Thames (NZ): Finding Photographs of Thames

 Where can you find 'online' Photographs of Thames?

     The aim is to collect and list the internet sites that have photographs of Thames. In the majority of cases you will be able to download the images, while in some cases it may be necessary to pay for higher resolution images. If you download any photographs - Please remember to give the appropriate photo credit.

• DigitalNZ Use desired 'search word' and thumbnails will appear for available photographs from all around New Zealand. If the results need refining, you can start by clicking on 'CONTENT PROVIDER' and restrict to selected content providers.

Screenshot of DigitalNZ and the Images available for "Thames'.

If preferred, search directly at a site that provides online images. My favourites are:

• Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand. A collection of high resolution images for download (free and for purchase).
• Archives New Zealand. Use search terms such as 'Thames photographs' and results will show for images and maps.
• Auckland Council Libraries.  Sir George Grey Collection, plus family contributions related to Thames.
• Auckland Council Libraries Kura Collection.
• Auckland War Memorial Museum. Online Collections. Narrow the search to Images and Downloadable images if desired - yes you will also get Thames England!
• Google Images - Always worth a try and great for picking up images (past and present) from websites.
• Kete Hauraki Coromandel - collection of images.
• Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. A selection of search words reveals a wide variety of Thames photographs.

Screenshot of search results for 'Thames' at Museum of New Zealand.

• Papers Past - While the images are not always clear, there are a large number of illustrations / photographs of Thames / Thamesites.

The following blog posts will concentrate on photographers who have captured the history of Thames.

A permanent database will be maintained for easy access. Photographers / Companies to be examined include: 

AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO; BARTLETT, Robert Henry; BISHOP, G W; BURTON BROS: Alfred and Walter Burton; CAUSLEY, Frederick John; CHESTER, W A; CHESTER’S STUDIO; CLARKE, Clifton; COAD, William; DOD, Charles E; DUNNAGE, Edward Askham; FOY, James Joseph; FOY, Joseph Michael; FOY Bros, FRITH, Henry Albert; GRIGG, John; HAMMOND, Thomas William George Howard; HASSELT, Van; HEWIN Messrs; ILES ART STUDIO: Arthur James Isles; LONDON PORTRAIT STUDIOS; LOVEWELLS, WING & CO; LOW, John; LOW & MANDER; MARIBOE, P; MOUNTAIN, P; MUIR & MOODIE; NEAL, William Henry; REDFERN, George; REED, William Henry; RICHARDSON, James D; SCOTT, Thomas Sydney; SEVERN, Henry A; STEWART, F E; STEWART Bros; SWALES, Charles Edward; VEITCH, James; WEBSTER, Arthur James; WELLS, Ernest Edward; WESTON, Mr; and YEREX, John Henry.

In Closing - Take a Second Look in Colour:

The view north along Brown Street from the Albert Street intersect transports the reader back to the goldmining days. Two storied buildings lined the block, the Bank of New Zealand a symbol of success in the Grahamstown business district.

Take a few steps closer. Rickit's Stables and office are on the left, the Royal Hotel (corner Williamson & Brown Streets) in the centre, and the Lady Bowen Hotel on the right.

Thames (NZ): Take a second look 'in colour' Shortland Wharf Fishing Fleet

Yes, I am still distracted with the chance to colourise photographs thanks to MyHeritage.

As we proceed to Lockdown Level Three  (hopefully) on Tuesday 28 April 2020 - many Thamesites are debating what will be their first 'takeaway' meal!

Therefore, it is a good time to take a second look at The Shortland Wharf and the fishing fleet that was based at the wharf.

Shortland Wharf Thames - a colourised version of Dunnage Postcard No 43.

(c) A Barker Postcard Collection

I wonder how many Thamesites are craving a good old fashioned feed of 'fish & chips'?

Previous blog stories on Thames Fishing:

• Fishing Industry
• Thames Fishing Industry - the earlier days

Thames (NZ): Take a second look 'in colour' at Broad Street

What can one say...yes I am addicted to the MyHeritage 'colorized' offer, generously allowing us in these difficult times to have some FUN colourising / colorizing our favourite photographs. So I will be inundating you over the following weeks.

Looking south from Upper end of Broad Street, over Shortland (Thames). At centre right of image (amongst small group of buildings on the flat), are the premises of Butement Brothers, Manufacturers of Aerated Waters and Cordials, situated along Pollen Street. The Butement Brothers had aerated water factories established in Dunedin, Greymouth, Christchurch, Wellington and Shortland. The long white building in the centre background is Smale's Folly (Smale's Boarding House), built 1868/9. Phoenix Brewery?, centre left.

