Arthur Dagley

Dagley building, c. 1920s, Photographer unknown
Image courtesy of Tauranga Library Ref. 99-1154

This largely self taught artist was born in Hastings in 1919 but resident in Tauranga from toddlerhood where his father had a large drapery. Arthur worked there as a young man but studied and took courses with other well known artists such as Claudia Jarman, Paul Olds, Louise Henderson, Rudi Gopas, Garth Tapper and Colin McCahon. 

He spent at least 3 decades as a professional artist, first exhibiting in Elizabeth St in 1966 and the Hamilton Art Gallery the following year.

Tauranga port scene, by Arthur Dagley
Private Collection

One of NZ’s most underrated painters, possibly as a result of his loyalty to this city. Dagley had his own private gallery but it was his vision to see Tauranga with a pubic facility. Ironically there was a posthumous exhibition and sale of many of his works in the Tauranga Public Art Gallery many years after his passing in 1998.

Arthur had a love affair with the port and shipping as a subject but also produced landscapes, seascapes and figures. A lot of his work was rather abstract and he also used mixed media.

Tauranga harbour scene, by Arthur Dagley
Private Collection

Dagley was a prolific artist whose style was forever developing and changing. During his full-time painting career of three decades, he exhibited in approximately 50 solo exhibitions and numerous group shows, and was a 1968 Benson & Hedges Art Award finalist and recipient of the National Bank Art Award in 1973. Examples of his work are held in several collections including the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

He was an elder of St Peter’s Presbyterian Church and contemporary and friend of other well known residents such as Lynne Harpham (nee Christian), Alf Rendell and Duff Maxwell.

The Foresters’ Hall

Foresters’ Hall, Spring St, Tauranga
Image courtesy of Tauranga Heritage Collection. Photograph by and with permission of Alf Rendell

The Foresters’ Hall at the Historic Village in 17th Avenue originally stood in Spring Street as Tauranga Court Royal Oak No.6497 of the Ancient Order of Foresters. The earliest records of the “Royal Foresters” in Britain date from 1745, and from 1834 they adopted the name of “Ancient Order of Foresters.” The principles of forestry are considered akin to the deeds of Robin Hood and his merry men in Sherwood Forest with the emphasis on helping the less fortunate.

Ladies’ Restroom, Spring St, Tauranga, 1958
Image courtesy of Tauranga District Libraries. Ref. 99-369

The Lodge in Tauranga was first established in 1880 as a Friendly Society to provide against hardship in the days before social welfare commenced as a government function. There was both a Grand Templars’ and a Manchester Unity Lodge in Tauranga for some years. A Masonic Lodge was founded in Tauranga in 1902 and in Mount Maunganui in 1951.  All held to the principles of Friendly Societies.

Court Royal Oak in Tauranga flourished and in 1908 built the hall. It was described at the time as being 36 by 18 feet with a 12 foot stud and divided into two rooms.  The interior décor included an elaborate floral stencilled frieze below the cornice and a colourful centreflower in the ceiling.

Foresters’ Hall relocated to Historic Village, 17th Avenue, Tauranga
Image courtesy of Tauranga Heritage Collection

By the 1930s the lodge as an organisation was defunct and the Borough Council, in whom the hall had been vested, took over the hall. In 1934 the Council moved it to the back of the Spring Street section and had a ladies’ restroom erected at the front. St. John’s cadets and the Municipal Band used the hall, and in 1989 the Council moved it to the Historic Village.

Foresters’ Hall, Historic Village, 17th Avenue, Tauranga
Imaged courtesy of Heritage New Zealand. Photograph by Janet Hetherington

The exterior of the hall is unaltered with the arched entrance to a porch opening matching two arched windows on each side. The façade also has an arch in the centre. The front wall is weatherboard while the sides and rear are clad in corrugated iron. Wooden pilasters stand at each corner of the building supporting a cornice across the front suggesting a classical style. The centreflower remains in the ceiling and the doors, architraves and skirting appear to be original. Attached to an interior wall is a cabinet from the Te Puke Foresters’ Lodge that includes a lodge document and list of members.

