Early New Zealand Photographers: March 2023

Lloyd, Trevor

off topic

Trevor Lloyd

born 21 December 1863 – died 11 September 1937

artist, illustrator and cartoonist.

reverse message dated 19 September 1906

Artist Retires

Mr. Trevor Lloyd

Popular Cartoonist

Herald and Weekly News

Good-Humoured Satire

After nearly 34 years' work for The Weekly News and the New Zealand Herald, the veteran cartoonist, Mr. Trevor Lloyd, has retired on superannuation. Mr. Lloyd lately suffered a severe illness, which hastened his retirement, but happily he is now well on the way to recovery.

Born and brought up in the Auckland Province. Mr. Lloyd has made a unique place for himself in New Zealand humour. His merry drawings of Maori subjects and good-natured pictorial comments on public events have won him countless friends among Weekly News readers throughout the Dominion, and the Auckland public is even more indebted to him for lively cartoons upon topics of local and general interest. His etchings of New Zealand flora are a real contribution to the country's serious art.

Mr. Lloyd cannot remember the time when he was not making sketches. He was born on a farm near Silverdale, then known as the Wade, where his father. Mr. Henry Lloyd, had settled in the very early days. The elder Lloyd combined a love of country life with a more than passing interest in art. His son's first venture into that realm was made in infancy, when he found and ate a cake of water-colour and had to be given an emetic.

Weekly News Appointment.
As a boy he began to sketch the scenes and people about him, especially the Maoris, of whom there were many in the district at that time. Farming, however, did not appeal to him, and in the 'nineties, after the death of his father, he removed to Auckland and set out to make a living with his brush.

The young artist's first commission was to illustrate stories and articles in the New Zealand Magazine, a monthly published by Arthur Cleave and Company. For a period he contributed to the New Zealand Graphic, and in February, 1903; he was appointed to the staff* of The Weekly News.

Mr. Lloyd's early work for the paper 'consisted of political cartoons in which Mr. Seddon naturally was the most prominent figure. He was also called upon as "special artist" to depict, usually in oils, local events which the limited resources of the camera at that time made it impossible to photograph. Typical of these subjects was a disastrous collision between two electric trams at night on the Kingsland line in December, 1903. Three people were killed in the accident and many others were injured.' The Christmas issue of the paper gave him scope for landscape work.

Politics and American Fleet
The Russo-Japanese War of 1904 allowed him for the first time to undertake semi-serious cartooning, but he earned greater public recognition by many political cartoons and. in the local field, at the slow progress of railway construction. When Sir Joseph Ward brought the new title of "Dominion" with him from London. Mr. Lloyd quickly burlesqued the change by showing the Prime Minister in the act of decorating the kiwi with a tail pf eight peacock's feathers.

The visit of the American fleet to Auckland in 1908 brought out a varied crop of pictures. One represented a tatooed Maori wearing pince-nez and a wide smile and remarking, "Kapail All te same Roosevelt." This greatly amused the American sailors, and a journalist who was travelling with the fleet' used it later to illustrate lectures.

About this time Mr. Lloyd drew a series of very funny skits on early New Zealand history. Each took up a full page of The Weekly News. An example represented an agricultural show in pre-pakeha days, with such exhibits as a first prize fat slave, moa's egg and dried shark (the last judged by its smell). Moas were shown being ridden over jumps in the ring.

Great War Cartoons
Perhaps his best-known political cartoon appeared in September, 3911, not long before the Ward Ministry faced its last general election. It was entitled "Will She Weather It?" Sir Joseph and his colleagues were shown in a battered war canoe heading toward an ugly rock, while the shark "Socialism" cruised hungrily near. Three months later Mr. Lloyd provided a sequel, a picture of the wreck with the shark swallowing Mr. George Fowlds, who had dived overboard well before the impact.

"Under the Shadow," depicting the angel of death over Europe, marked the beginning of the Great War, but the artist was able to get much jollity out of the New Zealand general election which was fought in the last months of 1914. Throughout the war Mr. Lloyd did his share toward sustaining the courage and good humour of New Zealand. The Kaiser, with upturned moustaches and feebly bellicose demeanour, figured in scores of his drawings, along with the Crown Prince, the British Lion, the kiwi and the kangaroo. At times he struck a serious note, as after the triumphs and losses of the New Zealanders on Gallipoli and at. Messines and Passchendaele. When the Armistice came he printed a large drawing, "The Dawn of Peace," in which day rose over a shell-shattered French town.

