Obituary Mr L. G. Hahn

Press, 29 August 1984, Page 30

Obituary Mr L. G. Hahn

Mr Lawrence Galacius Hahn, who died last week, aged 91, was a well-known Christchurch photographer. He was a founder of the commercial photography firm of Green and Hahn, Ltd, which for many years supplied “The Press” with news photographs. Mr Hahn, known everywhere as “Lawrie,” began work as a process-engraving assistant with the “Canterbury Times,” and then worked for Steffano Webb, studio photographers, before going overseas as a soldier during World War I. On his return from the war the young Lawrie Hahn swapped a rifle for a camera and set himself up in business. His expertise, particularly in displaying the attributes of stud live-, stock in photographs, led to an offer of employment as a photographer with the “New Zealand Farmer.” About the same time in the early 19205, another young photographer returned from the war, Mr H. A. (Bert) Green, was also supplying the “New Zealand Farmer” with photographs. The two young men formed a partnership and within a few years their studio in Armagh Street was one of the best-known commercial photography businesses in Christchurch. They were in demand for weddings, studio photographs of football and other sports teams, university graduates in their gowns, and all the other work of commercial photographers. In 1930 they entered the new field of news photography. The partners signed a contract with “The Press" to provide local news pic-

tures, an arrangement unusual for a newspaper because most employed their own staff photographers.

This meant the employment of several photographers by the partners and eventually, about 1940, to the establishment of a company, with Mr Charles Waters as a third partner. Both Messrs Green and Hahn sold their shares later, but the arrangement with “The Press” continued until 12 years ago. Mr Hahn recorded some of the early aviation achievements in New Zealand because he was a friend of and flew with Bert Mercer, a pioneer of flying, and with Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, the first man to’ fly across the Tasman, and Lady Kingsford Smith. As well as having a good eye for an interesting photograph, in his younger days Mr Hahn was a good deerstalker. He was a keen supporter of the Taylors Mistake Surf Lifesaving Club and the Sumner-Red-cliffs Returned Services’ Association.

Mr Hahn is survived by two daughters.