Fairs and Steel

 Thomas Armstrong Fairs and George Albert Steel
Fairs and Steel
Photographic Saloon
Grafton Road
Auckland

Thomas Armstrong Fairs, born 13 April 1833, St Marylebone, London, England (1), son of Jane and Thomas Fairs (painter), baptised 23 June 1833 Langham, Westminster, died 29 December 1864 at his residence Wellesley Street, Auckland aged 32 (2), his brother was the actor Sir John Hare (1844-1921) formerly John Fairs, married about 1852, reg. Dec 1852 Henley 3a 809, Elizabeth Walker.

Thomas Fairs and George Steel both arrived at Auckland from London on the ship "Portland" on 22 July 1863, as cabin passengers. Mrs Fairs, J. Steel and Maria Steel also arrived at this time (3).

George Albert Steel, born circa 1837-1842, [possible birth registered Births Mar 1840  George Albert Steel reg. Abingdon vol. 6 page 151], died 23 March 1891 Wellington Street, Auckland aged 54[?] years, reg. 1891/2113, buried 24 March 1891, Purewa Cemetery, Auckland, block A row 5 plot 38, married 6 January 1870, reg. 1870/4800, Kate Redward, died 5 June 1912 aged 73 years, reg. 1912/634, buried 7 June 1891, Purewa Cemetery, Auckland, block A row 5 plot 39 (as Caroline).

issue:

1. Clara Elizabeth Emily Steel, born 24 June 1870, reg. 1870/14430 (mother registered as Kathleen), died 6 January 1947, NSW, Australia, reg. 24/1947, married 10 May 1893, St Sepulchre's Church, Auckland by Ven. Archdeacon Dudley, reg. 1893/86 [as Steele], Ernest Gerald Diddams [later Commercial traveller, Sydney], son of John and Lydia Mary Diddams, died 5 April 1953 at a private Hospital, NSW, Australia, reg. 13638/1953

issue:

Phyllis Olivia Diddams, born 12 November 1896, reg. 1896/7820, married 9 June 1923 at St Mary's Church, Waverley, Sydney by the Rev. E. A. North Ash, Stanley Jack Grace

                     

2. Jessie Amy Steel [sometime Amy Jessie Steel] born 28 July 1875, reg. 1875/785 (mother registered as Catherine), died circa 1959, reg. 8156/1959 Sydney, NSW,  married circa 1912, reg. 4284/1912 Sydney, NSW, William Stewart

Mary Cripps of Burcot, Oxfordshire friend or relative, mention in probate record. Kate Steel was a lunatic within the meaning of "The Lunatic Acts", inmate of the Avondale Lunatic Asylum near Auckland - from about 1894.

New Zealand Herald, Issue 53, 14 January 1864, Page 2


Daily Southern Cross, Volume XX, Issue 2031, 19 January 1864, Page 1


Daily Southern Cross, Volume XX, Issue 2088, 29 March 1864, Page 3


Daily Southern Cross, Volume XX, Issue 2301, 5 December 1864, Page 10


Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXI, Issue 2577, 21 October 1865, Page 1

Auckland Horticultural Society Show - the collection to be forwarded to the New Zealand Industrial Exhibition in January 1865 -

Miscellaneous
Mr. Thomas A. Fairs - Silver-gilt communion chalice, with Paten, from Antwerp Cathedral, date about the fifteenth century.

Mr Thomas A. Fairs - Curious antique watch, being one of the first of English manufacture, and originally worn by Oliver Cromwell. A curious sketch of the celebrated field of Worcester is to be seen on the dial. The watch goes with catgut instead of chain and was for many years in the British Museum, London. It was also shown in the Great Exhibition, and attracted much attention, being noticed by all the newspapers.

Mr. Thomas A Fairs - The only perfect pedigree extant of Oliver Cromwell, drawn out in pen and ink and colours, by Rev Mark Noble, FSA, 178; one of the curiosities of which is his descent from Fleance, son of Banquo, put to death by Macbeth, and immortalised by our great English bard, Shakespeare underlined red in the second row from the top, while that of the great Potentate is distinguished by a double line of blue in the sixth line it will be observed that, according to this pedigree, the family now become extinct.

Mr. Thomas A. Fairs — One of the oldest maps of London, as it was in the year 1560, showing the scaffold on Tower Hill, Old St Pauls, London Wall, Spitalfields, &c as being literally fields of grass. Old London Bridge is worthy of attention as having the houses thereon depicted on the map.

Mr. Thomas A. Fairs.— Splendid specimen of modern illuminated printing, by H. M. Humphrey, Esq of the M S. of Froissart.

Mr Thomas A. Fairs — Illuminated Prayer-book, originally used by his Majesty Charles II. The binding is modern.

