EARLY DUNEDIN PHOTOGRAPHERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3828, 26 July 1927, Page 10

EARLY DUNEDIN PHOTOGRAPHERS.

By Alfred Eccles. (Special fop. the Otago Witness.) (See Illustrated Pages in This Issue.) In his book, “ Contributions to the Early | J History of New Zealand —Settle.none J ©f Otago,” the late Dr T. M. Hocken Bays that, “So early as the beginning cf 1855 photography was practised [in Dunedin] by Mr G. B. Shaw. . . He advertised to take daguerrotype portraits; it is not probable that any of these viey.s of the town are now extant.” The writer has certainly neither seen nor heard of one, and it would seem likely that Air Shaw’s work was confined entirely to portraiture. Dr Hocken goes on to say that Mr Shaw “ was followed by Mr Janies .Wilson in April, 1858.” Mr Wilson actually arrived at Dunedin from London in the ship William and Jane on (February 3, 1857. His fiist advertisement appeared in the Otagb Colonist of the 27th of the Baine month, and read as follows :— J. Wilson, Photographer. Portraits Taken Daily, from 11 a.m. till 3 p.m. Medical Hall - - Dunedin. February 21, 1857. A somewhat similarly worded advertisement is to be met with in the issue of the Otago Witness which was published on the succeeding day. Mr Wilson continued to advertise himself as a photographer in the local papei's until, at any rate, March, 1860 —-about which date, apparently, he entered into partnership with the late Mr Job Wain as part proprietor of the then well-known Commercial Stables in Rattray street. The wet collodion process in photography had, in 1857, but lately been invented, and Air Wilson was the first man to adopt its use locally. In his later advertisements he stated that he had “ On hand—Views of Dunedin, coloured and untouched ” ; also “ Stereoscopic Views in and around Dunedin.” It would be of interest to know whether any of these “coloured” or “stereoscopic ” views are still in existence. Among the illustrations in this issue will be found what is generally regarded as having been the first photograph taken of Dunedin. Air Wilson took it in 1857. It has been reproduced on previous occasions and labelled, “ Dunedin in 1852 ” — a mistake which, for the sake of historical accuracy, is now corrected. After Mr Wilson, the next photographer to advertise locally was a Air T. F. Alcore. His work is never heard of now, and again it would be of interest to know whether any examples of it still survive. Air Aloore’s advertisement is to be found in the Otago Colonist from August 12, 1859, till January 6, 1860, and is of sufficient interest to warrant quotation: — Photoprosoric Portraiture. Mu T. F. Moop.e (Professor of the above Art), At Mr Allen's Store, George Street, Dunedin, Having had several years’ experience in the West of England, will take portraits by the above process (out-of-doors), commencing at a low charge of os each, on leather. Families residing in the Town waited upon at their own Residences. Sunshine not required. Pictures copied. Brooches, Lockets, etc., fitted with miniatures. That Air Aloore’s work was not confined to portraiture is shown by the testimonial which followed certain of his advertisements : — Castle Cary, Somerset. I have much pleasure to say that your portraits and views are the best I ever witnessed, and will bear comparison with those of the best London photographers.— Yours, etc., Rd. Jno. Meade, M.A., Vicar of Castle Cary, and Prebendary of Wells. Dated August 18, 1858. At this day Air Aloore’s photographs on leather would be esteemed curiosities. The next photographer to set up in business in Dunedin was Air William Aleluish. His first advertisement appeared in the Otago Witness of March 24, 1860. His studio, the same premises as had been use>d by Air AVilson, was located at the corner of Princes and Dowling streets—the site now of the Australian Mutual Provident building. It is to Air Aleluish chiefly that present and future citizens are indebted for knowledge of what Dunedin looked like in the early ’sixties. He was an excellent photographer, and, happily, sufficient of his work is extant as to enable a very fair idea to be formed of the appearance of Dunedin in those early days. Air Aleluish was an exhibitor at the first- New Zealand Exhibition, held at Dunedin in 1865. He was awarded an honorary certificate by the jurors for the work that he displayed there. This consisted of panoramic views—a valuable series showing the progress of the city from 1861 to 1865—and scenes in many of the principal streets. The specimen of his work selected for reproduction here is a photograph which was taken by Air Aleluish in 1860. It shows Dunedin as it then appeared from Maitland street, and is a very interesting view in that it so clearly delineates the line of foreshore, with Bell Hill running out harbourwards about midway along its course. Had it not been for the gold discoveries in the province in the following it is likely that this view of Dunedin would have served as a faithful portrayal of the city’s leading features for some little time to come. A vast change in the prospects of Otago was brought about, however, by the finding of rich deposits of the precious metal, and from 1861 onwards Dunedin’s rate of progress was phenomenal compared with that of toe preceding years. With the large influx of population to the goldfields, it is natural that men of most professions and trades should have been attracted. Some of them