Soon after he had the satisfaction of parodying Tenniel's well-known "Dropping the Pilot." The Kaiser and his son were shown descending the gangway at the behest of an angry German soldier, determined to "drop the pirates." One of Mr. Lloyd's most popular war cartoons was a small one drawn when the formation of a Maori contingent was announced. It showed a tribe of tattooed warriors advancing to the fray and yelling, "Where te Kaiser?''

Prohibition Battles
"In the post-war general election of 1919 and thereafter until his death in .1925, Mr. Massey's jovial face appeared regularly in the drawings. Among fictitious characters which cropped up through the years was the prohibition cat, always in combat with "Spot," the alcoholic bulldog. A variant of this was "Beer Rabbit." chased by the hounds of prohibition, and the beer-barrel and the teapot were often seen in conflict. Kingfishers and native parrakeets [sic] perched on points of vantage helped to enliven many a- picture with their pithy remarks.

In 1921 Mr. Lloyd began to contribute a weekly cartoon in line to the Herald Saturday supplement. Later he supplied one on Wednesdays also, and eventually his work was mainly in this medium, instead of the line and wash which he had favoured for many years. He drew many dainty border decorations for The Weekly News Christmas number. In these, treeferns, kiwis and quaint little Maori imps with wide mouths and goggling eyes figured very often.

In his spare time Mr. Lloyd made, and still makes, very beautiful etchings of native trees, plants and birds, and occasionally of Maoris. He was almost a New Zealand pioneer in this field of art, and learned the craft with little help from others. His daughters, the Misses. Constance and Olive Lloyd, "do,very accomplished work in the same medium.
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22567, 4 November 1936, Page 16

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22567, 4 November 1936, Page 10

Stuart, William

William Stuart

William Stuart born about 1849, died 9 March 1880 Motueka aged 31 or 32 years, buried Motueka Cemetery row 5, plot 65.

unknown girl photographed by William Stuart

[purchased March 2023]

Nelson. Tuesday. Tom [sic] Stuart, photographer, who recently has been living at Motueka was missed since Friday last. A search was made, and continued till this morning, when the body was discovered near the cemetery. It appears that he wrote to his mother on Friday last, intimating that he intended destroying himself.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume ii, Issue 105, 23 March 1880, Page 3

Suicide at Motueka.— We have received the following telegram from our Motueka correspondent: "Motueka, March 22. "The body of William Stuart, photographer, who had been missing since Friday, has just been found near the Cemetery; he apparently poisoned himself. Parties were out searching on Saturday and Sunday, and again this morning. Stuart had posted a letter to his brother previously, stating his intention of destroying himself, and that his body would be found near the Cemetery. His brother received the letter on Saturday night, and arrived here yesterday morning. Unfortunately he misread the letter, and thought it stated that the body would be found near the Church, but on Sunday evening he ascertained that it read 'near the Cemetery.' Further particulars after inquest."
From inquiries we learn that the deceased, who was well connected, was better known in the Marlborough district than in Nelson. So far we are without grounds for attributing his rash act to any particular circumstance, but we shall doubtless be in possession of farther details very shortly.
Colonist, Volume XXIII, Issue 2683, 23 March 1880, Page 3

Suicide at Motueka.

On Monday last an inquest was held at Motueka touching the death of William Stuart, photographer, the finding of whose body together with some particulars regarding his death furnished by our correspondents has been made public in these columns. The Jury having been duly sworn, and Mr S. Carter chosen foreman, the following evidence was adduced :-

Lucy Burnell deposed that she was the wife of a laborer. That morning whilst going for some wood she crossed the sandhills, when she found the body lying near the Cemetery. She had never seen the deceased before. She immediately sent her son to the wharfinger to inform him of the occurrence.

Daniel White, a miner, deposed that he was lodging at the Retreat Inn. He knew the deceased slightly, and last saw him alive on Friday afternoon, the 19th instant, near Mr Coppins' hotel, but he did not speak to him. That morning Mrs Burnell's boy came to him and told him that his mother had found the body lying near the Cemetery. He went with William Davy, and at once recognised the body as that of William Stuart. He thereupon sent word to the constable.

