Early New Zealand Photographers: January 2020

John Low

born 18 July 1847, Scotland, died 5 November 1895, Whangarei, New Zealand [or reg. as 6 November 1895, reg. no. 1895/5712 aged 47 years].

Marriage.
Low — Fuller.-On February 27, at Whangarei, by the Rev. Alexander Thomson, Mr John Low, photographer, of Waikato, to Eliza A. Fuller, of Whangarei.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1044, 4 March 1879

Birth.
Low.— On the 15th inst., at the America [sic] Portrait Rooms, 13 Grey street, Auckland, the wife of Mr John Low, Photographer, of a daughter.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1437, 17 September 1881

Greymouth
1867-1869

Judging from the specimens which have been submitted to us, Mr Tensfeld's successor will fully and efficiently supply the local demand for photographic views and portraits. Mr Low comes from Auckland, and his portfolio contains many excellent specimens of the photographer's art, and will interest any of our Auckland friends. We wish the newcomer every success.

Grey River Argus, Issue 254, 29 August 1867

We have had submitted far our inspection a series of photographic views of the town of Greymouth as it appeared during and after the flood of Wednesday. They have been executed by Mr Low, and are excellent specimens of the art of photography, and will form interesting mementoes of the late disaster.

Grey River Argus, Volume IV, Issue 285, 9 November 1867

Greymouth by John Low, 1867
refer Hidden Light - Early Canterbury and West Coast Photography by Ken Hall with Haruhiko Sameshima page 83, where this carte de visite is identified as being by John Low.

View of Greymouth taken during the great flood of 6th November 1867.

The following two cartes de visite are attributed to John Low and possibly part of his series of views of the 1867 Greymouth flood.

Shown here with a flag pole outside is the Greymouth Post Office, the smaller building next door is the Telegraph Office completed in 1866

The Greymouth Post Office was never a very magnificent structure, but it has lately become not only insignificant, but exceedingly inconvenient for the public and its official occupants, by reason of alterations in the level of the footpath. The matter having been represented to head-quarters by Mr M'Beth, an improvement has been agreed to, and it is intended by the expenditure of a small amount, to raise the building, and to improve the facilities for posting and receiving correspondence. It is to be hoped that, at the same time, the convenience of the Postmaster and his assistants will be consulted, for more limited and less convenient accommodation for the extensive work of such an office as that of Greymouth could scarcely be contrived. Judged by its exterior, at any rate, the office is one which is more suited for the accommodation of hens than men.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1668, 9 December 1873