Davis, William Henry Whitmore

William Henry Whitmore Davis

born 10 September 1812, London, Middlesex, England, arrived Wellington, New Zealand on the ship "Coleroon" [4] from London on 28 March 1867 aged 54 years, died 8 January 1901 at his residence Oriental Bay, Wellington aged 88 years.

William Henry Whitmore Davis

Ref: PAColl-9533. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. 

records/23225911


London

Practiced photography at 3 Bentinck Place, London (1856-1859), and at 10 Great Titchfield Street, London W (1860-1866).  

Wellington, New Zealand
arrived 28 March 1867

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2524, 28 May 1867

 

Intersection of Thorndon Quay and Mulgrave Street, Thorndon, Wellington, in 1866 (sic), with the harbour and a row boat in the foreground, photographed by William Henry Whitmore Davis. From left to right are: Clements & Dawson, grocers and general storekeepers; a painting and paperhanging shop; Warcup's bootmaking business; J Greaves, plumber and glazier; and the Thistle Inn. St Paul's Pro-Cathedral is on the right.
  Thorndon Quay and Mulgrave Street, Wellington. Ref: 10x8-2087-G. 
Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23073579

detail of the photograph above showing the studio of William Henry Whitmore Davis in Mulgrave Street opposite St Paul's Pro-Cathedral

 Tamihana Te Rauparaha with child Wi Kerei Kupapa
 Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 661-27.Record ID 661-27

Tamihana Te Rauparaha and his wife Ruth (Ruta Te Kapa) 
copy by W. H. Davis
Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 7-A11486



 

Photography. — We have seen a portrait of Sir George Grey taken by Mr W. H. Davis, Photographer, Mulgrave street, Thorndon. It is a 10x8 inch plate picture, a very good photograph, and a splendid portrait. By permission of Sir George Grey, Mr Davis is able to supply copies, which will afford great satisfaction to many in this colony. We also noticed an excellent photograph of the Rev. John Hall in Mr Davis' studio; and understand that persons desirous of purchasing a copy can obtain one on application.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXIII, Issue 2731, 12 September 1868

Photography. — Amongst other objects of interest exhibited at the entertainment given at the Odd Fellows' Hall, on Thursday evening last, in aid of the repairs of St. Paul's School, Thorndon, were some excellent photographs of living celebrities, taken by Mr W. H. Davis. Thorndon, which were greatly admired. They were indeed beautiful specimens of art, and would hear favorable comparison with those of the best efforts of our most celebrated artists in the mother country. The portraits of Sir George Grey, his Excellency Sir George Bowen, Colonel M'Donnell, and Majors Kemp, Ropata, and Morgan, wearing the swords lately presented to them by the Queen, were particularly good, being lifelike, and well executed in every particular. We also noticed seven copies of cartoons by Raphael, copied by Turner in 1729, and photographed by Mr Davies, which are real gems in their way.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXV, Issue 3021, 19 July 1870

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3186, 29 April 1871

 

Previous to Sir George Bowen's departure for Auckland, he sat for his portrait to be taken, in Mr W. H. Davis's studio, Thorndon. The likeness is a faithful one, and has been executed with the artist's usual skill. Persons desirous of obtaining copies can do so on application to Mr Davis, as we have no doubt there are many who will be glad to secure a souvenir of his Excellency.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3752, 13 March 1873

Evening Post, Volume XIV, Issue 60, 8 September 1876, Page 2

W. H. Davis, Photographer, Mulgrave street, begs to thank the public of Wellington for their liberal patronage during the last nine years, and to inform them that in consequence of visiting England for 12 months, his establishment will be closed for that period.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4860, 19 October 1876 

Mr. W. H. Davis, the photographer, who has lately returned to the colony from England, notifies that he has resumed business in Mulgrave-street. Mr. Davis is favorably known to the Wellington, public, and will no doubt secure a fair share of patronage.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5244, 14 January 1878

 

 Evening Post, Volume XVI, Issue 29, 15 January 1878

The Horticultural and local Industrial Exhibition [1881]
... Mr. Gibbs, Lambton Quay, Messrs. Clark and Hamilton, also of Lambton Quay, and Mr. H. Davis, Cuba-street [sic], have sent samples of their photographic art. The whole of these exhibits display considerable skill on the part of the photographers, and show that the art has reached a stage of perfection in Wellington unsurpassed in any of the other colonies. Messrs. Clarke and Hamilton have somewhat the largest show, and their specimens include several excellent portraits of his Excellency the Governor and suite. The firm have been appointed photographers to his Excellency...

