George Hoby, Part 5: Hard Times

Continued from Part 4, which dealt with his busiest period as a photographer, catering to the military personnel stationed in Taranaki. Once the soldiers departed, however, he had to look for more clients and come up with new marketing ideas.


The Taranaki Herald, Saturday, 8 December 1866
In early December 1866, Hoby announced that he was offering portraits using the stennotype [sic] process, "combining real permanency with the advantage of colouring." [71] The sennotype process had been introduced to Australia by Charles Wilson, who sold rights to use it in the Australian colonies in 1863 [72]. The London Portrait Rooms in Dunedin, operated by Messrs. Peyman and Irwin, were the first to "purchase the secret" in New Zealand in August 1863, inviting the public to inspect a selection at their gallery [73,74]. In September 1863 William Meluish of Dunedin was offering to divulge the "secrets" of the process for £5 [75], but there is little evidence that the many practitioners took it up. Henry Frith, recently arrived in Dunedin, offered sennotypes in May 1866 [76].


Composite portrait of the Hoby family, New Plymouth, c.1866
This composite portrait of members of the Hoby family shows the parents and eight of their children [77]. They are, from left to right and top to bottom, George Hoby Sr., Hannah Hoby, Oliver, Amy (Hannah Amy), George Jr., Clara, Lilla (Eleanor Mary Ann), Arthur, Percy and Hubert. Percy, shown in the centre of the bottom row, was born in Nelson on 5 February 1863; assuming he was about 2 to 3 years old in this portrait, the sitting was possibly around 1865 to 1866. George and Hannah's youngest child Minna Sarah was born at Woolcombe Terrace, New Plymouth on 12 October 1865, and died on 28 February 1866. Since she does not appear, it is likely that the composite portrait was produced after her death.


Bullock team hauling house along Devon Street, New Plymouth, Unidentified photographer, c.1860s [78]
After the removal of troops from New Plymouth, business for the studio declined drastically, and the Hobys moved back to the farm on the Bell Block, their house from Woolcombe Terrace being moved there in 1868 in sections [4,78]. Although it's unlikely to be the Hoby's house, the unattributed photograph above shows a building being transported in a similar manner [79].

Later that year a fire burnt twelve houses in Devon street to the ground, including the photographic studio, which must have significantly added to their woes [80]. George tried his hand at dentistry from the premises of Keeling & Co., a shop belonging to his son-in-law, while still selling accumulated portraits at a shilling each, but business remained very slow [81].


Nelson Evening Mail, Thursday, 23 September 1869
George Hoby returned to Nelson, looking for customers for his photographic business, and on 15th June attempted to revive the partnership with William Davis, offering free sittings for the first three days [82,83]. To drum up business, they even tried raffling photographs [84] but it soon became clear that partnership would not work and it was dissolved on 10th September [85], Hoby announcing that he was building his own studio on Trafalgar Street [86].


Colonist, Friday, 8 October 1869
By early October he was at the premises of Mr. John in Trafalgar Street, offering cartes de visite at half price for the rest of the month [87].


Colonist, Friday, 24 June 1870
In June the following year, he tried a new marketing tack, offering a subscription lottery, which would entitle a customer to a dozen portraits, presumably cartes de visite, and a chance of winning larger coloured portraits, pictures, etc. [88] Whether or not this strategy worked is unknown, but he continued to place advertisements in all three Nelson newspapers, the Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, the Nelson Evening Mail and the Colonist until late October [89,90] when he announced his intention to leave Nelson "shortly" and end the "Art Union" lottery [91].


Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Friday, 3 March 1871
He was still practising in the town in early March when he urged customers not to delay, as he would "positively leave" on 10th March [92]. He actually departed on the 19th March aboard the steamer Phoebe, headed for "Picton and South" [93].


Steamer S.S. Lyttelton at Blenheim Wharf [94]
He probably spent the next eight months in Picton and the Marlborough district [4], before heading back from Wairau, near Blenheim, to Nelson aboard the steamer Lyttelton in mid-November [95].


Nelson Evening Mail, Saturday, 11 November 1871
His marketing skills invigorated, and "photography seeming to have gone mad in Nelson," George offered his cut rates (six pictures for 3/6) in Trafalgar Street "for a few days." [96] By mid-December he'd had enough, travelling by the S.S. Wellington via the port of Onehunga in the Manukau harbour, and arriving home in New Plymouth on the 14th December, after an absence of two-and-a-half years [97].


