SEALY, Edward Percy

Edward Percy Sealy
(sometimes Edwin/Sealey/Seeley etc)

born: 23 August 1839
birth registered Sept Quarter 1839 at St George
Hanover Square, London,
vol. 1 page 16, (as Edward Percy Sealy)
son of Thomas Henry Sealy and Julia Verity.
died: 30 October 1903 aged 64 years.
buried Timaru Public Cemetery 2 November 1903.

"Mr Williams in the Bealey"
This photograph kindly provided by Smith's Bookshop, Manchester Street, Christchurch.
refer to: http://www.smiths.bookshop.co.nz/

His father Thomas Henry Sealy was born at Alstone Lawn in 1811, this was one of the largest residences in Cheltenham and stood in grounds of just over seven acres. He was to be a much-celebrated writer and poet in early Victorian times. Like many young men of that era probably did the Grand Tour and after his adventures in Europe settled down to writing. He was editor of 'The Western Archaeological Magazine' for some years and also founded a weekly newspaper, the 'Great Western Advertiser' but unfortunately this brought him financial ruin with losses estimated at £12,000 - a considerable sum for those days. Not surprisingly, his health suffered and he died in 1848 aged only 37 years.

Edward Sealy came to New Zealand with his brother Henry John Sealy on the Clontarf (departed Plymouth 15 September 1858 arrived Lyttelton 5 January 1859), he was then aged 20 years. After a short stay in Canterbury, Edward and Henry Sealy departed on the Clontarf for Napier via Wellington on 4 February 1859.

"Otira Gorge"

This photograph kindly provided by Smith's Bookshop, Manchester Street, Christchurch.
refer to: http://www.smiths.bookshop.co.nz/

Newspaper References.

March 1869, Scientific. — Dr Haast returned to Christchurch last night, from a trip of several weeks into the Central Alps, during which he revisited some of the principal localities round Mount Cook, first explored by him in 1862. The object of the journey of this year was to collect specimens in all branches of natural history, a work which, the public will be glad to learn, he has accomplished satisfactorily. He was accompanied by Mr Edward Seeley (sic), an amateur photographer of considerable eminence, who, under great difficulties and privations, obtained some magnificent views of the grand scenery of our Southern Alps. We understand that Mr Seeley (sic) intends to present, when it is completed, a full set of all his photographic views taken in the province. The value of such a gift will be readily and cordially appreciated by the public. The taxidermist of the Museum, M. F. Fuller, also accompanied Dr Haast, and greatly contributed to the success of the expedition, by procuring a number of valuable birdskins. Dr Haast informs us that, during the first six days of his stay near Mount Cook, the party was favoured with lovely weather — cloudless sky and little or no wind. This, unfortunately, was followed by a succession of strong gales from the nor'west, with heavy rain. It is hardly necessary to add that the Canterbury Museum will greatly benefit from Dr Haast's trip.

Star, Issue 273, 30 March 1869, Page 2

Mount Cook Exploration.— We hear that Mr E. P. Sealey is on his way to take a series of photographic views of Mount Cook and its glaciers. This gentleman's photographs of the glaciers, &c, at the head of the Ashburton and elswhere, have already attracted considerable attention, giving, as they do such a clear idea of the recesses, as it were, of our huge mountain chains. This is not the first time Mr Sealey has visited the Mount Cook regions of snow and ice, as we believe it was only last year that he was there some weeks, and took several most interesting photographs. At the period of his last visit, Mr Sealey endeavoured to get over an ice covered saddle to the west coast. In this he failed, but he was not far from obtaining his object. We hear he intends trying this saddle again this trip. To the ordinary amateur photographer, the notion of taking views amid the solitudes of ice-bound mountains is not very enticing, and Mr Sealey is deserving of considerable kudos for his untiring pluck and perseverance. We fancy that the exploring party alluded to in our Temuka Correspondent's letter must be that of Mr Sealey's on its journey westward.

Timaru Herald, Issue 502, 19 March 1870, Page 2

MAP of the Southern Alps. — Yesterday Mr McCardell completed a very excellent copy of Dr Haast's map of the Southern Alps, for transmission to the Vienna Exhibition. Twelve choice views among the Alps are illustrated by large photographs on the margin of the map, and the locale of each is marked with red ink. The photographs executed by Messrs Mundy, Sealey, and Pringall are beautiful specimens of the art. - Star , Issue 1533, 29 January 1873, Page 2

At the 1874 Exhibition held in Christchurch Sealy received a Bronze Medal for photography. - The Star, Issue 1928, 9 May 1874, Page 2

"Waimakariri Gorge Woodstock"

This photograph kindly provided by Smith's Bookshop, Manchester Street, Christchurch.
refer to: http://www.smiths.bookshop.co.nz/

"Stonyhurst"
this image appears on page 79 of "A Canterbury Album" by Joan Woodward where it is further described as:
"Stonyhurst station, North Canterbury, 1868."

