Born in Knightsbridge, the son of Lawrence Solomon, of Grosvenor Square[1] He left for Australia on the Gambia,[2] a vessel of 1000 tons (not Gambier) in June 1852.
He prospected for gold in Bendigo, Victoria, ran a photographic business in Bourke Street, Melbourne, then Ballarat and finally Adelaide where he worked for many years with Townsend Duryea, finally founding the Adelaide School of Photography, owned by Duryea.
After the fire in Duryea's studio, the School building took over much of the functions of the King William Street premises.
[3] He was co-founder with Robert Carr Castle (1835 – 14 June 1896) in 1879 of the Academy of Music (despite its grandiloquent title, actually a place of light entertainment) on Rundle Street, which burnt down three times.
[8] He served as mayor for over 20 years,[9] and was active in the Mechanics' Institute and School Board.