W. W. Coppins, proprietor of the Motueka Hotel deposed that he knew deceased, who for the last eight weeks had been lodging at his house. He noticed that Stuart was very gloomy and continually saying that he wished he was dead. He believed that on Sunday night he took half a three and sixpenny bottle of chlorodyne. He wished deceased to see the Coroner when that gentleman was over with Judge Broad, but he urged him (witness) not to call him. Deceased had eaten nothing for a week, and he last saw him on Friday evening when at his request he gave him half a pint of beer he then said he wanted to go down and see Mr Burrell. The deceased had repeatedly said that he wished he was dead, and when he heard of Mr Talbot's death he said he wished he was in his place. By a juror: He should think he was not quite right in his mind; he had been suffering from diarrhoea. He had a copy of a letter deceased wrote to his brother, which read — "My dear James, — I received your kind letter. It was my intention not to have written to a soul. I shall never write to any one again; I mean to destroy myself to-night after dark. I shall be found near the grave yard. I wish to give as little trouble as possible." The deceased was not at all intoxicated on the Friday. George Hickmot, laborer, deposed: He knew deceased, and last saw him alive about a week ago, when he appeared as usual. He found the bottle produced about 15 yards from where the body was found, and the white crystals in it were the same then as when he found it.

Johan Peter Ernest F. Johansen, duly qualified medical practitioner, deposed that he had seen the body of deceased, but the external signs were so inconsiderable that without other evidence he could give no opinion. The body was in an advanced stage of decomposition. He noticed no signs of hydrocyanic acid. After giving the appearance of deceased, the witness stated that there were no signs of violence on the body, and that the signs were of poisoning by cyanide of potassium, which is used by photographers. Death must have been almost instantaneous. The poison would decompose almost immediately. By a Juror: He would not find any further proof by a further examination. The Coroner said that from the evidence of the last witness he did not think a post mortem examination necessary and the jury then returned a verdict " That decased [sic] died from taking a dose of cyanide of potassium, administered by his own hand whilst in a state of temporary insanity.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 72, 24 March 1880, Page 2

Klix Studio

Agency Leicagraph Studios, Hotel Street, George Corner, Wellington

Minicam Photographers

9 The Cable Car Lane, Wellington

Smith, Robert Henry

Robert Henry Smith
119a Manners Street, Wellington

unknown couple photographed by Robert Henry Smith

[purchased February 2023]

1946 - Miramar Electoral Roll: 11234 - Smith, Robert Henry, 3 Carlton St., photographer

1949 - Miramar Electoral Roll: 11715 - Smith, Robert Henry, 3 Carlton St., photographer

1954 - Miramar Electoral Roll: 12370 - Smith, Robert Henry, 4 Sunglow Avenue, photographer

1957 - Miramar Electoral Roll: 12971 - Smith, Robert Henry, 4 Sunglow Avenue, photographer

1960 - Miramar Electoral Roll: page 169 line 57 - Smith, Robert Henry, 4 Sunglow Avenue, photographer

1963 - Miramar Electoral Roll: page 179 line 32 - Smith, Robert Henry, 4 Sunglow Avenue, photographer

Howell, J.

J. Howell

Marton

unknown photographer

Dunedin

Milne, Geoffrey Roderick

Geoffrey Roderick Milne

Balclutha

born 19 January 1926 - died 5 June 2017 reg. 2017/14785

1972 - 35 Pakefield street, Balclutha, photographer

not identified

[purchased March 2023]

Nicholas, James Martyn

London Portrait Rooms

James Martyn Nicholas

Esk Street, Invercargill

James Martyn Nicholas (photographer) born 2 August 1833 Coombe, St Stephens, Cornwall, England, bapt. 18 August 1833, St. Stephens-in-Brannel, Cornwall, emigrated to Australia about 1857 aged 24 years to Creswick Creek, Ballarat, arrived New Zealand 1863, later in 1867 he returned to Cornwall and came back to NZ in 1869. In 1873 again returned to Cornwall where he married leaving in 1880 with his wife and three of a family for New Zealand, arriving in December of that year, died 9 February 1916 Rakaia aged 83 years, married 1873, reg. Sep 1873, Pancras vol. 1b page 293 Margery Cornish Pearce, she died about 1908