This photograph kindly provided by Smith's Bookshop, Manchester Street, Christchurch.
refer to: http://www.smiths.bookshop.co.nz/

Art Exhibition, 1870 - Canterbury N.Z.
01. Mount Elie de Beaumont and Tasman Glacier by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
02. Mount Darwin, from Tasman Glacier by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
03. Mount Cook from Mueller Glacier by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
04. Mount Sefton, Moorhouse Range by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
05. Mount Tasman and Hochstettler Glacier by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
06. Rakaia Gorge by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
07. Rakaia Gorge by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
08. Rakaia Gorge by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
09. Rakaia Gorge by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
10. Rakaia Gorge by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
11. Otira Gorge, West Coast Road by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
12. Otira Gorge, West Coast Road by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
13. Otira Gorge, West Coast Road by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
14. Otira Gorge, West Coast Road by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
15. Waterfall in the Bealey, West Coast Road by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
16. View in the Bealey, West Coast Road by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
17. Otira Gorge, West Coast Road by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
18. Mount Baidinger, from Tasman Glacier by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
19. Rakaia Gorge by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
20. Otira Gorge, West Coast Road by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy
21. Mount Henry at the Head of the Bealey by E. P. Sealy. Exhibitor - E. P. Sealy

The Art Exhibition

The north side of the bay is hung with photographs executed by Mr Seeley. These, we have no doubt, will be very much admired. They evince true artistic taste as well as finished mechanical skill. The photographs on the opposite side of the bay are contributed by Messrs Mundy, Bowers, and others. Mr Bowers sends a good view of Lyttelton, and Mr Mundy a view of Akaroa which struck us as not altogether worthy of the reputation he has deservedly gained. The Committee expect that the department of New Zealand photographs will be more fully represented before tbe Exhibition is closed.

Star, Issue 539, 10 February 1870, Page 2

Philosophical Institute

The monthly meeting ...... Dr. Haast read a very interesting paper upon the Geology of Mount Cook, but its details were too strictly scientific and volumiuous to permit of an intelligible abstract being published in this report. The paper was very attentively listened to, and evidently appreciated. Dr. Haast then read a letter from Mr E. P. Seeley descriptive of that gentleman's ascent over the Godley Glacier to a nevé saddle between Mount Petermann and the Keith — Johnston Range in the Southern Alps...

Star, Issue 587, 7 April 1870, Page 2

Philosophical Institute

Mr Seeley exhibited a photograph of a remarkable pass at the head of the Godley Glacier, visited by him during the autumn of the present year, and made some observations concerning its altitude, which is under 6000ft.

Star, Issue 686, 4 August 1870, Page 2

The Vienna Exhibition

The following prizes in the Fine Arts department have been awarded:—
J. Gaul, Christchurch — Photographs, four frames, highly commended.
C. Martin, Christchurch — Three photographs, highly commended.
M'Cardell, Christchurch — Specimens of illuminating, highly commended.
F. Strouts — Maori fortifications, Ripa Island, commended.
Dr Hector — Sketch map of province of Nelson, with drawing by Gully, highly commended.
E. P. Sealy — Photographs, New Zealand scenery, fourteen frame by exhibitor, silver medal.
W. T. L. Travers — New Zealand scenery in North Island (Luke Guyon and creek scenes), by exhibitor, bronze medal.
D. L. Mundy — North Island scenery, forty-six photographs, highly commended.

It will be seen from the above list that Mr E. P. Sealy has secured the only silver medal awarded in the Fine Arts department. Amongst his photographs exhibited are those of Mount Cook and other principal peaks of the Southern Alps, and views of the Great Tasman, Mueller, Hooker, and Godley glaciers. This series is perfectly unique, as Mr Sealy is the only artist who has ever explored these scenes of wild grandeur, which he did on three separate occasions, viz. — the autumns of 1867, 1869, and 1870.

Timaru Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 852, 10 February 1873, Page 4

PASSES OVER THE ALPS.

Many years ago, when the Westland gold fields were newly discovered, and all Canterbury was more or less, generally more, excited over the question of ways of getting there personally, or of getting stock and goods over the mountains to supply the needs of the diggers, there were several meetings held in Timaru to discuss tho possibility of finding a direct pass from South Canterbury to the West Coast, to save going round by the Hurunui or the Waimakariri. We cannot recollect whether anyone over made the attempt to get over and blaze a practicable pass, but the conclusion was regretfully come to that there was no thoroughfare from South Canterbury to Westland.

The annual report of the Chief Surveyor for this year, however, contains a special report, with maps, by Mr Brodrick, of the survey staff, on two passes by which he, at all events, managed to get over from South Canterbury into Westland. One of these was discovered by Mr E. P. Sealey in 1871, but we do not gather that Mr Sealey actually descended the western side.

This Mr Brodrick did in May 1888, and passed all the difficulties that lay between the pass and the Wataroa river. They were only a few miles from a track and a wire bridge, but the weather looked threatening, so they reluctantly turned back. Sealey Pass is reached from this side by going up Lake Tekapo to Lilybank station, thence up the Godley river and seven miles up Godley Glacier. This appears to be a very good past for those who like the roughest of travelling with perpetual thunder of avalanches around them, and, it seems, a dead certainty of more or less fog — when it is not snowing.