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 59, 12 March 1881 

In noticing the photographs exhibited at the Arcade on Saturday we inadvertently referred to Mr. W. Davis, of Cuba-street, as the exhibitor, instead of Mr. W. D. Davis [sic], of Mulgrave-street, who was the artist exhibiting the photographs alluded to.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 61, 15 March 1881

Mr W. H. Davis, a resident of Wellington, has presented to the Colonial Museum a piece of wood sawn by him from the wreck of the Royal George. The fragment has been placed in the Museum, where, no doubt, it will be an object of interest as an historic reminiscence of a terrible and remarkable calamity.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7978, 8 January 1887

A series of photographs of Wellington in 1867 are now on exhibition in the window of Messrs. Cook & Son, tailors, Lambton-quay, and are attracting considerable attention from the passers-by. The views were taken by Mr. W. H. Davies [sic], and any person has only to glance at them to realise the tremendous progress Wellington has made during the past 20 years.

Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 44, 20 August 1887

The regular meeting of the Hospital Trustees was held yesterday forenoon ...The Chairman and Mr Allen were deputed to inspect a section of land in Mulgrave street, about to be surrendered by Mr W. H. Davis, and report as to the rental at which it shall be relet...

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 9501, 13 January 1892

The Secretary of the Wellington Hospital invites tenders for a building lease (21 years) of the property lately occupied by Mr H. Davis [sic], in Mulgrave street. Full particulars elsewhere.

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 9608, 20 May 1892

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 9608, 20 May 1892
 

  ...The past is also represented by a collection of daguerreotypes in a show-case at the end of the hall, by some views of Wellington in 1860 lent by Archdeacon Stock, and by some other views of Wellington in 1867 lent by Mr W. H. Davis, who was the leading professional photographer of the nascent city in those days. An especial interest attaches to all these exhibits.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVI, Issue 2229, 11 June 1894

Maria Annie Hislop nee Simpson, wife of the Hon. T. W. Hislop, Mayor of Wellington
by William Henry Davis

Robert Ward by William Henry Whitmore Davis, Mulgrave Street, Wellington

Rev. Robert Ward, 1816-1876. First Primitive Methodist Missionary sent to the Southern Hemisphere. He arrived in New Plymouth on Barque "Raymond" 29 August 1844.

Family

William Henry Whitmore Davis, born 10 September 1812, London, Middlesex, England, arrived Wellington, New Zealand on the ship "Coleroon" [4] from London on 28 March 1867 aged 54 years, died 8 January 1901 at his residence Oriental Bay, Wellington aged 88 years.

married firstly Elizabeth Mose

married secondly 14 February 1849 [3] at Christ Church, St Pancras, London, Mary Rayner, arrived in Wellington on the ship "Coleroon" [4] from London on 28 March 1867, died 14 August 1876, Wellington, New Zealand [2]

married thirdly 5 July 1878 at St Paul's Church, Thorndon, Wellington by the Rev. B. W. Harvey, Eliza Stock late of Bedford, England [1]

issue with Elizabeth Mose:
1. Charlotte Elizabeth Davis born 6 October 1839, London, Middlesex, England, died 12 March 1921, 169 Main Road, Wellington, New Zealand [6], married 13 November 1859, reg. 1859/2919 St Peter's Church, Te Aro, Wellington, New Zealand by the Rev. A. Stock,  John Herman Cook, born 4 August 1834 Greenwich, London, England, died 8 March 1924.

 Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1380, 15 November 1859

2. William Henry Davis (photographer) born about 1840, died 30 August 1875

3. Ann Davis (or Annie) born 7 December 1841, London, Middlesex, England, arrived in Wellington on the ship "Coleroon" [4] from London on 28 March 1867 aged 25 years, died 30 August 1914, Wellington, New Zealand, married 13 September 1868 at St Peter's Church, Wellington by Rev. A. Stock [5], reg. 1868/7316, Robert Clifford Cook, born 15 April 1842, at sea aboard the "Clifford", died 19 November 1911, Wellington, New Zealand
 

[1] New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5392, 9 July 1878 
[2] New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4805, 16 August 1876
[3] Ancestry.com incorrectly shows 4 February 1849

[4] Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 55, 2 September 1914
The death occurred on Sunday at the residence, Wadestown, at the age of 73, of Mrs. A. Cook, widow of the late Mr. Robert Clifford Cook, formerly of H.M. Customs Department. Mrs. Cook was the second daughter of the late Mr. W. H. Davis, of Oriental Bay, and arrived in New Zealand with her parents in the ship Colaroon [Coleroon] in the year 1867. Mrs. Cook was a colonist of the best type; her kindly disposition won for her the high esteem of a very large circle of friends who will deeply sympathise with her family in their bereavement. She leaves a grown-up family of four sons and five daughters. The interment took place at Karori yesterday, the Rev. Mr. Mitchell conducting the burial service. 
[5]  Evening Post, Volume IV, Issue 184, 16 September 1868
[6] Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 63, 15 March 1921