Unknown Gentleman of Hokitika, circa 1868

This is another unknown gentleman from the Griffith family album, taken in Hokitika in the Revell St studio of Rudolph Haigh.  Haigh took over this studio in October 1868, and it was burnt down in early 1869. 

Again, there is no further information about this gentleman other than what is in the photo.  He appears to be about 40 years of age, curly hair, slightly thinning on top, wearing rimless spectacles, droopy moustache and a long, narrow goatee beard.

He appears to be reasonably well-dressed, though the jacket seems well worn, and warm. 




He seems to be of German appearance, and of all the unknown men in the album, the one who looks most like a musician - but undoubtedly that is my wild imagination.     Does anyone recognise him?

An interesting description of the Corinthian Hall is contained in this sale notice from the West Coast Times on 26 December 1866.  J Harding, the vendor, was described in an earlier article in February 1866 as a publican, and this advertisement confirms that the business was more than just a hall, but included  hotel accommodation and bar.                                           "The Hotel is substantially built of corrugated iron, and comprises Spacious Bar, Commercial Room,  Bedrooms, Cellar, large and commodious hall, well ventilated with windows, and capable of containing 700 persons, fitted with stage and all necessary theatre fittings".                                          The Hall was also in Revell Street, Hokitika where the Victoria Hotel, operated by J R Wright, and the London Portrait Rooms, operated by Rudolph Haigh were situated - places with which George Griffith was acquainted.

George Griffiths, violinist, at the Corinthian Hall

Margaret of History House Greymouth  has very kindly sent to me this advertisement from the West Coast Times issued on 15 March 1866.    Once again, I know that my ancestor George Griffith was a violinist, and I know he was in this general vicinity in the period, so I feel it is likely to be my ancestor.

This is a further refinement of the time frame in which I know he was in New Zealand.  I now know that he was in Hokitika by 15 March 1866, and he was still there in December 1867 when he was advertising as a piano tuner and repairer.

This is consistent with one of the periods in which he was absent from the Melbourne post office directories.  He was listed in 1866, which would have reflected the year of 1865, and he was re-listed in 1869, which would indicate his presence in Melbourne by 1868.

The Mr Barlow mentioned seems likely to be the versatile entertainer known as "Billy Barlow", identified in the Austral Harmony directory of Colonial Musicians as Robert Barlow.

Unknown Gentleman of Dunedin, Hokitika or Greymouth circa 1866

Here is another of the mysterious unknown gentlemen from New Zealand.  The dark halo around the subject suggests that this is a copy of an earlier photo.  Photographers did a lot of copying as part of their business.

The photo was taken by the Tait Brothers, with a printed logo on the back suggesting they operated in Dunedin, Hokitika and Greymouth.  Where this one was taken is anyone's guess.  Maybe not even in New Zealand.

What I can deduce from the photo is that the fellow is wearing a good quality woollen suit coat, which looks clean and newish.  He is a bit of a dude, wearing a very fashionable roll curl on top of his head, and maintaining a good length of curl over his ears. 

He is rather gaunt-looking, with hollowed-out cheeks, possibly from hard physical labour - or perhaps he had been ill.  He has light-coloured eyes, and appears to be aged in mid to late thirties.

Early Canterbury Photographers has a lot of information about the Tait Bros operation, but there is no example of the same style of printed mountboard, so that doesn't help with a date.  The man's hair-style and fashion, though, places the portrait date in the mid to late 1860s.

Again, if you are able to identify this man, please get in touch.

Hokitika in the 1870s

Hokitika in the 1870s photographed by James Ring. Source: Photographic 

Archive, Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand.

I was interested to see what Hokitika looked like around the time George Griffith was there, and found this interesting photo in the National Library NZ on The Commons' photostream.  

It is evident from the closeness of the timber dwellings that a fire could easily take hold and wipe out several buildings, as happened in Revell Street in 1869, mentioned in the Early Canterbury Photographers blog.  

A Piano Tuner in Hokitika, 1867

I've been having a very close look at the Papers Past collection to see if I could find some evidence that George Griffith was ever in New Zealand, and I think I have found it, in the above advertisement for:
"Pianos.  G Griffith from Melbourne, pianoforte Tuner and Repairer, Address - R Wright, Victoria Hotel, Revell street, [Hokitika]", followed by "Music provided for Balls and Parties, Violin and Piano always at command.  J R Wright, Victoria Hotel."


A series of advertisements was placed in the West Coast Times from 8 October 1867 to December 1867.    George seems to have some form of business relationship with J R Wright of Hokitika.  I feel he is likely to have been the "violin on command". 

Mr Wright appears as a supporter of various candidates for the Provincial Council from 1866, so he had perhaps been in town a little longer than Griffith.


I'm pleased to have been able to spot him somewhere, at least.  And of course if you are a connection of J R Wright, I would love to heard from you.  Maybe one of my unknown gentlemen is J R Wright.

Unknown Gentleman of Hokitika, circa 1868

This full length portrait was taken in the London Portrait Rooms studio of Rudolph Haigh & Co.


I haven't had to look far to discover something about Rudolph Haigh's operation, because an excellent vignette of Haigh is contained on the Early Canterbury Photographers blog.


This reveals that Haigh had advertised removing to the premises of the London Portrait Rooms in August 1868, and that the building burnt down in July 1869, which beautifully narrows down the time-frame for this image.   The very simple printed business name on the back, compared with others on the Canterbury website suggests it was produced very early in the life of Haigh's business at this address, so I take it to have been an 1868 image.


Again, I know nothing about the gentleman in the photo beyond what I can see.  He seems to be aged about 30.  He is dressed in fresh, fairly new I think, clean and fashionable clothing.  The cap in his hand, and the whip in the other, seems to suggest to me some sort of official uniform.  A postman?  A coachdriver? An inspector?


The colourist took note of blue eyes and a ruddy complexion.

If anyone recognises the man or the uniform, I would love to know about it.  Please get in touch.