were photographers, and in Harnett’s Director}' for 1863 —the first provincial directory published—the names of the following occur as being resident in Dunedin : — Joseph Baume, a German. His address is given as Frederick street, but later, the writer is told, he resided Bell Hill. His shop was in Princes street north, three doors below the Oriental (now’ the Excelsior) Hotel.

F. H. Irwin, Arthur’s Buildings, Princes street north. In 1864 and following years Alcssrs Reyman and Irwin carried on business as the “ London Portrait Rooms.” They were awarded an honorary certificate at the 1865 Exhibition for portrait photography. John Al'Gregor, Upper Stuart street, another photographer, the excellence of whose work attracted the attention of the jurors in the first New Zealand r.xhiijition. Air M'Gregor’s display of views of the town and photographs of buildings was also rewarded by an honorary certificate.

William Aleluish, Princes street north. Thomas Pringle, Rattray street. His rooms (? the “Victorian Photographic Rooms ”) were above the premises of Air James Alollison, bootmaker.

Later directories furnish a record of other photographic newcomers to the town. The majority of these are of insufficient importance to merit more than passing attention. It will serve present purposes merely to list their names under the date of publication of the directory in which they are first to be found, and, in order to be able to introduce further comment, it is not proposed to extend this list beyond 1870-71. 1864’—John AV. Denslow, K. T. Pogonowski, Ross and Co., Tait Bros. 1865. —Edward Arnold.

1866- —J. AV. Allen, James Brown, James De Maus, Samuel Doodeward, Henry Firth, Abraham Levinski, William Melville, A. J. Rich. 1867- —Burton Bros., Peter Power. 1870-I.—Robert Clifford, F. A. Coxhead, AL S. Ries and Co., Frederick Smith. Of the work of a number of the abovementioned mon little is now en. and with the exception of that of Messrs Burton Bros., Coxhead, and Clifford, photographers really of a later day, none is at this distance of time more frequently met with or more favourably known than that which was produced by Mr J. AV. Allen. He, following the fashion of his day, largely favoured tire “ carte de visite ” size of photograph, and a number of his little prints are still to he seen — valuable records of the appearance of the town and its surroundings and of the architecture of the buildings.

The writer prides himself on the possession of a photograph of First Church taken by Mr Allen. A copy of it will be found amongst this week's illustrations, and readers will themselves be able to judge of its interest. It shows the church in course of being erected ; the tower and spire practically completed, but the Body of the building still in a backward state The reason for this is to be found in the following extract, taken from the Otago Daily Times report of the opening of the church: — The difficulty experienced in obtaining suitable timber proved a serious obstacle at the commencement of the works. The difficulty and delay were considerably increased by the wreck of the first vessel chartered to convey the required material. Owing to the want of timber the body of the building could not be proceeded with, and the consequence was that the spire and tower were almost at their full height before the roof was in progress.

Amongst the names of the photographers to be found in the local directories is an omission. In the possession of the Otago Early Setttlers’ Association is an unusually interesting and unique book of views, in which the whole course of the west side of Princes street from the Octagon to the corner of Hope street is depicted in proper sequence, and also portions of the cast side, from the Octagon to the Bank of New Zealand, showing buildings which were later destroyed in the great fire of January 24, 1865. The date of the taking of the photographs was either late in 1863 or early in 1864. Beneath each print is writtten the name of D. Alundy, photographer. Air Alundy was a Christchurch photographer of great merit. He apparently took over Air Meluish’s studio in Dunedin for a short time, but, although his name appears under the views mentioned, and in one of the photographs over the top of Air Aleluish’s premises, the writer holds the opinion that the negatives were the work of Air Aleluish. In concluding an article which the writer realises has reached a reasonable limit, he would urge owners of photographs of local interest to send them to the Otago Early Settlers’ Association. There they will be welcomed and properly cared for. Much of historic value has been preserved in this manner which otherwise would probably have been destroyed.

*The writer has unfortunately not had access to an 1860 directory.