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Burton Brothers

 Organization

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:

3835 - Wairakei. Burton Bros. Dunedin

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1111/2/11
Scope and Contents

Portrait format view of Wairakei. Vegetation/scrub in foreground. Wooden boardwalk leading up from bottom of image next to river with small waterfall/rapids. Large rock formations on either side. Steam in the background. Crease mark along top of image. Small dark spots visible in centre of image. 5mm of fading around edges.

Dates: 1868 -1898

3836 - Wairakei. Burton Bros. Dunedin

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1111/2/9
Scope and Contents

Large rock formations and steam. Fading 5mm around edges. Dark spots on left and right sides of image. Some words crossed out in ink in bottom right corner (?)

Dates: 1868 -1898

3838 - Wairakei. Burton Bros. Dunedin

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1111/2/10
Scope and Contents

Large rock formations and steam, including a triangle shaped rock near centre of image. Fading 5mm around top, bottom and left side of image. Fading more severe 10mm along right side of image.

Dates: 1868 -1898

3846 - Runanga House -(Hinemihi.) Wairoa. Burton Bros. Dunedin

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1111/2/30
Scope and Contents

Group of 16 Māori (mix of genders) standing/sitting outside a whare/carved meeting house. includes some small children. Hills in background, scrub in foreground either side of a path leading to the building. Mixture of European and Māori clothing. Man standing at front of group wearing traditional cloak and holding up a carved wooden club. Large mark on left side. 10mm fading along bottom, top and right edges, and 5mm fading along left edge. Scratch in top left corner.

Dates: 1868 -1898

3848 - Wairoa. Burton Bros. Dunedin

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1111/2/5
Scope and Contents

Grass/scrub in foreground. Young boy sitting on dirt path leading to large wooden building in distance. Boy standing on side of path next to a mud brick fence, holding a forked branch. Hills/moutains in background. Fading 10mm around edges. Crease in bottom right corner. Small dark spots visible in lighter areas of image.

Dates: 1868 -1898

3851 - Lake Tarawera from Wairoa. Burton Bros. Dunedin

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1111/2/7
Scope and Contents

View of Lake Tarawera from Wairoa hillside. Large trees on either side in foreground, and wooden fences across front of image. Lake surrounded by forest/bush-covered hills. Mountain behind lake barely visible. Spots visible in lighter parts of image. Fading 5mm around bottom and side edges.

Dates: 1868 -1898

3870 - A Te Amuri - Wairoa. Burton Bro[illegible]

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1111/3/39
Scope and Contents

View down river looking towards large rocky hill/mountain. River banks covered with large rocks and scrub/bush. White wooden bridge crossing river in middle of image. Wooden cross-like structure on top of hill on right side of river. Smudge in top left corner. Dark marks in bottom right corner. 10mm fading around bottom and side edges.

Dates: 1868 -1898

3880 - The Sunken Pa - Ohinemutu. Burton Bros. Dunedin

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1111/3/41
Scope and Contents

View of pa ruins and Lake Rotorua in foreground, with Ohinemutu settlement beyond. Hill in background with building and stand of trees on top. Has been stamped twice with "Burton Bros. Dunedin" (first stamp only partially visible). 10mm fading around edges.

Dates: 1868 -1898

3884 - Ohinemutu. Burton Bros. Dunedin

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1111/3/40
Scope and Contents

View of Ohinemutu settlement. Crops and plants in foreground (including toi toi) with wooden buildings and fences beyond. White pathway on righthand side leading to wooden building. Spit jutting out into harbour with buildings on it, including a stone church. Islands faintly visible in the distance. 5mm fading along side edges, and 10mm fading along bottom edge. Smudge and crease in top left corner.

Dates: 1868 -1898

3886 - Rotorua. Burton Bros. Dunedin

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1111/3/43
Scope and Contents

View over fields to Rotorua settlement, with Lake Rotorua and hills/mountains in the distance. Large patch of clear land in foreground. 10mm fading along side edges, with larger patches on mountain ranges and fields.

Dates: 1868 -1898