Burton Brothers
Dates
- Existence: 1866 - 1898
Biography
In 1866 Walter John Burton immigrated to Dunedin and set up the Grand Photographic Saloon and Gallery in Princes Street. Before coming the New Zealand he had worked with his brothers at their father's prominent studio John Burton and Sons in Nottingham which was patronised by Queen Victoria and other members of the Royal Family.
In 1868 he was joined by his brother Alfred Henry Burton. The firm became known as Burton Bros and was very successful. Alfred travelled extensively taking photographs or 'views' to be sold and Walter looked after the portrait studio. The brothers did not always get on and in 1877 their partnership came to an end. Alfred continued on with the business while Walter struck out on his own and set up the Royal Gallery of Photography on Georges St in 1878. It was unsuccessful and on 10 May 1880 he committed suicide.
After Walter left the firm Alfred and later his son Harold continued to travel all over New Zealand as well as Samoa. Fiji and Tonga to take photographs. When Harold lost his arm in 1890 much of this topographical photography was taken over by an employee, George Moodie.
In around 1882 he went into partnership with Thomas Mintaro Muir, the firm continued to flourish under this partnership. Alfred retired in 1898 and the firm was brought out by Thomas Muir and a new partner George Moodie to become another prominent New Zealand photography studio, Muir & Moodie.
Found in 124 Collections and/or Records:
18 individual portraits (left side High Class, right side Low Class)
18 Māori portraits, head and shoulders (some down to torso). Variety of ages/sexes. Nine on left side labelled High Class, nine on right side labelled Low Class. 10mm fading around edges. Moko possibly enhanced after photograph taken.
390 - Cold Water Basins - White Terrace. Burton Bros. Dunedin.
View of cold water basins and white terraces. Trees and hills in background. Photo mottled throughout with pale spots.
638 - Wairakei [?] Pink Porridge Pot and Blue Milk Pool
View of pink porridge pot and blue milk pool formations (craters/pools). Cracked ground in foreground, covered in ash. Trees in middle distance and river in background. Some trees covered in ash. Fading 15mm around bottom edge, and 5mm around top and side edges.
797 - West Coast Road. Burton Bros. Dunedin.
View of a winding dirt road running through trees/bush into the distance. Rocks and grass along edges of road. Wooden pole (with possible power lines running from it) on right side of road at first bend. 5mm fading along top and side edges.
995 - Auckland. Burton Bros. Dunedin
View of a part of Auckland city taken from hillside. Large wooden buildings with brick chimneys and trees in foreground. Buildings, including church with spire in middle distance. Sea and more land in the background. 5mm fading around side and bottom edges. Small dark marks visible throughout top third of image.
1521 - Castle Hill - W Coast Road. Burton Bros. Dunedin
View of Castle Hill with snow-capped mountains in distance. 5mm fading along top and bottom edges, and 10 mm fading along side edges. Pale spots visible along left side of image. Small dark spots visible in sky area. Two scratches in bottom right corner of image.
1526 - Trelissick Station - Castle Hill - W Coast Road. Burton Bros. Dunedin
Two men standing and talking to each other in a field, with fence and farm buildings behind. Branches/scrub in foreground. Large trees on either side of field, and snow-capped mountains in the distance. 5mm fading around edges.
2953 - Nelson. Burton Bros. Dunedin
View of Nelson settlement taken from a hillside. Flooded fields in foreground and hills/mountains in background. Buildings include church with steeple, and building with Greek-style columns. 10mm damage along left and right edges, and 5mm fading along bottom edge. Smudge in top-right corner. Faint scratches visible in middle of image.
2954 - Toi-Toi Valley - Nelson. Burton Bros
View of Toi-Toi Valley in Nelson, taken from hillside. Trees, tops of buildings, and partial fence in foreground. Small settlement with roads and buildings, surrounded by fields and hills. 10mm fading along left edge, and 5mm fading along other edges. Pale spots visible on left section of image. Smudge in top left corner.
2977 - Christchurch Cathedral. Burton Bros. Dunedin
Northwest view of Christchurch Cathedral from Cathedral Square, in portrait format. Road and streetlight in foreground. One- and two-storey buildings behind cathedral. Trellis-type fence surrounding cathedral. 10mm fading around edges of image. Horizontal marks on right side. Pale spots visible along bottom of image, and dark spots visible in sky and background area.