Walton and Schott

Walton and Schott

William Arthur Walton and Albert Bernard Schott 
George Street, Dunedin

 above - the studio motto "Pro Bonis Ad Meliora" can be translated as  "From Good to Better"

above - in 1878 the studio of Walton and Schott was located in George Street next to the Rainbow Hotel. The  hotel was situated at the south-west corner of the intersection of George and St Andrews Streets [1].  The Rainbow Hotel can be seen at the lower right of this woodblock engraving dated 1875 [2]. The adjacent buildings have been highlighted. In the fire of 1878 eight buildings were raised to the ground.

above - detail of George Street showing the Rainbow Hotel at intersection with St Andrews Street, and adjacent buildings.

reverse inscription "To Hattie from Liddy and George".
"Hattie" is usually the diminutive of Harriet and "Liddy" the diminutive of Lydia.

 

above cdv courtesy of The Laurence Eagle Collection

 

 

The inquest yesterday on the recent fire in George street, resulted in an open verdict. The evidence simply went to show that the fire originated inside Messrs Walton and Schott's photographic gallery, but there was nothing to indicate the cause of the fire. A rider was added by the jury, advising that two men should be constantly kept on duty at the Fire Brigade station.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5244, 7 December 1878, Page 2

 

The Late Fire

An inquest into the origin of the late fire in George street was held before Dr Hocken (the City Coroner) and a Jury of twelve, of whom Wm. Wilson was chosen foreman, at the Royal George Hotel yesterday afternoon.

The Jury having viewed the scene of the fire, the following evidence was taken:— Wm. Baskett, a builder, residing in Cargill street, deposed that on Friday, the 29th ult., at about 4.45 a.m., he saw, from his bedroom window, fire coming from the back of a shop next to the Rainbow Hotel in George street. The fire was breaking through the roof of the shop; it was not in the yard. There was very little smoke, but a great deal of flame. He did not see anything that would throw any light on the origin of the fire.

James Murphy, bootmaker, gave evidence that he lived at the time of the fire in one of the houses burnt down. On Friday, the 29th November, he was aroused by his wife, who told him there was a noise next door. He thought it was a bricklayer working, and took no further notice of it for six or seven minutes, and then some one knocked at the door and gave the alarm of fire. When he looked out he saw that the fire was in Walton and Schott's photographic gallery. The flames were coming through the roof and sides of the building. On the previous afternoon there was a small fire in the yard, which he ordered the boy to put out, but he heard afterwards that the fire was not put out. In the evening he was in the yard, and he believed the fire was then out, as he did not think it could have burned for so long a time. He had been told that the fire was seen burning at 4 o'clock in the morning. He believed the fire broke out in the gallery.

Albert Bernard Schott, of the firm of Walton and Schott, deposed that he knew nothing of the fire. On Thursday he left the shop at 8.40 p.m., and was the last in. No fire was lit in the stove or fireplace for nearly two months preceding the fire, a spirit-lamp was generally used. There was nothing in the building that would explode. The stock-in-trade was insured for L 250 one policy having lapsed for about a month before the fire occurred. Witness had lost largely by the fire—nothing had been saved from it. He could give no clue to the origin of the fire.

Francis Grigg (a boy 11 years of age) deposed that he had been employed by Walton and Schott for about eight months. On Thursday week witness lit a fire in the yard at the back of the photographic gallery. The fire was used to heat water to make paste with. Witness, after he had made the paste, extinguished the fire with a saucepan full of water. This was done before 10 o'clock on Thursday morning. He was in the yard two or three times afterwards, and saw that the fire was out.

Nellie Murphy (a girl 10 years of age) gave evidence that on the afternoon before the fire she put out the fire that had been made by Schott's boy by putting a bucket of water on it.

William Arthur Walton, a photographer, recently carrying on business in George street, gave evidence similar to that given by Mr Schott. The stock had been insured for L300 in the United Insurance Company, but L50 of that policy, and another policy for L100, had been allowed to lapse. Witness had thought of not renewing any of the policies because the captain of the five brigade had come to live next door, but the agent of the United Company had persuaded him to reinsure for L250. He knew nothing of the origin of the fire.

The Coroner remarked that a large number of witnesses were in attendance, but as they could only say that they had seen the premises burning, he did not think it would be worth while to occupy the time of the jury by examining them. Mr Carroll, one of the Jury, said that he agreed with the Coroner, that an open verdict must be returned on the evidence; but suggested that a rider should be added calling attention to the danger of the practice of lighting open fires in yards. He also thought the time had arrived when there should be two men constantly on duty at the Fire Brigade Station, with a horse harnessed ready for use.

The Coroner considered the suggestions very valuable, and said that no doubt the Press would take notice of them.

The following was the verdict of the Jury:- "That the said fire in George Street originated on Messrs Walton and Schott's premises on the 29th of November, but how or by what means such fire was caused there is no evidence to show." The rider added was as follows:— "The Jury also are further of opinion that two Fire Brigade men should be always on duty at the Fire Brigade Station, and that there should also be there a horse ready harnessed." The Jury were then thanked and discharged.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5244, 7 December 1878, Page 5

Southland Times, Issue 3287, 1 January 1879, Page 2

(this notice first appeared in the Southland Times about 31 December 1878 and continued for four months until 30 April 1879)

 Otago Daily Times, Issue 6817, 20 December 1883, Page 1
Cazneau and Connolly

Photography.- Retouching taught. Terms apply A. B. Schott, care of Charlmont and Co. Royal Arcade. (Charlemont?)

The Sydney Morning Herald, 5 May 1888, page 3

On Thursday evening a meeting was held at the corner of Oxford and Bourke streets, its object being to form a Professional Photographic Society. There were a large number of photographers present. Mr. A. B. Schott was unanimously elected chairman. After transacting all preliminary business Mr. E. T. Irving was elected secretary of the proposed society. The primary business being disposed of the meeting dissolved, when "Success to the New South Wales Photographic Society" was proposed and drunk with much enthusiasm.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 18 May 1889, page 13

Albert Bernard Schott was the eldest son of James Arthur Schott (born 1831 New York) of Hobart Town, Tasmania.  His grandfather was Adam Joseph Schott a son of Bernhard Schott, the founder of B Schott's Sohne, music publishers of Mainz [3].

His father James Arthur Schott died at Napoleon Street, Battery Point, Tasmania on 31 August 1888 [4].  Albert Bernard Schott married 6 August 1880 at Redfern, Sydney to Kate Mary Cullen youngest daughter of E. B. Cullen late of Redfern, Sydney, reg 2132/1880 Redfern.

 

issue included:

1. Annie Violetta Schott reg. 7812/1881 New South Wales
2. Aroha Gladys Schott reg. 1883/6002 New Zealand
3. Irene M. Schott reg. 2182/1885 New South Wales
4. Elsie M. Schott reg. 11331/1887 New South Wales
5. Rose V. Schott reg. 11332/1887 New South Wales
6. Albert T. Schott reg. 29989/1890 New South Wales
7. Leslie V. Schott reg. 30969/1893 New South Wales
8. Lucy E. Schott reg. 34897/1897 New South Wales



[1] Pubs Galore - A History of Dunedin Hotels 1848-1984, Frank Tod
[2] Dunedin in 1875 by Calvert and Cook
[3] Rootsweb -  http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/SCHOTT/2004-10/1097522910
[4] The Mercury (Hobart, Tas), 1 September 1888, page 1