The Taranaki Herald, Saturday, 16 December 1871
He was not hesitant to advertise his services in both photography and dentistry to residents, in the latter possibly being assisted by his son Arthur [98], and by July 1872 was operating from new premises in Devon Street [99]. In November he had an accident in the street outside the studio, as reported in the Herald [100]:

ACCIDENT TO MR. HOBY. - Yesterday afternoon, as Mr. Hoby was mounting his horse in front of his photographic studio, the animal became restive, and before the unfortunate gentleman could gain his seat, he was thrown violently to the ground, his head coming in contact with the kerb-stone. When picked up, Mr. Hoby was insensible, so he was carried into his studio, and Dr. Rawson sent for. We learn he has received injuries such as will lay him up for some time, but we are happy to hear that no serious consequences are likely to result from his fall.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Monday, 8 September 1873
He must have recovered soon, because by August 1873 he was back in Nelson again, "ready to take portraits at the Gallery, opposite the Masonic Hall, Trafalgar street." [101] His intention was to remain there for a month taking portraits and selling new photographic views of Nelson, as well as offering to take views of houses [102,103], but he was still there in December [104]. On 31st December he set off again, this time aboard the S.S. Taranaki for Wakefield and Spring Grove (Mr Botterell's), near Havelock in the Marlborough Sounds, where he offered to "take portraits, views of houses, animals, etc." [105]

In the final part of this series, George Hoby returns to Taranaki and the family home at Beach Farm, Bell Block for good.

References

[4] Hoby, Arthur (1937) Memoirs of Arthur Hoby, Transcript of original held by Alexander Turnbull Library, Courtesy of Philip Duke.

[71] Stennotype (Advertisement), Taranaki Herald, 8 December 1866, p.2.

[72] Charles Wilson, Dictionary of Australian Artists Online (updated 14 November 2007)

[73] Portraits, &c. (Advertisements), Otago Daily Times, 17 August 1863, p.2.

[74] Rackstraw, Tony (2009) London Portrait Rooms, Early Otago Photographers (including Southland) and their successors.

[75] To Photographers (Advertisement), Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 15 September 1863, p.2.

[76] Frith's Sennotype Gallery (Advertisement), Otago Daily Times, 7 May 1866, p.3.

[77] Composite photographic portrait of the Hoby family of New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, Unknown format and size, attributed to George Hoby, Puke Ariki Museum.

[78] Tenders. To Carpenters, Builder, and others, Taranaki Herald, 1 February 1868, p.1.

[79] Bullock team hauling a house along Devon Street, New Plymouth, B/W negative, Undated, Unidentified photographer, ID: 1/2-110547, Alexander Turnbull Library/Timeframes.

[80] Another Great Fire in Devon-Street, Taranaki Herald, 28 November 1868, p.3.

[81] Notice, Taranaki Herald, 6 February 1869, p.2.

[82] Davis and Hoby, Photographers, Trafalgar Street (Advertisement), Colonist, 15 June 1869, p.2.

[83] New Plymouth. Departures, Taranaki Herald, 12 June 1869, p.2.

[84] Notice. Davis & Hoby, Photographers, Trafalgar Street (Advertisement), Nelson Evening Mail, 25 June 1869, p.3.

[85] Dissolution of Partnership, Nelson Evening Mail, 23 September 1869, p.3.

[86] Advertisement, Nelson Evening Mail, 23 September 1869, p.3.

[87] Advertisement, Colonist, 8 October 1869, p.2.

[88] New Advertisements. Photographic Art Union, Colonist, 24 June 1870, p.2.

[89] Business Notices. Photographic Art Union, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 26 October 1870, p. 1.

[90] Photographic Art Union (Advertisement), Colonist, 21 October 1870, p.1.

[91] New Advertisements, Colonist, 28 October 1870, p.2.

[92] Business Notices, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 3 March 1871, p.1.

[93] Shipping Intelligence. Sailed, Nelson Evening Mail, 20 March 1871, p.2.

[94] Photograph of S.S. Lyttelton at Blenheim Wharf, Undated, Mounted albumen print, undated, unidentified photographer, Acc. No. C2152, Nelson Provincial Museum, Courtesy of The Prow

[95] Shipping Intelligence. Arrived, Nelson Evening Mail, 13 November 1871, p.2.

[96] New Advertisements, Nelson Evening Mail, 11 November 1871, p.2.