Source: Arabin, Shirley. Heritage New Zealand file. Reg.no.4566

Changing Tauranga CBD - Part 2

My July post, which shared images of city centre buildings demolished in the past year, received a comment that it was hoped I had more photographs capturing changes around town over the last decade. Fortunately, I can oblige and for this post I thought it would be interesting to add an ‘after’ photo as well. I have enough images for a couple of posts so watch this space.

001 Fiona Kean, 11 October 2016, Private Collection

This photograph, taken from the top floor of Harrington House in October 2016, shows the cleared site of 15-17 Harington Street. Aspen Park, sometimes referred to as Aspen Reserve, is visible to the rear of the site.

002 Fiona Kean, 26 August 2016, Private Collection

Prior to demolition this villa, which occupied 15 Harington Street, was a bar and nightclub. At one time it was also described as a casino. Although the construction date of this villa is not known it does appear on a survey map of the town completed in 1934 by G. Duncan. This photograph, taken in late August 2016, shows the demolition process underway.

003 Fiona Kean, 16 October 2019, Private Collection

This photograph is of a portion of the new building that occupies 15 Harington Street. The building is known as ‘The Reserve’, a nod to the park behind. The tree to the right of villa, visible in previous image, gives a sense of scale between the old and new buildings.

004 Fiona Kean, 7 November 2017, Private Collection

This photograph, looking south from the top floor of Harrington House, provides a bird’s-eye view of the final stages of the demolition of Tauranga City Council’s administration building at 91 Willow Street.

005 Fiona Kean, 17 January 2017, Private Collection

This photograph of the Tauranga City Council’s former administration building was taken on the corner of Willow and Hamilton Streets in January 2017. The 30 000 square ft building took 17 months to construct and was opened in 1972. Demolition began in October 2017.

006 Fiona Kean, 16 October 2019, Private Collection

Described as a ‘container city’, Our Place, a temporary retail, hospitality and entertainment space now occupies the site.

The Strand Ablaze

The Strand Fire, Tauranga, 12/11/16, by Tarr Photo (G N Tarr)
Image courtesy of Tauranga Heritage Collection, Ref. 0248/09

This dramatic photograph, sold as a postcard, was taken on 12 November 1916 at approximately 2am as twelve buildings on The Strand, including the Commercial Hotel, burnt to the ground. A subsequent inquiry found that the blaze started at Joseph Bird’s fruit and confectionery store. The cause of the fire was unknown but, according to Superintendant Gumbley, almost certainly spread ‘due to the breaking open of the shop’s doors and windows.’ Fortunately the alarm was raised quickly and no lives were lost.

Charles Spencer (1854-1933) – Part IV – Colour Portraits

Hand-coloured photographic enlargement of a portrait of Rev. A.N. Brown
by the Universal Copying Company of San Francisco (Charles Spencer, New Zealand Agent)
Image by Brett Payne, reproduced courtesy of Elms Collection Ref. 1935.0016

This coloured portrait of Reverend Brown hangs in the dining room at The Elms, Tauranga, on the left-hand wall as you walk in through the door from the hall. Superficially it looks rather like a painting, but on closer examination, the face and hands have a more photographic feel to them. This pose is one of several well-known images of Brown, and is reproduced on Tauranga Library’s Kete page [1].

Reverse of Brown portrait mount
Image by Jo-Anne Knowles, reproduced courtesy of Elms Collection Ref. 1935.0016

A clue to the portrait’s origin is revealed by the above photographs, taken by the late Jo-Anne Knowles when she opened the back of the portrait for conservation in August 2005 [2]. A blue stamp identifies it as having been produced by the Universal Copying Company of San Francisco, California, “Manufacturers of India Ink, Berlin Finish, Crayon, Pastel and Oil Portraits, also Cabinets and Cartes de Visites.”