Thames Coromandel Region (N.Z.)

Source: 'Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 7-A16669'

What do you think? Amazing! The roads in particular show up so clearly, the different shades of green are amazing. For some reason, the colour allows me to step back and feel a connection to the scene.

CHALLENGE TIME

One day at a time, find something to learn, find a new skill to enhance your research or story-telling skills. Most of all, take some time to reconnect with the history of the Thames.

Thames (NZ): Add some colour to your old Thames Photos

Have you ever seen those sites on facebook where people produce the most amazing colourised photographs from faded old black and whites? Wish you could get some photos adjusted?

Well ponder no longer!  Thanks to Tom for the tip-off - you can now get your photos colourised in seconds.  See below the example - the transformation thanks to MyHeritage - beware its very addictive!!

 

Photo Source: Grahamstown, Burton Brothers at Te Papa Tongarewa.

 Can you believe the different perspective and imagery that is provoked by seeing the image in colour - looking over Kirkwood and Queen Street in the 1880s.

Lets look at a few more examples.

Early Etching, view looking south over Grahamstown to Shortland Town.

Photo Source: State Library of Victoria

View of Grahamstown from the Moanataiari.

Photo Source: View of Grahamstown, American Photographic Company; Te Papa Tongarewa  

View from Lovers Walk, Waiotahi to Grahamstown north.

Photo Source: View of Grahamstown, American Photographic Company; Te Papa Tongarewa  

Isn't the colour effect amazing showing up the roads and drains, even the water ebbing over the mudflats!

Now to my favourite. Butt's corner at the south end of Pollen Street, what will colour do for our perception of this iconic photograph?

Corner of Pollen & Grey Streets, looking north.

Photo Source: View of Pollen Street, American Photographic Company; Te Papa Tongarewa  

So now for today's CHALLENGE! 
Find your favourite photographs of old Thames, and go to MyHeritage. The instructions are simple, sign in /log in, upload your photo and await the magic to happen! Turn back time, see the town as our ancestors did - the spectacular 'colour' of the old goldmining town.

Thames (NZ): Miss Collard's Postcard Collection of Thames

Introduction:

WAIKATO TIMES,  21 JUNE 1919

The following post features a collection of postcards that were recently for sale on the Trade Me auction site. Rather than spread-out the postcards over multiple posts,its worthy to see them in total, while we learn a little about life in 1905.

The Collector:
While a few of the cards are not used, many have a message and are addressed to Miss Bretta Collard of Hikutaia.

In September 1898, Miss Collard was a pupil at the Hikutaia School and she performed a recitation. Bretta performed another recitation in 1900 at another social event at Hikutaia.

Then on 11 June 1919, Miss Breta [sic] Collard of Auckland married Mr George Ralph Howie of Morrinsville. (notice on right) 

Bretta Howie's death was registered in 1983 - her date of birth given as 29 March 1887.


The Postcards:

Posted 5 October 1905 Thames and received at Hikutaia 6 October

 

View of the Kauaeranga River

Message: Dear Bretta, Hope you like this view. Does it not put you in mind of the Hikutaia River. Kind Regards D.

Posted 5 October 1905 Thames and received at Hikutaia 6 October

 

View of the Kauaeranga River

Message: Dear Bretta, one more for the collection. This is not a bad picture of the Thames. Best wishes from D.

Posted 17 October 1905 Thames and received at Hikutaia 17 October 1905

 

Message: ? ? many thanks for sending will return jar by next week. A Symes

This postcard was sent to Bretta's sister Lillian (Lil).

Posted 21 October 1905 Thames

 

The Thames Public Library

Message: Dear Lil, Wishing you many happy returns of today. This is a photo of our new library. Kia Ora, Mot.

Posted 23 October 1905 Thames-Auckland

 

The Fishing Rocks at Tararu

Message: Best wishes ?? (is this Syms)

Posted 23 October 1905 Thames-Auckland

 

Looking over Thames Hospital

Message: May you never have any use for this place, Symes

Posted 23 October 1905 Thames-Auckland

 

Victoria Park

Message: How would a short time here go. Fred.

Posted 28 October 1905 Thames-Auckland

 

Thames Hauraki Pumping Plant

Posted 20 November 1905 Thames

 

Block 27

Message: My last resting place, Amen. (Shortland Cemetery is circled top left) FRONT

Dear Bret, Many thanks for can ? Symes BACK

Posted 20 November 1905 Thames

 

View along Pollen Street

Message: Will see you next week Mrs S passing through to Hamilton one day next week. Bring the mail down that morning + see the ? mail. ?Symes

Several other postcards appear to be from the same collection but have been "unused".

