Te Papa has an enormous collection of photographs, negatives and transparencies by Brian Brake (1927 – 88), one of New Zealand’s best known photographers. Brake became famous while working overseas as a photojournalist – one of his best known works is the Monsoon photo essay, which he took in 1960. He also photographed extensively in New Zealand, taking many images of scenery and historic buildings. Many of these have come to us with nothing to tell us where they are, but maybe they’re just up the road from you. So I’m hoping you might be able to identify these for us … send us your ideas!
1 – Old wooden buildings – maybe Arrowtown?
2 – Where and who is he?
3 – A wee wooden church somewhere:
4 – A monument or a building? Nice location …
5 – Maybe Otago?
6 – This reminds me of some of the old East Coast freezing works . . .
Saw this old blog post yesterday for some reason, then today, Timespanner shares this image on Facebook:
Publicity Caption:
Golden Terrace Mining Town: Bank of NZ, hotel entrance and lower main street, Frankton Road, Queenstown
Photographer:
Waddington
Additional archives description
April 1974, Queenstown
Archives New Zealand Reference: AAQT 6539 W3537 139 / B4389 http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=24702728
For further enquiries please email research.archives@dia.govt.nz
Material from Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
thank you so much Ellen! I’ll update our records when I’m back in the office…
Number 2 has been identified by a colleague – it’s the statue of William Rolleston, a former Superintendent of Canterbury, outside Canterbury Museum. Unfortunately he fell down in the Christchurch earthquake and lost his head. Someone took it away for safekeeping, leaving a note on the ‘body’ so it could be located.
The last one is definetly the pump house in Waihi. I used to live next door. The pump house has been moved since the photo was taken to make room for a ever growing open pit gold mine.
thanks Rudi – and for confirming it has been moved since the photo was taken.
is 4 napier and 6 warkworth
Maybe Otago? is actually Isle House, Nelson. Check this out: http://www.iselhouse.co.nz
Good spotting Victoria! I think that must be a new record – thanks!
I think A monument or a building? Nice location … is a picture of the Mormon temple at Temple View in the Waikato. And I think the last image is the Mine pump house in Waihi.
Thanks Lucy – I’ve used your tips to check online so we’ve identified these two buildings as well. Brilliant 🙂