Detail on reverse of Brown portrait mount
Image by Jo-Anne Knowles, reproduced courtesy of Elms Collection Ref. 1935.0016

Local photographer Charles Spencer had announced in August 1880 that he had been appointed agent for the Universal Copying Co., and was receiving orders. He and his partner Henry Clayton spent that summer soliciting orders for copying, along with their normal photographic work, throughout the Bay of Plenty and Thames region:

Wanted known, that Mr Charles Spencer, of the Thames, has received from F.F. Wells, the Universal Copying Co., San Francisco, Cal., the General Agency for receiving orders for Painting Portraits from all kinds of Family Photos. We guarantee perfect satisfaction. Do not fail to see his samples, for they are of the finest of arts. N.B. – Mr Spencer, or his agent, will visit every town in the North Island. [3]

The residents of Opotiki are informed by advertisement appearing elsewhere, that Mr Charles Spencer or Mr Henry Clayton will visit Opotiki early in the new year with samples of the new American Portrait Pictures. [4]

In early December they received what was probably the first batch of orders back from San Francisco, the steamship usually taking three to four weeks for the journey [5]:

We had occasion a few days ago to notice some specimen pictures of American Art which were shown in our office by Mr Charles Spencer. We paid a visit yesterday to the neat studio, which he has lately erected at the rear of the chemist's shop, where we had the pleasure of inspecting a batch of pictures which had been unpacked for examination before delivery to their respective purchasers. These were not sample pictures but the bona fide merchandise of the House represented by Mr Spencer, and as the completed order will bear a close inspection side by side with the sample picture it is evident that the Universal Copying Company of San Francisco mean doing a trade in New Zealand. We congratulate Mr Spencer on the successful prospects which this agency gives to his ordinary business, as we are quite sure that if the House in 'Frisco continue to turn out work equal to the present sample, a large development awaits their future trade in New Zealand. Our friend Mr Henry Clayton has been appointed general agent for the Colony. [6]

Archdeacon A.N. Brown portrait (detail)
Image by Jo-Anne Knowles, reproduced courtesy of Elms Collection Ref. 1935.0016

This favourable coverage in the Bay of Plenty Times probably resulted in a rush of new orders. By mid-autumn another batch of portraits had arrived and were being displayed to good effect in the window of Spencer’s chemist shop on the Strand. Included in these was the handsome portrait of Archdeacon Brown which appears to have greeted visitors to The Elms ever since:

We have seen a number of pictures by the San Francisco Picture Company, brought here by Mr Henry Clayton. The pictures are mostly those of local persons, some of them being remarkably well executed. Among the more noticeable of them we may mention those of the venerable Archdeacon Brown, and Mr John Conway. They are all taken from photos by Mr Charles Spencer. [7]

Archdeacon A.N. Brown, c. 1879-1880
Cabinet card portrait by Hemus & Hanna, Queen Street, Auckland
Image courtesy of The Elms, Ref. 1972.0308

Actually, the last part of this editorial wasn’t quite accurate. In the case of Brown’s portrait at least, it was copied/enlarged from a cabinet card portrait, shown above, taken at the studio of the Auckland firm, Hemus & Hanna, probably 1879 or 1880 [8] [9] [10].

Spencer continued to advertise this service until July 1882, although no further accounts of them appear in the local newspapers. Between 1879 and at least 1882 the Universal Copying Co. had a network of agents as far afield as Oregon [11], Hawaii [12] and New South Wales [13]. After this date it seems likely that rapid advances in technology allowed individual studios to create their own enlargements more cheaply and quicker with enlarging cameras, employing local artists to add the finishing artistic colourisation by hand.

