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Early Photographers of Newcastle, NSW |
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Site created 27 June 2004/last
updated 9 June 2008
© Marcel Safier 2004-2008 |
| Index
of Photographers and Studios listed on this site:
Jacob D. Audet |
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A History of Photography in Newcastle The
first photographer to visit Newcastle was George Barron Goodman, a
daguerreotypist who set up temporary premises in Farquarson's Hotel in September
1846. Another daguerreotypist, James W. Newland visited Newcastle (and Maitland)
in July 1848. Other photographers no doubt visited the town in subsequent years but it
took some time before an established studio was set up. By comparison West
Maitland was well served by photographers particularly during the 1860s. Olive Godfrey set up a long running studio in 1889 followed
in 1892 by Harry Charleston and they pretty well dominated the scene in
Newcastle until the 20th century save for the Berlin Studio that was not very
prolific. From that studio address Frank Luckham operated from just after the
turn of the century. Three more photographers set up studios in 1904 |
| EARLY PHOTOGRAPHERS/STUDIOS | |||
| STUDIO/PHOTOGRAPHERS NAME | ADDRESS OF OPERATION | DATES ACTIVE | NOTES incl. types of photographs produced |
| George Barron Goodman (-1851) |
Farquarson's Hotel | Sep 1846 |
Goodman, Australia's first professional photographer advertised he had been
engaged to photograph some buildings and would visit Newcastle from 15th-22nd
September to take "likenesses" (SMH 20 Sep 1846). daguerreotypes |
| James W. Newland | Jul 1848 | daguerreotypes | |
| Alex Smithers (-1899) |
Hume St, Newcastle Scott St, Newcastle Hunter St, Newcastle |
1866 1867-1870 1871 |
cartes de visite |
| Great Northern Photographic & Fine Arts
Gallery (Jacob D. Audet ?-1901) |
Hunter St | 1867-1874 | Audet was a Polish immigrant who started as a
photographer around 1857 and is found announcing a visit to Muswellbrook
in July. He set up a studio in Maitland in 1861. He filed for
insolvency the following year. He again opened in Maitland where he traded up to
1867 before selling to his brother in law Morris Moss. Audet set up a studio in
Newcastle where he advertised from 1867 but he is only listed in directories in
Newcastle in 1869. Three of his children were born there in 1868, 1870 and 1873.
He again filed for insolvency 8 Oct 1874 in Newcastle. Audet was in Sydney the
following year for the birth of a son but it was not until 1879 that he appears
in directories with a studio but yet again he filed for insolvency on 2 Apr 1879
giving his addresses as 328 and 621 George St. cartes de visite |
| Cazneau Brothers (Pierce Mott Cazneau & Warren Cazneau) |
Hunter St | 1870-1871 | Pierce Mott Cazneau started in Freeman Studios in Sydney until opening a studio with his brother in Newcastle. He then spent a 10 year stint in New Zealand, finally returning first to manage the London Photographic Co in Sydney then he moved to South Australia where he worked initially for Townsend Duryea and afterwards became manager of Hammer & Co. His son Harold Cazneaux who began his career in the Hammer studios became one of Australia's most celebrated photographers. |
| A. Clack (Amos Clack bap.1849-d. 1913) |
1870s or 1880s | Born
c.1849 in Burwell, Cambridge, son of John Clack and Mary Crack. Arrived in
Sydney with his family aboard the Edward Oliver in 1856. Known from
photographs, although exact dates of operation uncertain. Was resident in
Newcastle from at least 1872 based on birth records for his children and he died
in Lambton. cartes de visite, cabinet photos |
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| Carl Leibinger (c.1845-1928) |
Hunter St, Newcastle | 1879-1884 | Initially
appeared as a travelling photographer in Queanbeyan in 1868. Liebinger was a prize
medallist at the Sydney Exhibition in 1879 and in that year began working in
Newcastle where he remained for 5 years before moving to Sydney where he
ran studios in George St, then Bathurst St and then in Newtown. His brother
Louis had a studio in Wallsend. cartes de visite |
| City Photographic Co (W. Francis Roberts) |
40 Hunter St, Newcastle | 1879 | |
|
A. & F. Nightingale (Arthur and Frederick John Nightingale) |
Hunter St | 1880-1882 | (Frederick) John filed for insolvency 23 Feb 1882 and his brother Arthur later set up in Cooktown, Queensland. |
| Alfred Williams | Bull St | 1883-1884 | cartes de visite |
| Ralph Snowball (1849-1925) |
Clarence Rd, Newcastle Hunter St, Newcastle Clarence Rd, Newcastle |
1884-1887 1887-1915 1915-1924 |
The Ralph Snowball collection of photos is in the Newcastle Regional Library |
|
A. Symmons (Alfred Symmons d. 1922) |
85 Hunter St | 1884-97 | cartes de visite, cabinet photos |
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G. Woolston & Co (George Charles Woolston d.1937) |
163
Hunter St, Newcastle Newcastle Morgan St, Newcastle |
1884-1897 1900-1902 1912-1914 |
Woolston was still listed as a
photographer in the 1936 electoral roll living in Lambton Rd, New Lambton. cartes de visite, cabinet photos |
| Barcroft Capel Boake | Hunter St, Newcastle | 1884-1887 | cartes de visite, cabinet photos |
| William Joseph Slade | Hunter St, Newcastle | 1884-1889 | Previously in partnership with Henry King in Sydney from 1878.. |
| Wood (Granville A. Wood ?-1915) |
Hunter St, Newcastle | >1885-1890 | Previously operated studios in
George St, Sydney until at least 1885, Studio taken over in 1890 by Carl
Poppelbaum. Son of William A. and Margaret E.
