Early New Zealand Photographers: CLIFFORD, Henry Herbert

Sunday, August 3, 2008

CLIFFORD, Henry Herbert

Henry Herbert Clifford - 152 / 171 Cashel Street, Christchurch

Henry Herbert Clifford was born in Dunedin about 1872 the son of the Dunedin photographer Robert Clifford and Janet Clifford nee Malcolm. He came to Christchurch at an early age and worked as an operator at Standish and Preece. He resigned his position there on 27 July 1901 and opened his own studio in November 1901 in the newly built Beath and Co. building in Cashel Street (1). He married Annette Thomas, a music teacher, at St Paul's Presbyterian Church on 24 July 1915.

Many of the older Christchurch families were photographed by him over several generations. For exhibits at Wembly in 1925, he won a certificate and medal. For many years he made portraits of public figures for publication in "The Press." The Alexander Turnbull Library has photographs taken by him of Frederick Truby King (c. 1913), Jessie Mackay (c. 1929), Arthur Dudley Dodson (1932) and Ngaio Marsh (c. 1935). The studio in Cashel Street was badly damaged by a large fire in February 1908 that destroyed buildings in Lichfield Street, High Street and in Cashel Street.
His hobbies were collecting of period furniture and gardening.

A son, Robert Henry Clifford died aged 24 in 1940 while serving in the Air Force during World War Two. Another son, Allister Bertram Clifford also died in 1940 in New Zealand. A third son was Ogilvie Garth Clifford a lawyer.

above: The Clifford grave in Bromley Cemetery.

Henry Herbert Clifford died 16 or 19 February 1949 and was buried in Bromley Cemetery (block number 17, plot number 343). Buried in the same plot is his wife Annette Clifford (1968) and his son Alister Bertram Clifford.

Christchurch City Council - Cemeteries Database.
Obituary Christchurch Press 22 Feb 1949.
Auckland City Libraries - Photographers Database.
Fire - Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 33. (1) The Star 7 September 1901 page 8.

"Freddie F., when aged 9 months"

Pictured here are Leonard Hamilton Hay (born 1887 Christchurch) and his brother William Hay (born 1883 Christchurch - died 1966 Christchurch) . They are the sons of William Hay and Caroline Hay nee McClelland.