[97] Port of Onehunga. Arrivals, Daily Southern Cross, 12 December 1871, p.2.

[98] Dentistry. Photography (Advertisements), Taranaki Herald, 16 December 1871, p.3.

[99] Photography & Dentistry (Advertisements), Taranaki Herald, 13 July 1872, p.1.

[100] Accident to Mr. Hoby, Taranaki Herald, 6 November 1872, p.2.

[101] New Advertisements. Photography., Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 21 August 1873, p.2.

[102] Business Notices, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 8 September 1873, p.2.

[103] Photography (Advertisement), Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 17 November 1873, p.1.

[104] Advertisement, Nelson Evening Mail, 22 November 1873, p.2.

[105] Shipping Intelligence. Sailed, Nelson Evening Mail, 31 December 1873, p.2.

George Hoby, Part 3: The soldiers come to town

In part 2, George Hoby spent much of his first three years as a photographer in Nelson.


The Taranaki Herald, Saturday, 13 February 1864
In early 1864, after an exploratory visit back to Taranaki, George Hoby advised his Nelson customers that he would be absent during the month of February [33]. By the middle of that month he was advertising a "new gallery" in Courtenay Street, New Plymouth [34]. Over the next twelve months he continued to traipse back and forth between New Plymouth and Nelson and, since he ceased advertising in the Nelson newspapers, it is assumed that he was no longer operating there. In late October he put his Nelson freehold property, "with house and two shops" in Trafalgar Street on the market [35].


The Taranaki Herald, Saturday, 11 February 1865
While waiting for a buyer in Nelson, he was building a new studio in Devon Street, New Plymouth, and announced its opening on 10th February [36]. He also erected a house for the family on Woolcombe Terrace, so that Hannah and the younger children were able to make their way back to New Plymouth aboard the S.S. Otago on 23rd May, their five year exile in Nelson at an end [4,37].


CDV portraits of 43rd Regt. soldiers by Hoby, Taranaki, c. early 1865
Lt. A. Longley [38] and Major F.M. Colvile [39]
George Hoby's decision to move permanently back to Taranaki may have been influenced by the arrival of more Imperial troops in the district, in particular the 43rd and 70th Regiments in mid-November 1864.


Adj. H.C. Talbot and Ens. T.C. Miller [40] and Capt. F.C. Rowan [41]
The four carte de visite portraits shown above all depict soldiers from the 43rd Regiment, and were most likely taken at Hoby's Devon Street studio in early 1865. They must date from prior to that unit's departure from New Plymouth in February-March 1866.


Reverse of carte de visite by Mr. Hoby, Photo.,
Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865 [39]
Several features of the studio setting are shared by two or more of the portraits: plain back wall (4) with moulded skirting board (2), curtain (4), patterned carpet (2), waist-high pedestal (3) and a chair (2). [38,39,40,41]


CDV portraits of soldiers by Hoby, Taranaki, c. early 1865
Capt. W.A. Hussey (Taranaki Military Settlers) [42] and Capt. A.R. Close (43rd Regiment) [43]
A further two carte de visite portraits by George Hoby in the Puke Ariki collection, in a slightly different style - half-length and displaying a more spartan studio setting - were almost certainly also taken in early 1865 [42,43]. Captain Hussey was killed at Omaru-hakeke, near Wairoa on the East Coast on 25th December 1865 [44], and Captain Close on 28th July 1865, inland of the Warea Redoubt in Taranaki [45].


The Taranaki Herald, Saturday, 20 May 1865
In May he advertised, "A large number of likenesses having accumulated, Mr. H. offers them at 1s. each," which suggests that he may have been offering portraits of the soldiers for general sale [46]. Several cartes de visite in the Museum of New Zealand/Te Papa Tongarewa collection, including one of Hussey attributed to George Hoby [47], are identical images to those in the Puke Ariki collection shown above [48,49], although most have additional strips of paper with the names and affiliations of the subjects affixed to the foot of the card mount.

It is obvious that a copies were indeed made, probably with collectors in mind, but when and by whom remains unclear. The Te Papa copies are a small sample from a large photographic album depicting several hundred "Soldiers of the Queen" who served in New Zealand during the Maori Wars, compiled by W.F Gordon of New Plymouth around 1900, but possibly collected by him some years earlier [50].