Its altitude is 5800 ft. The other pass is named the Huxley, as it is reached by going up one of the branches of the Huxley river, which again is a tributary of the Hopkins, the principal river flowing into Lake Ohau. Mr Brodrick describes the scenery on the Huxley as very pleasing and in endless variety; there is no glacier travelling on this route. The party took their horses and camped at a spot under five miles from the pass. One day they walked up to the pass to fix its position, "but when we got there the Landsborough river (of Westland) looked so near that we determined to visit it." They did so, but found the first portion of the descent steep and rather difficult. Mr Brodrick says "the track over the saddle could never be made anything but a passable footpath but without a very large outlay a packhorse could be taken to within a mile of the pass." The height of it is given at 5309ft. After all, if known, these two passes would not have helped South Canterbury to reach the West Coast market at the time of the rush.

Timaru Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4949, 23 September 1890, Page 4

Marriage - 1873: SEALY - SANDERSON - at Greta Peaks, by the Right Reverend the Primate of New Zealand, Edward Percy, second son of the late Thomas Henry Sealy, Esq., of Clifton, Bristol, to Francis Sarah, eldest daughter of Thomas Sanderson, Esq., of Greta Peak.
(Frances Sarah Sanderson was born 21 September 1855 and died 4 January 1912, buried Timaru Cemetery)

Timaru Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 1290, 7 November 1878, Page 3

The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District] - Mr. Edward Percy Sealy was born in England in August, 1839, and was educated at Clifton near Bristol. He arrived at Lyttelton by the ship “Clontarf,” in January, 1859, and joined a relative on a run now known as Patoka station, about thirty miles from Napier. Two years later Mr. Sealy entered the survey department in Hawke's Bay, and after four years came to Canterbury, as district surveyor. He was first stationed in Ashburton and afterwards in North Canterbury. Since 1873 Mr. Sealy has been a resident of the Timaru district, where he has carried on extensive farming operations, and held at that time 2000 acres of land in the neighbourhood. He bought the Rockwood estate in the Tengawai district, and farmed it for about five years, and also acquired the Ellerslie estate, near Geraldine. During his term as district surveyor he did a good deal of exploration work in the Southern Alps, which, at that time had been visited only by Sir Julius (then Dr) Von Haast, who named Mount Sealy in his honour. Mr. Sealy took some of the first photographs of the Southern Alps, and a large assortment of these views, now (1903) nearly forty years old, has been preserved in excellent condition. Mr. Sealy travelled over the West Coast Road in 1868, when it was in course of construction, and a selection of the photographs he took were exhibited at the Vienna Exhibition, at which he was awarded the only gold medal for New Zealand photographs. He also presented a large number of views of glacial formation to the Royal Geographical Society. During his residence in the Ashburton district, Mr. Sealy made two expeditions to the Rangitata and Ashburton glaciers. Before leaving England, and during his residence in New Zealand, Mr. Sealy devoted his leisure to the study of Natural History, and has given special attention to the ornithology of Great Britain and New Zealand, and also to the investigation of tropical Lepidoptera. His collection of the largest and most brilliant examples of tropical butterflies from India, China, Japan, the islands of the Malay Archipelago, and South America, is probably the finest south of the Line. He has also formed wonderfully complete and well preserved collections of British, Australian, and New Zealand birds' eggs; the latter being probably the most complete collection extant of New Zealand species. Mr. Sealy was one of the early promoters of co-operation in South Canterbury, and has been a director, of the Farmers' Co-operative Association, on which he has occupied the position of vicechairman and member of the Finance Commitee for more than twenty years. He was married, in 1873, to a daughter of Mr. T. Sanderson, a well known North Canterbury runholder, and has five daughters and one son. - © 2008 Victoria University of Wellington

Children:
1875/6759 Violet Julia Sealy
1877/2946 Frances Helen Mary Sealy
1879/12117 Edward Percy Verity Sealy
1881/19094 Gladys Verity Sealy
1884/3402 Ruth Verity Sealy
1888/11443 Edith Isabel Greville Sealy

SEALY, Edwin Percy (1839-1903) born in England and educated at Clifton College, a surveyor, photographer and a keen naturalist, came to Lyttelton in the Clontarf in 1859. After some experience on sheep stations he entered the Provincial Survey Department in Hawkes Bay in 1862 and three years later went to Canterbury as a surveyor on the Provincial staff. In 1869 he was associated with Julius von Haast on the latters last expedition in the Mount Cook region. On retiring he farmed at Southern Downs, near Timaru. To perpetuate his memory - Mt Sealy (2557 metres, 8389 feet)

Marriage
Sealy - Askin.- On July 17th, at St Mary's Church, Timaru, by the Rev Geo. Foster, Henry John, eldest son of the late T. H. Sealy, Esq, of Clifton, Bristol, to Emma Booker, eldest daughter of the late Walter Askin, Esq, of Ballyboy, county Meath, Ireland.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3865, 24 July 1873, Page 2