issue:
2a. Lilian Edith Nicholas (Fiji), married Thomas Raeburn Anderson reg. 1897/1352
2b. Charles Christopher Nicholas (Orepuki), married Elizabeth Grier Pearson reg. 1902/6191
2c. Arthur James Nicholas (Christchurch) married Anna Elizabeth Veitch reg. 1909/5761
2d. William Edgar Nicholas born circa 1882 New Zealand, reg. 1882/486
2e. Ethel Nicholas (Rakaia), born circa 1883 New Zealand, reg. 1883/15711 married 1911, reg. 1911/3586c William John Lee
2f. Herbert Hedley Nicholas (Christchurch) born circa 1890 New Zealand, reg. 1890/18991 married Winifred Alicia Philpott circa 1921 reg. 1921/627

[purchased February 2023]

Fiske, George

Off Topic

George Fiske

American landscape photographer.

born 22 October 1835 – died 21 October 1918

George Fiske was born October 22, 1835, in Amherst, New Hampshire, and raised on the family's farm. In 1858, at the age of 22, he moved west to Sacramento, California, where he worked as a banking clerk for his half-brother Thomas Fiske, of Thomas Fiske & Co. Located in the same building as the bank was the Vance & Weed Photographic Gallery, owned by Robert H. Vance and managed by Charles Leander Weed, the first photographer of Yosemite Valley. In the years following his move to California, it is likely that Fiske received a good amount of photographic training - though where and by whom is not certain - for in 1864 he surfaced as a freelance photographer in San Francisco. In 1868, after a brief hiatus from photography spent farming in the Santa Clara Valley, Fiske returned to San Francisco and became an assistant to Carleton E. Watkins. During the next few years he was employed as a photographer for Thomas Houseworth & Co., and worked with Eadweard Muybridge photographing the Yosemite Valley. In a one-year span between 1872 and 1873, Fiske lost his mother, father and half-brother James, and married his first wife, Elmira ("Myra") F. Morrill. In 1874 Fiske returned to work for Watkins. The following year Watkins went bankrupt, causing another hiatus in Fiske's career. In 1879, after resuming his photographic practice in San Francisco, Fiske moved to the Yosemite Valley, becoming its first year-round resident photographer. While at Yosemite, where he lived for nearly the remainder of his life, Fiske became the close friend of Galen Clark, established a long-running though modest photographic concession of landscape views and custom tourist portraits, and ceaselessly photographed the many features of the Valley and its environs.

In 1884 Fiske began to receive the recognition due his work. Upon viewing Fiske's prints on exhibition at the New Orleans World's Fair, the influential Philadelphia Photographer critic Edward L Wilson described his work as "gems of photographic art" that "place Mr. Fiske in the front rank." That same year, Fiske sent a selection of his photographs to London for the inspection of John Ruskin, who replied, "It is impossible to choose subjects more fitly, or to do better work." Despite this and posthumous praise from the likes of Beaumont Newhall and Ansel Adams, Fiske is yet to be widely recognized as a prominent figure in the history of photography.

In 1896, Myra Fiske died of cancer. The following year previous George Fiske next married Caroline ("Carrie") Paull. In 1904 a fire destroyed Fiske's house and studio, as well as two cameras, two lenses, three quarters of his glass-plate negatives, and a large portion of his stock of prints. (A 1943 fire destroyed the remainder of Fiske's glass-plate negatives.) After the deaths of Galen Clark in 1910 and his wife Carrie in 1917, Fiske become very despondent. In 1918, facing dim business prospects and suffering intensely from a brain tumor, previous George Fiske next committed suicide. He was buried next to Galen Clark in Yosemite's Pioneer Cemetery.

(Sources: Paul Hickman, The Life and Photographic Works of previous George Fiske next, 1835-1918 (M.A. Thesis, Arizona State University, 1979); Paul Hickman and Terence Pitts, previous George Fiske next, Yosemite Photographer (Flagstaff, AZ: Northland Press; Tucson: University of Arizona, Center for Creative Photography, 1980).)

The Online Archive of California

George Fiske, Landscape Photographer banner image [above] from Photographs of Yosemite Valley and Big Trees of Mariposa County, Calif., 1884, California, by George Fiske. Purchased 1991. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Te Papa (AL.000079)