(continued from Part 2)
By 1902 Mary Humphreys had established herself as one of the
two leading Tauranga photographers, although she concentrated more on scenic
work than the portraiture which had dominated the output of Thomas
E. Price, who had operated a studio on the Strand since 1897.
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| “Strand, Tauranga (the business street of the town, facing east [sic])”, c. 1901-1902 Mounted half-plate print photographed by Mary Humphreys Collection of Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 99-1182 |
There is evidence that Mary Humphreys sold both loose and mounted half-plate (6” x 4”) prints, presumably from her shop on the Strand, although it is not clear how long that remained open. The photograph shown above, contacted printed from the glass plate negative, is mounted on thick card and signed on the back in her handwriting (below), recognizable from other sources such as a postcard sent to her daughters (TCL Ref. 99-717),[i] but she did not at this stage appear to use any of the pre-printed card mounts or purpose-made stamps with which most established photographers marked their work.
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| “Mary Humphreys Photo.[grapher]” signature, detail from verso of 99-1182 |
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| Tauranga’s First Post Office & Government Building, Willow Street, bef. Oct
1901 Half-plate print mounted on album page, photographed by Mary Humphreys Collection of Tauranga City Library, Pae Korokī Ref. 99-340 |
This quarter-plate print depicting Tauranga’s first Post Office and Government building (built in 1874), mounted in an album which contains several other photographs identified as having been taken by Mary Humphreys, is identical to the view published in the Weekly Press in October 1901.
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| The Illuminations & Decorations on the Government Buildings, June-August
1902 Half-plate print mounted on album page, photographed by Mary Humphreys Collection of Tauranga City Library, Pae Korokī Ref. 99-362 |
She photographed the building again after it had been decorated with plants, the royal seal, several portraits, Union Jacks and a string of illuminations. Two large portraits of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra appear in the windows above the main doors, suggesting this was in preparation for the intended coronation which was supposed to happen on 26 June 1902. Newspaper reports indicate that, following a suggestion by storekeeper Robert Badger,[ii] and an application by postmaster Mr Northcroft to the Postal Department for “materials for illuminating the Government Buildings”,[iii] funding was allocated and the “necessary devices” were ordered by telegram from Auckland on 21 June.[iv] Due to the King’s sudden illness the coronation was postponed, but it eventually took place on 9 August, when the illuminations were officially switched on at 7 p.m.[v]
“At 7 p.m. the fine building in which are centred all the Government and Local Bodies offices, was handsomely illuminated from within and decorated with fairy lamps outside. The idea was promulgated by Mr E. Northcroft, lately Postmaster … his plans were loyally carried out by the staff here, and the universal verdict was than a very pretty and striking display was made … Portraits of the King and Queen occupied two central windows on the second floor, from which the sashes had been removed, and other windows were filled with transparencies representing the national flags and emblems, royal coat of arms, patriotic pictures, portraits of distinguished generals, etc, etc … the Post Office staff … kept them going till past eleven p.m. … This is the first time that anything of the sort has been attempted in Tauranga …” [vi]
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| Tauranga Post Office after the fire, 17 November 1902 Half-plate print mounted on album page, photographed by Mary Humphreys Collection of Tauranga City Library, Pae Korokī Ref. 99-341 |
On the night of 16th November 1902 Mary Humphreys, at that time living in Willow Street, adjacent to the Tauranga Post Office, was woken soon after 11pm by noises and on going outside found the building ablaze.[vii],[viii] The following morning she positioned her camera in the same spot where she had taken her earlier photographs of the building, then took at least three more shots of the still smoking ruins.
Photographs by Mary Humphreys, published by New Zealand Graphic 29 Nov 1902
Auckland Libraries Collection, Refs. NZG-19021129-1383-01 and NZG-19021129-1383-02
One of them was published in the New Zealand Graphic on 29 November alongside her photograph of the building before the fire.[ix] She would later document the new Post Office after it was completed in 1906 several times, the images being published as postcards (0166/09).
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| “Moonlight at the Mount”, c. 1900-1905 Mounted quarter-plate print, photographed by Mary Humphreys Collection of The Elms Foundation, Pae Korokī Ref. 2008.0453 |
Another format included in Humphreys’ repertoire at this time was a smaller print – roughly quarter-plate – double mounted on a decorative grey card with an embossed, stippled surround. The Elms Foundation collection has several of this type which have both Mary’s characteristically handwritten captions and a monogram “GAW”. While it is conceivable that the photographs marked thus were taken by George Arnold Ward, owner of the Bay of Plenty Times, former mayor and friend of Mrs Humphreys, it is considered more likely that they were commissioned by him.
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| H.M.S. Lizard anchored in Tauranga Harbour, April 1903 Photograph attributed to Mary Humphreys Collection of The Elms Foundation, Pae Korokī Ref. 2008.0454 |
A view of the Tauranga waterfront with the warship H.M.S. Lizard at anchor in the harbour is mounted on identical card, and has similar handwriting on the back but no monogram. The ship arrived on 18 April 1903 and stayed for only a few days.[x]
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| Crew of the H.M.S. Lizard in fancy dress, April 1903 Photographed by Mary Humphreys Collection of Tauranga City Library, Mary Humphreys Album |
The Lizard’s crew appear to have enjoyed their stay in Tauranga. A photograph in an album compiled by Mary Humphreys shows several of them dressed for what appears to be a fancy dress party.
The next article in this series will cover Mrs Humphreys’ entry into the postcard era.
[i] Mary Humphreys, Untitled [Postcard View of Daughters Playing Golf], circa 1912, Real photo postcard, circa 1912, Climate controlled room - offsite, Tauranga City Libraries Archive, https://paekoroki.tauranga.govt.nz/nodes/view/3813.
[ii] Robert Badger, “Coronation Illuminations,” Bay of Plenty Times, June 18, 1902, Volume 29 Issue 4311 edition.
[iii] “Untitled [Coronation Preparations],” Bay of Plenty Times, June 20, 1902, Volume 29 Issue 4312 edition.
[iv] “Untitled [Telegram from Postal Department],” Bay of Plenty Times, June 23, 1902, Volume 29 Issue 4313 edition.
[v] “Coronation Day,” Bay of Plenty Times, August 8, 1902, Volume 29 Issue 4333 edition.
[vi] “Coronation Day: The Illuminations,” Bay of Plenty Times, August 11, 1902, Volume 29 Issue 4334 edition.
[vii] “Disastrous Fire at Tauranga, Government Buildings Destroyed,” Bay of Plenty Times, November 17, 1902, Volume 31 Issue 4375 edition.
[viii] “Fire at Government Buildings, Tauranga. Magisterial Enquiry,” Bay of Plenty Times, December 5, 1902, Volume 29 Issue 4383 edition.
[ix] “The Recent Conflagration at Tauranga,” New Zealand Graphic, November 29, 1902, Volume 29 Issue 22 (Supplement) edition.
[x] “Untitled [H.M.S. Lizard Arrives in Port],” Bay of Plenty Times, April 20, 1903, Volume 31 Issue 4437 edition.
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