Mr Thomas A. Fairs— Short sketches of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, illustrated with woodcuts 1524, being one of the most perfect specimen in the world.

Mr. Thomas A. Fairs - A curious old Treatise on Arithmetic in black letter, dedicated to Prince Edward, afterwards King Edward Vi, 1590 (see page 113)

Mr. Thomas A. Fairs - A very rare copy of Bishop Latimer's Sermons, in black letter, 1578, containing a very valuable old wood engraving off his preaching before King Edward VI.

Mr. Thomas A. Fairs - Copy of the "Sun" Newspaper of the Coronation of Queen Victoria, printed in gold.

Mr. Thomas A. Fairs - 22 specimens of illuminated work on parchment, by French Nuns, 1400.

Section IV.- Fine Arts.
Messrs Fairs and Steel Case of photographs, by Messrs. Fairs and Steel = Views and Portraits.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XX, Issue 2293, 25 November 1864, Page 5

Housebreaking in Grey-Street.

On Saturday night, a man named Patrick Murphy was given into custody for breaking into the house of Mr. R. H. Bartlett, (the photographer Robert Henry Bartlett) of Grey-street, and stealing a revolver, three blankets, and a black dress coat.

It appears, for some days past Mr. Bartlett has been at the Thames, and that during his absence a Mr. George A. Steel has been looking after his business in town, and sleeping at his residence in Grey-street at night.

On returning about ten o'clock on Saturday evening, he was surprised at seeing a light in one of the windows, and supposed that Mr. Bartlett had returned from the Thames. He knocked at the door, but no one answering he opened the door with the key, when he saw Murphy in the passage. He immediately collared him and locked him in one of the rooms, and on making a search he found that a revolver was missing from its place on a table by the bedside, where he had left it in the morning.

A bundle was lying on one of the chairs which had been made up by the prisoner, and which would no doubt have been carried off had it not been for the opportune arrival of Mr. Steel.

On missing the revolver, that gentleman went in to Murphy and asked him what he had done with it, when the latter lifted up the bedclothes, took it from beneath, and handed it over. Mr. Steel then sent for assistance, and, on the arrival of detective Ternahan, Murphy was given into his his charge and conveyed to the lock-up.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3582, 11 January 1869, Page 3

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3916, 11 March 1870, Page 1

Auckland Star, Volume IX, Issue 2526, 11 May 1878, Page 4

The romantic districts of Rotomahana, Rotorua, and the Lakes, with their natural associations, are now amongst the world's attractions, and, year by year, the number of visitors are on the increase. Poets, painters, and authors, have been struck with the unrivalled beauties and marvels of these districts, and have eulogised them in song, picture, and story.

Photography also has imparted additional interest to the lake scenes by its perfect delineations of the pink and white terraces, water-falls, and geysers, decorated by the cunning hand of Mature.

Without detracting from the merits of other photographic views, we may state conscientiously that Pulman's new views of tho Hot Lakes, and the surrounding localities, recently taken by Mr Steel, are among the finest, for clearness of outline and minuteness of detail, that have yet been produced in this colony, and as such are worthy the notice of lovers of art and persons of taste. See advt.

Auckland Star, Volume IX, Issue 2532, 18 May 1878, Page 2

The photographic views of Rotomahana, Ohinemutu, and Hot Lakes, exhibited by Mr Robert Graham at the Melbourne Exhibition, were taken by Mr Steel, of Pulman's photographic rooms, Auckland.

Auckland Star, Volume XI, Issue 3200, 23 October 1880, Page 2

We noticed in Pulman's window, Shortland street, an excellent photographic view of the new Masonic Hall, Princes street, taken by Mr G. A. Steel, of Pulman's photographic rooms. The picture is highly satisfactory, and very striking in every respect.

Auckland Star, Volume XIII, Issue 3613, 9 March 1882, Page 2

Some of the most beautiful of natural scenery, and the finest waterfalls of this island have been discovered at Waitakerei, and have attracted numbers of pedestrians to those hitherto unexplored recesses. A series of nine excellent photographic views of the choicest spots in this fern and kauri region, including the upper and lower falls, bush and fern scenery, &c, have recently been taken by Mr Steel, and a complete set may be seen at Pulman's photographic rooms, Shortland-street.

Auckland Star, Volume XIII, Issue 3691, 9 June 1882, Page 2

King Tawhiao and a number of his party paid a visit to Pulman's photographic establishment yesterday, and, Tawhiao especially, expressed admiration of the new series (200) of Hot Lake views, taken during the months of March and April by Messrs Steel and Pulman.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 103, 9 May 1885, Page 2

(1) Ancestry.com
(2) New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 380, 31 January 1865, Page 9
(3) Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1877, 23 July 1863, Page 2