  

Left: The Fishing Rocks at Tararu.  Right: Looking down Grey Street from top Jacob's Ladder.

Do you believe everything you see on old postcards?

What first captured my attention with these postcards was the following two of the pumping plant at Thames.  Spot anything???

Well, did you guess where the Thames Orakei Plant was??? 

The photographer obviously interpreting the word HAURAKI as ORAKEI!!!

So you guessed it, these two magnificent photographs are of the Thames Hauraki Pumping plant.

A special collection of postcards, I hope the 'future buyers' enjoy them as much as Miss Collard obviously did.

Thames (NZ): MIss Newman's postcard of the Shortland Wharf

Miss Newman's Postcard

Shortland Wharf is a busy place - with customers visiting the cafe and fish shop. Back in 1905 it was the base for a large number of fishing and leisure boats. While the marina is full today, much of it is hidden by mangroves! I love the view above that gives an unobstructed view looking out the Kauaeranga channel towards the Firth of Thames.

The postcard was franked at 8am 16 November 1905 at Thames. Written by 'Olive' and sent to Miss Annie Newman of Sealey Street, Thames. It was common for the residents of the town to send postcards to each other, after all phones were rare and travelling around town was not always easy.

Who was Annie Newman?
There was an Annie Isabel Newman born 5 January 1893, daughter of William and Amelia. School records have her attending Kauaeranga Boys, then Thames High School in 1906. The records state the family home was in Queen Street.

In 1898, an Annie Newman was a flower girl at the wedding of Miss Elizabeth Billings to Henry Taylor. In 1905, the same year the postcard was sent - Annie Newman was in Standard Six and received a first class certificate for attendance.

Hopefully this was the right Annie, interestingly in 1905, a girl in her class was called Olive. So maybe it was her school friend Olive Wylie who was the poster of the card!

Kauaeranga School Prize List
THAMES STAR, 14 DECEMBER 1905

Searching your family history? Remember to check out old letters / postcards and see if there are new stories contained with in the old correspondence.

Thames (NZ): Thames Photograph 1890s

Thanks to Tom for finding a 'new' photograph of The Thames c1890. Yes, there is a new source available full of lots of treasures for the Thames researcher.

The image is available at a newly launched site by Auckland Libraries that is a portal for their Heritage Collections Online - KURA.

There are Photographs, Heritage Maps, Manuscripts, Auckland People and Events, Passengers & Vessels, Cemetery Records, Rare Books, Journals, Index Cards,  Local History and Oral History.

View south towards old Grahamstown - down Owen Street (centre).

Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1596-501

Closer look along Owen Street towards Brown Street.

There is so much to see in this photograph. In the crop above, the Pacific Hotel at the corner of Brown and Albert Streets can be seen. Note how the sea came literally up to the shops on the west side of Brown Street, and a reclamation had taken place for the Thames Railway line. The enclosed 'lagoon' is now the site of the Victoria Park. Of particular interest are the tall trees all over the town. Who had planted them and when?

Background on the Trees.

In January 1879, it was reported that willows and poplars had been planted around the Thames Borough streets. It was reported that townsfolk were grateful for the shade the new trees were providing, but alas came the troublesome news that boys and goats were damaging the trees! The goats were eating the bark, while butcher boys were breaking off branches to use as 'switches'.

By April 1881, the editorial noted Mary Street presented a charming appearance with its regular rows of poplars and its well planted out parterres. All agreed that poplars were a great street tree.

Sadly the poplar and willow soon began to wain in popularity. Renown Thames citizen John W Hall pointed out to the newspaper that the trees were a pest and the damage to the towns streets and drains was serious. The suckers and voracious roots were filling the streets and drains. Plus on narrow streets, the trees had spread to touch each other.

By 1886, several residents were writing to the Council to gain permission to chop down troublesome poplars - Mr Connor asked to be able to cut two in Mackay Street, due to crowding on the footpath.

In 1887 an old 'Colonist' put a plea in for the trees, and urged tree haters to realise the good that they did, filtering any contaminants. People complained about the falling leaves, but he urged people to understand it was only for a few short weeks!

1887 View of Mary Street.

A new plan in February 1889 was that for every tree that was cut down, then another should be replaced. With the plea that no more Poplars be planted!

So Thames' love of the poplars was over, and they were slowly cut down around the town. Patches remain, in particular at Tararu and Irishtown.  Interestingly tree problems have continued over the decades. In more recent years many melia trees were planted in the main street - hindsight found they were also a menace (leaves and berries). They too were removed and replaced with pohutakawa trees.

Hopefully trees will continue to fill the town - from the time the Thames was settled, residents have taken pride in the beautification of the town.