References

[1] McCauley, Debbie et al (2016) Elms Mission House, Tauranga, on Tauranga Memories Kete, http://tauranga.kete.net.nz/tauranga_historical_society/topics/show/548-elms-mission-house-tauranga
[2] Knowles, Jo-Anne (2005) The Elms Collection Catalogue entry, Ref. 1935.0016, dated 10 Aug 2005, retrieved 18 Oct 2019 by Andrew Gregg
[3] Advertisement, Thames Advertiser, Vol XIII, Issue 3694, 31 Aug 1880, p2 (on https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz)
[4] Bay of Plenty Times, Vol IX, Issue 982, 30 Dec 1880, p2
[5] Whitehouse, Olwyn (1998-2019) Transpacific: San Francisco - New Zealand, on New Zealand Bound, https://sites.rootsweb.com/~nzbound/sf.htm
[6] Bay of Plenty Times, Vol IX, Issue 974, 9 Dec 1880, p2
[7] Bay of Plenty Times, Vol X, Issue 1026, 12 Apr 1881, p2
[8] Hemus & Hanna (Auckland) fl 1879-1882 : Cabinet card Portrait of Archdeacon A N Brown. Ref: PA3-0103. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23050598
[9] Hemus & Hannah, on Early New Zealand Photographers and their successors, http://canterburyphotography.blogspot.com/2012/01/hemus-hanna.html
[10] Hemus & Hannah, Auckland Library Photographers Database, http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/photographers/basic_search.htm
[11] Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, Oregon, January 14, 1882, https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn84022657/1882-01-14/ed-1/seq-1/
[12] The Hawaiian Gazette, Honolulu, Hawaii, Vol XV, No. 18, 30 Apr 1879  https://evols.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10524/2269/1879043001.pdf
[13] Portraits of William Neild Philips & Margaret Brunker of Newcastle and Sydney, New South Wales, Web page of Margaret Taylor, https://sites.rootsweb.com/~mtaylor/p21philipsbrunker.htm

Waikato Hounds in Tauranga

Waikato Hounds in Tauranga. Postcard by Talma Studios (41), c. 1910-1914
Image courtesy of Tauranga Heritage Collection, Ref. N4F4D5

At the beginning of the 20th century the Waikato Hounds were regular visitors to Tauranga and were hosted by the Tauranga Hunt Club, which was formed in 1897. Hunt Club members were from well-known Tauranga families and many of the hunts ranged across Otumoetai farms owned by Tollemache, Matheson, Baigent and Darragh.

Unfortunately the exact date of this photograph is not known although it is thought to have been taken between 1910 and 1914. The group appear in front of the Tauranga Hotel on the corner of Harington Street and The Strand.

Alf Rendell turns 102

Local legend and historical society member Alf Rendell turned 102 today.  Alf started his day in style with a tour of the city in this vintage beauty. Happy birthday Alf.

Photos by Fiona Kean

Ceramic Water Filter

This ceramic water filter from the late 1860s-1870s and donated to the museum collection by Elva Brain, is currently housed with the museum collection. It was used by the Brain family to provide clean safe drinking water for their needs. There are two handles and a hole at the base where a tap would have been located. Flowers in relief over the surface and a coat of arms/crest in the centre above the tap. The name J. Carder is imprinted above the crest.

Joshua Carder operated major clay works at Limeburners Bay, Hobsonville, Auckland, from 1863 to 1929. According to a Archaeological Report completed by Clough & Associates in 2008:

“Joshua Carder arrived in New Zealand in September 1863 and soon after he was producing pottery at Hobsonville, his wife and sons arriving to join him in 1865. The skills he had gained in Staffordshire set him up well for production in his new country. He had plaster moulds for press moulding ornamental pieces including sporting scenes and sheaves of wheat. He no doubt made use of these moulds as well as producing more functional wares. Joshua Carder’s sons, Walter and George, set up their own pottery in 1872.”

The filter when in use, had a layer of soft cotton in the base. If available, another layer of charcoal covered the cotton, with a layer of fine clean sand on top. Water poured into the top of the jar would filter down through these layers and when the tap at the bottom was turned on, clean water emerged. This method of purifying water is still a practical alternative in certain areas where water quality is doubtful.