The Pink Terraces of Rotomahana, oil painting by Kennett Watkins, 1877
Collection of Auckland War
Memorial Museum, Ref. PD-1917-1-2
On 12 August 1876 the dramatically named
Tauranga and Hot Lake Photographic Company made its debut in a studio in Wharf
Street, Tauranga, with a series of twelve scenic views of thermal attractions
at Rotomahana and Ohinemutu in the Rotorua Lake District.
The Auckland Star editor reviewed the photographs favourably:
“A day or two ago we alluded to the admirable
cabinet photographic views of Lake scenery issued by the Tauranga and Hot Lake
Photographic Company. We have since received from Mr Edgcumbe, proprietor of
the Bay of Plenty Times, a complete series of twelve views, which more than
bear out our previous remarks upon the admirable choice of subjects, and
superior execution displayed in these pictures. In the views of the terraces,
quite a remarkable shading has been obtained, the gleam of sunlight on the
prominent points of the massive marble buttresses, being brought out with
extraordinary distinctness. The steam rising from the boiling puias and
furmaroles has also a very striking effect in a landscape, the general features
of which are wild and sombre. The labours of the Company will, we believe, do a
great deal towards attracting the attention of tourists to this wonderful
district, and will thus materially promote the interests of Tauranga.”
Unfortunately, the short-lived Tauranga and Hot
Lake Photographic Company doesn’t appear to have signed their images, and no known
photographs of the thermal attractions carry the signature of either the
company or their principals, Charles Henry Kennett and Edward Reginald Watkins.
However, the elder of the two brothers, Kennett, was a landscape artist of some
skill, and several of his watercolour and oil paintings of the Pink and White
Terraces from this early period exist in institutional collections.
They were born in India but, after their army
officer father died in 1854, the brothers travelled with their mother to Sussex,
England, their widowed maternal grandmother being a proprietor of iron ore
mines.
Kennett was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire,
and later studied under a celebrated landscape painter in France and
Switzerland, while Reginald spent time in France and Germany, probably studying
the classics.
The White Terraces at Rotomahana, watercolour painting by Kennett Watkins, 1873
Collection of Tairawhiti Museum, Ref. 1963.2250.4
Kennett reached New Zealand from London in
1873, and probably made his first visit to Rotomahana in August that year, as suggested
by a passenger record
and several watercolour landscapes held by Tairawhiti Museum (see above). By
July 1874 he had a studio in Russell, exhibiting and selling his paintings
through Auckland stationer and bookseller Edward Wayte
and by art union. He
was also reputed to have “made tinplates of many of the old Maoris of
the north“. In March 1875 he
moved to Auckland and “commenced business as artist and photographer, in the
premises in Shortland-street, lately occupied by Mr. [George] Redfern.”
Government Buildings, Tauranga, c. 1870s-1880s
Possible attribution to Tauranga and Hot Lakes Photographic Coy. (Watkins
Bros.)
Collection of Te Papa Tongarewa, Ref. O.009469
His younger brother Reginald arrived in New
Zealand in September 1875
and by April 1876 both were in Tauranga preparing for a new adventure:
“Photography. Watkins Bros. beg to inform the
public of Tauranga that they will be prepared to take portraits at their
studio, The Strand (next door to Mr Gardiner’s) for three weeks, prior to their
leaving for the Lake district. Views taken to order within reasonable distance
of town on moderate terms.”
The thermal attractions of the Rotorua District
had been well known for some years – Hochstetter’s map of the area was being
sold in Auckland to prospective visitors by June 1865
- but recent celebrity visits by Prince Alfred in December 1870
and the Governor in April 1874
had further publicised it as a worthwhile destination. The usual means of
reaching Rotorua from Auckland was via coastal steamer to Tauranga, and then by
coach to Rotorua. Cobb & Co were advertising “Ohinemutu (the inlet for
Rotorua, Te Ngae, Rotomahana …)” as a stop on their Tauranga to Napier route
from early July 1873.
The Watkins had purchased their camera set-up
in early June from Messrs E.B. Pierson and C.L. Philippi.
Pierson and Philippi had been in New Zealand as part of the American expedition
to observe the transit of Venus, subsequently touring the South Island to
photograph the scenery, and
departed from Auckland on 12 June.
The Watkins Brothers studio was next door to the shop of George Gardiner,
ironmonger, hardware and seed merchant, situated at the southern end of The Strand,
also known as Beach Road.
View of The Strand Tauranga from Taumatakahawai (Monmouth Redoubt), c. 1870s
Copy print, possible attribution to Tauranga and Hot Lakes Photographic Coy.
(Watkins Bros.)
Collection of Te Ao Mārama – Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. Photo 03-401
Due to inclement weather, their stay in
Tauranga was prolonged for several weeks, and they continued to advertise their
services as portrait and scenic photographers until early June.
