Early New Zealand Photographers: Hemus & Hanna

Hemus & Hanna
Charles Hemus and John Robert Hanna
Queen Street, Auckland, New Zealand

corner of Queen Street and Wellesley Street West
August 1875 to April 1885.

Also see
Charles Hemus
John Robert Hanna

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1711, 12 August 1875, Page 3

Messrs Hemus and Hanna's Studio.

The photographic rooms of Messrs Hemus and Hanna, over Messrs. Hewin's grocery store, Queen-street are being fitted up in an elegant and costly style, and when completed, as they will be in the course of a few days, and will be opened on Monday next, they will be second to no other establishment devoted to the profession of the photographic art in the city.

We have taken a bird's eye view of the premises and believe them to be eminently adapted in position for the production of the highest and most advanced style of portraiture.

Photography, during the last few years, has reached a perfection which the alchemists of past ages, who shadowed forth the possibility of photography by their various discoveries in reference to the properties of light, never dreamed.

Messrs Hemus and Hanna, as is well known, have had large experience in connection with the late well-known establishment of Mr Bartlett in the art of first-class picture-taking; and as they have fair prospects, with a long lease of those spacious premises aforementioned, the public in future will know where to go for true reflections of themselves and friends.

The world owes a great deal more to the alchemists and dreamers about the elixir vitae than it is willing to acknowledge for it was these men who discovered the properties upon which the art of photography is based. The substance known as lima cornea or Horn silver, on being exposed to the light, was influenced and blackened thereby. Scheele, Wedgwood, Davy, Daguerre, Watt, and others gradually developed the art until it has reached its present true position.

The establishment of Messrs Hemus and Hanna possesses every possible convenience, about twelve rooms for printing portraits and other branches of the business and a glass room extending along the roofs of four adjoining houses for convenient sittings; and altogether the glass room is eminently fitted for the arrangement of light and shade and the faithful portraiture of the faces of friends or foes.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1720, 23 August 1875, Page 2

Among the photographers of Auckland prominently appear the names of Hemus and Hanna, two enterprising young men, who have been at great expense in fitting up those, beautiful rooms at the corner of Wellesley and Queen street, over Messrs Hewin's store.

Photography has made great strides in Auckland during the last few years, and the rooms and associations of Messrs Hemus and Hanna reflect great credit on the energy and judgment of the joint proprietors. The rooms are most conveniently adapted for the business, there are waiting and dressing rooms, and other rooms in connection with the profession.

The photo-room is admirably situated for the necessary variations of light and shade, and the portraits of many of our leading citizens are striking and faithful. Among these we noticed life-like pictures of Dr. Goldsbro, Mrs Mitchell the eminent singer, Revs E. N. Bree, and P. H. Cornford, also striking likenesses of other citizens.

The gallery of portraits by Messrs Hemus and Hanna are highly creditable to this young firm of photographers, and naturally pleasing to the living originals.

Auckland Star, Volume VII, Issue 1887, 4 March 1876, Page 2

We have received from Messrs Hemus and Hanna photographers, of Queen-street, two extremely well-executed portraits of the Premier of this colony, Sir George Grey. One of them is cabinet, and the other a small size photograph. The artists have been very successful in obtaining a good representation of the hon. gentleman. Previous to these portraits being taken it was almost impossible to get a good photograph of Sir George Grey taken within the last few years, the only one that bore any striking resemblance to him being that published in Brett's Auckland Almanac. No doubt Messrs Hemus and Hanna will have a large sale for the photographs.

Auckland Star, Volume IX, Issue 2461, 11 February 1878, Page 2

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 82, 15 April 1885, Page 3

We notice by advertisement elsewhere that J. R. Hanna, Photographer, (late of Hemus and Hanna.) has started business on his own account next Lewisson's, jeweller, and that he guarantees to please everyone who may favour him with their patronage.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 381, 27 March 1886, Page 4

Miss Lamburn, who was at one time in Hemus and Hanna's studio in Auckland, is on a visit to this city, and has been welcomed back by many friends. She is now in charge of the 'Charlemont' studio, Sydney.

Observer, Volume XV, Issue 844, 2 March 1895, Page 8

We published the other day the photographs of three old-time commercials attired in the old-fashioned garb of their hey-days. Amongst them was Mr Vigor Brown, M.P., of. Napier. Mr Brown dropped in this week and told a very amusing story of these interesting days on the road. A party of commercials had foregathered in Auckland, and one of them suggested a visit to the photographers. So they went along to Hemus and Hanna, and Mr Hanna, divining the character of the party, suggested that as he had some Maori clothes in his studio the sitters could, if they liked, be photographed with them all on." Agreed.

left - Mr Vigor Brown (M.P. for Napier), when a young, C.T., poses as a Maori chief.

But, alas! while Mr Vigor Brown, arrayed in all the glory of a full-blown rangitira, was posing in front of the camera, a wag of the party hid his European outfit, and the victim's most animated protests failed to discover the missing garments. Nothing daunted, the victim of the joke proceeded to turn the tables on the others by striding to his hotel — the Star, in Lower Albert Street through the streets, unconcerned by the. sensation he created amongst the crowd. A glance at the accompanying photograph will fail "to discover even the remotest resemblance between the white-whiskered old gentleman with the white hat who takes his daily constitutional on Lambton Quay when Parliament is in session, and what looks like an apostle of the Simple Life in Maoriland. But it is a true photograph of Vigor Brown taken on the far-distant occasion to which we have just referred.

Free Lance, Volume XXI, Issue 1071, 29 December 1920, Page 4

[purchased July 2024]

unknown couple photographed by Hemus and Hanna

[purchased February 2022]

[purchased May 2022]

above and below - these appear to be photographs of the same boy.

Henry Bellenden Gordon
February 21st, 1881
son of Mary Farquharson Nesham and Major William Gordon, captain and adjutant of the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment and grandson of Colonel T. Nesham, of the Rifle Brigade and 66th Regiment

Ronald N. Gordon
January 5th, 1881
son of Mary Farquharson Nesham and Major William Gordon, captain and adjutant of the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment and grandson of Colonel Nesham, of the Rifle Brigade and 66th Regiment