Wood. Died in Sydney in 1915. cartes de visite |
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Oliver Godfrey (Oliver Cyril Godfrey) (1863-1933)
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Brisbane St, Tamworth 85 Hunter St, Newcastle William St, Bathurst (travelling) 111 Hunter St, Newcastle 85 Hunter St, Newcastle Godfrey Studio, Newcastle 77 York St, Sydney 170 King St, Sydney |
1889 1889-1910 Sep 1894 1901 1910 (photo) 1917-1923 at least 1928 1928-1932 |
Oliver
was born in London and came from a family of engravers. He apprenticed in
photography possibly under his brother Henry and emigrated to Sydney marrying
Matilda Kate Rout in 1885. First listed as a photographer in Tamworth in 1888
and moved to Newcastle where he established one of the longest running studios.
He made working visits to Bathurst. Moved studio to Sydney in 1928. cabinet photos |
| Carl W. Poppelbaum (c.1848-1929) |
Hunter St | 1890 | Started in Sydney in 1882, became manager of the Berlin Photographic & Enlarging Co. in George St in 1886. Married Mary Moreton in 1885 in Newtown, Sydney. Resided Mount Venron St, Glebe from 1886. Took over studio of Granville Wood in Hunter St, Newcastle for short period. Died 1929 in North Sydney. |
| The Berlin Studios | 111 Hunter St | Possibly
studio operated by Carl Poppelbaum (see above) cabinet photos |
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| Harry Charleston (1863-1940) |
Newcastle Elite Studios 58 Hunter St, Newcastle |
1892 1894-1921 |
Harry Charleston learnt photography as a teenager in Cornwall. His father John was a blacksmith in St. Erth. He emigrated to Australia in the late 1880s or early 1890s and set up a photography business in Newcastle in 1892 that became one of the town's largest. The studio was eventually managed by A. T. Craven and was taken over by Harry's son Allen in 1921. Allen Charleston moved the business to Cessnock in 1926 and later opened Peter Pan Studio in George St, Sydney. |
| F. Luckham (Frank Luckham) (1873-1947) |
111 Hunter St 33 Hunter St |
? 1905-1922 |
Frank Luckham learnt photography in his
native Devon and emigrated to Sydney in the 1890s. He married
in 1904 to Alice Gilbert and then set up
a studio in Newcastle. Some of his last known photographs are of the
Charlestown Cricket Club held in the
Lake Macquarie City Library. cartes de visite, mounted enlargements |
| William J. Farrell | 161 Hunter St West, Newcastle | 1904-1926 | |
| A. Steinthol | Hunter St, Newcastle | 1904-1912 | |
| Alfred Boddy (?-1913) |
25 Perkin St, Newcastle | 1904-1915 | Boddy died in 1913 but remained listed for a while after this which may have been an error or someone operated under his name. |
|
Eric Breedon (1891-1969) |
3 Newcomen St, Newcastle | 1918 | Son of Thomas Edward and Sarah
Breedon. Died in Katoomba. |
| EARLY POST CARD PUBLISHERS | |||
| PUBLISHER/SERIES | DATES PRODUCED | NOTES | |
| Falk & Wilkins | |||
| Harding & Billing | |||
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| Notes:
Some of the year ranges stated may not be accurate or complete as the information is limited to what has appeared in trade directories and newspapers and what was written on photos. Trade directory entries took some months to appear in print, and businesses opening after publication date did not appear until the next issue. The above list should be reasonably complete for photographers who established studios in Newcastle but may be deficient in coverage of travelling/itinerant photographers who visited the region as they often left little record of their activities although sometimes they did announce their arrival in a local newspaper. Due to the large number of such requests I am no longer able to respond to individual requests to date or identify family photos. If you are seeking historical photos of Newcastle I would suggest the organisations listed below as my personal collection consists mainly of portraiture, mostly unidentified. Anyone with further information about the above photographers or with names of and information about other photographers not listed is welcome to contact me. N.B. ** I am particularly interested in making contact with the descendants and relations of photographers** |
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| Sources:
Private research by site author through contacting the
descendants of photographers. Most of the photographs studied and used on
this site are from my private collection.