The Bay of Plenty Times reported:
“To those persons resident in
Tauranga who are desirous of letting their friends at home know what sort of a
place they are living in in the colony, we would recommend a visit to the
studio of Messrs Watkins Brothers, where some excellent photographic views of
Tauranga and its lions can be purchased at an extremely reasonable rate. The
township, taken from the Monmouth Redoubt ; the Government Buildings ; and the
graveyard, with the monuments of our soldiers and sailors who fell at the
various engagements in the vicinity of Tauranga form the interesting subjects
of some of these views, which are executed in an able manner, and give a true
idea of the scenes which they are intended to represent.”
Two panoramic views of the Tauranga waterfront, taken from the wharf, c.
1876-1880
Glass plate negatives, poss. attribution to Tauranga and Hot Lakes Photographic
Coy. (Watkins Bros.)
Collection of Alexander Turnbull Library, Ref. 1-2-094379-F
The views are likely to have included the two
panoramas of The Strand waterfront shown above, taken from the end of the Town
Wharf. Although unattributed, they can be dated to between October 1876, when
refurbishments to Ellis’ Commercial Hotel were completed,
and July 1880, by which time James Bodell had moved his “Strand Auction Room”
to new premises on Cameron Road.
The Watkin Brothers are the only photographers known to have operated in
Tauranga during this period, and are therefore the most likely candidates.
Maria Proud Bickers and Henry Bickers with their children, 1875-1876
Copy prints from carte de visite portraits, poss. attribution to Watkins Bros.,
Tauranga
Collection of Te Ao Mārama – Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Refs. 12-205 and 12-206
Since they do not appear to have used printed
card mounts, it has proved very difficult to identify the Watkins Brothers’
photographs with any certainty, particularly portraits, which often exist in
institutional collections only as copy prints. The two carte de visite
portraits of the Bickers family (above) are a typical example of such copy
prints. Henry Bickers was a painter and paper hanger with premises on Beach
Road (The Strand), almost adjacent to the Watkins Brothers studio, from July
1873 until his death in March 1885. From the ages of the children – Henry was
born in 1865 - we can deduce an approximate date range of c. 1875-1876. The
plain backdrop and rudimentary studio setting suggest they were likely taken in
a temporary studio, such as that which the Watkins used.
Detail from panorama of The Strand from the Town Wharf (above), showing James
Bodell’s premises
The next sighting we have of Kennett and
Reginald is from 8 July 1876. Particular mention was made of the quality of
their views, enabled by superior camera equipment:
“The brothers Watkins,
photographers, have returned from the Ohinemutu Lake district, where they have
been taking views, with a well filled portfolio of the scenery of that
wonderful district … a very truthful representation of the beauties of the Lake
scenery … The great power of the instrument used by Messrs Watkins Brothers has
enabled them to produce a nearly perfect copy of the peculiar character of the
various natural wonders of these scenes …”
This time they set up gallery and studio on
Wharf Street, most
likely in the premises that James Bodell had built behind his shop on the
Strand when he operated a studio briefly in 1872 and 1873.
Wairoa, Lake Tarawera, oil painting by Kennett Watkins, c. 1876
Collection of Auckland War
Memorial Museum, Ref. PD-1917-1-1
Kennett Watkins left Tauranga in late August,
first for Auckland, where he organized an exhibition of his painting of Lake
Tarawera,
then for Kerikeri, where he was married. He and his wife settled in Auckland,
where he became a teacher of landscape painting and drawing.
Reginald Watkins remained in Tauranga after his
brother’s departure, printing orders of the Hot Lakes series, making additions
to the studio and offering “to take cartes de visite and portraits of all descriptions.”
“The erection of a studio now
enables the Company to resume taking portraits, and under the able management of
Mr E.R. Watkins we feel confident that the studio will gain as great a
reputation for portraits as it has for landscape photography.”
In late February 1877 he was visiting Opotiki
when he fell from his horse, fracturing his nose and chin,
but had recovered sufficiently to return to Tauranga by 17 March.
A few days later, he inserted a notice in the Bay of Plenty Times to the
effect that he had appointed George Gardiner as agent for the sale of his “Views
of Hot Lake Scenery”
and presumably left for Auckland shortly after.
Reginald Watkins married Edith Mary Kemp at Kerikeri
(of the "Stone Store" family) in April 1878 and they settled in Grafton Road, Parnell,
Auckland. He taught French and German, first privately
and, after he had passed the Teacher and Civil Service Examinations, at the
Grammar School.
He does not appear to have practiced as a photographer again.
Edward Reginald Watkins died at Grafton,
Auckland on 19 April 1896, aged 43. Charles Henry Kennett Watkins died at Whitianga, Mercury
Bay on 31 July 1933, aged 86.
Acknowledgements
The initial impetus for this article was
provided by research notes kindly shared with me by Keith Giles, Auckland
Library, biographer of so many New Zealand photographers, to whom I am perennially
grateful.
