partially coloured illustration appears remarkably modern, given its vintage. William Cain hailed from the Isle of Man, arriving in Victoria in 1852 and spending a short time as an unsuccessful digger on the Bendigo goldfields before returning to Melbourne and the business of building. In 1867, he was awarded the contract to build Melbourne Town Hall, completed in 1870, and this might be seen as beginning his association with the City of Melbourne. A decade later, in 1880, Cain became a member of the Melbourne City Council, remaining a member until 1888. In 1886–87, he served as mayor, during which time he was instrumental in paving the way for the Metropolitan Board of Works and in making provisions for adequate parks and gardens in the city. Cain was also a member of the Legislative Council (1903–10) and a director of the Melbourne Tramway and Omnibus Company.