CDV portrait of Capt. E.F. Hemingway, 43rd Regiment, c.1865-1866
attributed to Arthur Hoby [51]
A carte de visite photo of Captain Hemingway of the 43rd Regiment in the Puke Ariki Museum collection is attributed to Arthur Hoby [51]. Philip Duke points out that Arthur would have been in his early teens at the time it was taken, and there is no other evidence of him working as a photographer. Despite discussing his father's photographic business at some length in his memoirs, he makes no mention of his own involvement [4], leaving the attribution of this portrait as something of a mystery.

In Part 4, I investigate a number of unattributed portraits which are almost certainly also from George Hoby's New Plymouth studio.

References

[4] Hoby, Arthur (1937) Memoirs of Arthur Hoby, Transcript of original held by Alexander Turnbull Library, Courtesy of Philip Duke.

[33] New Advertisements, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 19 January 1864, p.2.

[34] New Advertisements, Taranaki Herald, 13 February 1864, p.2.

[35] New Advertisements, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 22 October 1864, p.2.

[36] Mr. Hoby, Photographic Artist. (Advertisement), Taranaki Herald, 11 February 1865, p.2.

[37] Shipping Intelligence. Arrivals, Taranaki Herald, 27 May 1865, p.2.

[38] Photographic portrait of Lieutenant Arthur Longley, 43rd Regiment, Carte de visite by G. Hoby, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-1779, Puke Ariki Museum.

[39] Photographic portrait of Major Fiennes Middleton Colvile, 43rd Regiment, Carte de visite by G. Hoby, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-1657, Puke Ariki Museum.

[40] Photographic portrait of Captain Henry Charles Talbot and Lieutenant Taverner Charles Miller, 43rd Regiment, Carte de visite by G. Hoby, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-552, Puke Ariki Museum.

[41] Photographic portrait of Captain Frederick Charles Rowan, 43rd Regiment, Carte de visite by G. Hoby, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-1799, Puke Ariki Museum.

[42] Photographic portrait of Captain William Augustus Hussey, Taranaki Military Settlers, Carte de visite by G. Hoby, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-1739, Puke Ariki Museum.

[43] Photographic portrait of Captain Arthur R. Close, 43rd Regiment, Carte de visite by G. Hoby, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-1780, Puke Ariki Museum.

[44] Cowan, James (1922), The New Zealand Wars: A History of the Maori Campaigns and the Pioneering Periods: Volume II (1865-1872), Wellington, New Zealand: R.E. Owen.

[45] Wells, B. (1878) The History of Taranaki, Early New Zealand Books, The University of Auckland Library.

[46] Mr. Hoby, Photographer, Devon-street (Advertisement), Taranaki Herald, 20 May 1865, p.2.

[47] Photographic portrait of Captain Hussey, Taranaki Military Settlers, Carte de visite (Image 61x92mm; Mount 63x102mm) by G. Hoby, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. O.013013, Museum of New Zealand/Te Papa Tongarewa.

[48] Photographic portrait of Captains Talbot and Miller, 43rd Regiment, Carte de visite by G. Hoby, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. O.011906, Museum of New Zealand/Te Papa Tongarewa.

[49] Photographic portrait of Colonel Colvile, 43rd Regiment, Carte de visite by G. Hoby, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. O.012382/01, Museum of New Zealand/Te Papa Tongarewa.

[50] Gordon, W.F. (1900), Some "Soldiers of the Queen" who served in the Maori Wars and other notable persons connected herewith, Photographic album, Acc. No. AL.000076, Museum of New Zealand/Te Papa Tongarewa.

[51] Photographic portrait of Captain Edward Frederic Hemingway, 43rd Regiment, Carte de visite by Arthur Hoby, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-618, Puke Ariki Museum.

George Hoby, Part 2: Forging a Photographic Career

Part 1 described how George Hoby arrived in Taranaki with his family in the 1850s, only to have their farming operations interrupted by the disturbances between settlers and Maori over land.


The Taranaki Herald, Saturday, October 15, 1859
Although the evidence is only circumstantial, it seems likely that George Hoby was the "novice" under instruction in New Plymouth, referred to in advertisements by Hartley Webster in October 1859 [18]. Webster originally trained in London, and then operated a daguerreotype and collodion portrait studio in Auckland. He had been touring New Zealand for a couple of years, spending the previous ten months in New Plymouth [19,20], during which time he had been offering collodion portraits [21]. Having now "disposed of his Photographic Business to a novice," he was "under engagement to remain a few weeks longer, to give his pupil efficient instruction, and takes this opportunity of giving publicity to a new process of taking portraits on paper." This seems slightly early for carte de visites, but Webster was probably up with the latest trends, so he may have been a very early adopter of the format.