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| Thankyou to Harry Poulsen, Ken & Millicent Poulsen, Nancy Edwards, Pam Harrison, Sandy Barrie, Eric Godfrey and Judy Mann. | |||
| GUIDE TO PHOTOGRAPH TYPES | |
| Daguerreotype | Invented by Louis Daguerre in 1837 and introduced to the world in 1839 developed in parallel with the calotype, the other tying first form of photograph. The daguerreotype was produced on highly buffed silver coated on to a brass plate and cannot be easily viewed unless turned at the right angle. The image was mounted under a brass mat and glass and placed in a leather bound folding case (imported from the USA, France or England) or sometimes framed. Ninth, sixth, quarter and half plate sizes were the most popular - the former two being those most commonly found. |
| Ambrotype | Underexposed and sometimes bleached photographic negative on glass backed by black paper, dark velvet or black paint directly on the plate to make the negative appear positive. This was then mounted in a brass frame and placed in a papier-mâché or leather bound folding case or sometimes framed. Ninth, sixth and quarter plate sizes were all popular - half and full plate images are sometimes seen. |
| Carte de Visite | Paper photograph from glass plate negative mounted on card board mount 2 1/2" x 4" - popular from 1861-c.1895 |
| Cabinet Photo | Paper photograph from glass plate negative mounted on card board mount 4 1/4" x 6 1/2" - popular from mid 1870s-c.1905 |
| Tintype | Small postage stamp sized photograph on metallic tin usually mounted in carte de visite sized cardboard frame (gem tintype) or unmounted carte de visite sized photo on tin (2½" x 3½"plate) - popular 1879-1885 |
| Opalotype | Photograph on white opaque "milk" or "opal" glass. Commonly 12" x 14" and framed. |
| Postcard Photo | Photograph on paper with printed post card back, so that it could be mailed if desired taking advantage of the penny post. This paper was used by professionals (where it was mainly used for studio portraiture or for views specifically for the postcard market) and by amateurs alike. Size 5" x 3 1/2" |
| Newcastle and district historical organisations/libraries/museums & other links of interest | |
| Newcastle
Historical Society P.O. Box 22 Broadmeadow NSW 2292 |
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Newcastle Family History Society Inc. Mechanics Institute 68 Elder St Lambton NSW The Secretary NFHS Inc PO Box 233 Lambton NSW 2299 nfhsinc@kooee.com.au |
Meetings: 1st Tuesday each month, except January, starting at 7.30 pm. General business, committee reports, Q & A, precede an interesting talk from a guest speaker, or contribution from members. Visitors are most welcome. Library: free to Society members; visitors are invited to make a donation of $5 per person per visit. Volunteers are on duty to help you with research. Hours: every Thursday 1.00-3.30 pm; every Saturday 10.00am- 3.30 pm; Meeting nights 6.00-7.25pm, and one hour from close of meeting or 10 pm, whichever is earlier. The Library is not open on Public Holidays and will also close mid December to re-open mid January. |
| Newcastle Regional Museum | |
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Newcastle Region
Public Library War Memorial Cultural Centre Laman Street Newcastle NSW 2300 (02) 49745300 library@ncc.nsw.gov.au |
Hours:
Mon, Wed to Frid 9.30am-5pm Friday - 9.30am to 5.00pm Tuesday - 9.30am to 8.00pm Saturday - 9.30am to 2.00pm Hunter Photobank - index of some of the 80 000 photos in the library's collection including the Ralph Snowball collection |
| University of Newcastle | Library |
| Newcastle Herald | |
| Raymond
Terrace & District Historical Society Inc. P.O. Box 255 Raymond Terrace NSW 2324 |
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| Port Stephens
Family History Society Inc. P.O. Box 32 Tanilba Bay NSW 2319 |
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| Port Stephens Historical Society | |
| Lake
Macquarie Family History Group Inc. PO Box 3046 Teralba NSW 2284 webmaster@lmfhg.hl.com.au |
Meetings are held on the third Saturday of each month except for December meetings which are held on the second Saturday at the Marmong Point Community Hall, George Street, Marmong Point. The venue is open for the use of resources from 10.00 am and meetings commence at 1.00 pm. Resources are available for use until at least 4.00 pm. The hall is also open for access to resources and research on the first Wednesday of each month from 2.00 pm to 7.00 pm. |
| Stockton
Historical Society Inc. P.O. Box 133 Stockton NSW 2295 |
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| Hunter Valley Genealogy | |