The Taranaki Herald, Saturday, 19 January 1861
George Hoby officially opened for business in New Plymouth in January 1861 [4,22]. His advertisements in the local newspaper suggest some difficulties coordinating his military duties with the need to be on hand for potential clients [23]. The high price of half a guinea charged for each picture indicate that he was probably still using a collodion positive (ambrotype) or, less likely, daguerreotype, format rather than the "new" carte de visite-sized albumen prints.


The Taranaki Herald, Saturday, 16 February 1861
There is also some question as to who his clients might have included, since many of the town's usual inhabitants had temporarily decamped. It is possible that the Imperial regiments recently arrived in Taranaki were his intended market, although the surviving carte de visite portraits of soldiers attributed to Hoby in the Puke Ariki Archives collection appear to have been taken a few years later. It is possible that his two eldest sons George (junior) and Oliver assisted in the studio during this early period.


Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Wednesday, 13 November 1861
In mid-October 1861 George Hoby returned to Nelson and entered into a partnership with William Davis, an established photographer who had already been operating in that town for almost a year [24,25], and working from the premises of the Misses Jay, a general goods shop on Bridge Street.


Township of Nelson from Britannia Heights, Drawing by Edmund Norman, 1860
In December of that year Davis and Hoby together submitted a set of panoramic views of the city of Nelson, probably similar to that shown in the 1860 pencil drawing shown above [26], to the International Exhibition of 1862 in London [27]. In April 1862, George's second son Oliver Hoby advertised for several weeks in the Taranaki Herald that he was resuming photography [28]. Perhaps he was doing so on behalf of his father, because the latter had ceased his travels back and forth across the Cook Strait, while business in Nelson appeared to be thriving. Apart from advertising cartes de visite, portraits on glass and paper and copying of pictures and photographs, George offered to send portraits free to London [29] and the colouring and finishing of portraits "in W. Davis's well known style." [30]


Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Saturday, 20 December 1862
In December 1862 the arrangement at the Misses Jay was dissolved [31], and George built new premises in Trafalgar Street. William Davis advertised separately, although in the same street, so perhaps they were still working together [32]. The price for ambrotypes had by now more than halved, to five shillings, and Hoby was offering cartes de visite at six for a pound, possibly reflecting increased competition in Nelson.

It is unfortunate that I have been unable to locate any photographs which are both clearly attributable to Hoby and dateable to the early part of his career, but it is hoped that some will turn up in due course.

Continued in Part 3.

References

[4] Hoby, Arthur (1937) Memoirs of Arthur Hoby, Transcript of original held by Alexander Turnbull Library, Courtesy of Philip Duke.

[18] Portraits for transmission (Advertisement), Taranaki Herald, 15 October 1859, p.1.

[19] H. Webster, Photographic Artist, Devon Road (Advertisement), Taranaki Herald, 25 December 1858, p.2.

[20] Hartley Webster, New Zealand Photographers Database, Auckland Council.

[21] Collodion Portraiture. H. Webster, Devon Road., Taranaki Herald, 29 January 1859, p.4.

[22] Photographic Likenesses (Advertisement), Taranaki Herald, 19 January 1861, p.1.

[23] Photographic Portraits (Advertisement), Taranaki Herald, 16 February 1861, p.1.

[24] A Card. W. Davis, Photographer (Advertisement), Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 29 August 1860, p.2.

[25] Miscellaneous (Notices), Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 19 October 1861, p.1.

[26] Norman, Edmund (1860), View of the Township of Nelson, from Britannia Heights, Pencil and wash drawing on sheet (223 x 293 mm), ID: A-113-035, Alexander Turnbull Library, & Timeframes.

[27] Nelson Products for the International Exhibition, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 12 December 1861, p.3.

[28] Photographic Portraiture (Advertisement), Taranaki Herald, 5 April 1862, p.2.

[29] Photography (Advertisement), Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 29 March 1862, p.1.

[30] Photography (Advertisement), Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 26 April 1862, p.2.

[31] Dissolution of Partnership, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 20 December 1862, p.3.

[32] Merchandise (Advertisements), Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 20 December 1862, p.1.