Early Photographers of BUNDABERG,  Queensland
 
This site was created 13 November 1999/last updated 30 March 2008
© Marcel Safier 1999-2008
PHOTOGRAPHERS NAME
ADDRESS OF OPERATION
DATES ACTIVE
NOTES incl. types of photographs produced
Thomas Mathewson travelling photographer 1868, 1872 Began in photography in 1864.  Travelled throughout southern Queensland and NSW.  Remained in Gympie from 1868-1871 before travelling again.  Eventually formed the partnership Mathewson and Co with his brother Peter in 1876 and they operated a studio in Queen St, Brisbane.  Peter's sons also ran studios in Charter's Towers and Mackay. 
carte de visite
George John Young Bourbon St 1875-1881 Married Emma Smith
cartes de visite
John M. Minogue Bourbon St 1879-1880 Took over G. J. Young's studio
cartes de visite
Lionel  E. Curtis
San Francisco Art Gallery
(Lionel Edmund Montrose G. Curtis 1847-)
Bourbon St 1882  Lionel Curtis was born in 1847 in Lambeth, Surrey, the son of Lionel Curtis, a clerk for the Great Western Railway and East India born Jessie Francisca Wilson. He married Matilda Hart in 1872 in West Ham, Essex. Sometime around 1880 the family migrated to Queensland where he set up a photographic studio in Bundaberg in 1882. After a short period he formed a partnership with a gentleman named Taylor. They stayed together until around 1892. During 1887 Curtis formed sort lived partnerships with Lacy and also Hart (presumable an in-law). During 1889 Curtis filed for insolvency but he remained in business until at least 1892 after which he became a farmer on Airdale Farm, Duingal in the Wide Bay district.
cartes de visite
Taylor & Curtis
(Taylor & Lionel E. Curtis)
Bourbon St 1883-1892 
Curtis & Lacy   1887
Hart & Curtis   1887
Peter McRorie Bourbon St 1887-1892 Married 24 Jun 1874 to Harriot Esther Hardwidge
cartes de visite
A. R. Fosbrooke   1890-1893 Originally from Sydney, moved to Maryborough where he worked from 1888-1889 then to Bundaberg from 1890-1893, then to Tamworth in 1894 and he returned to Maryborough in 1895
carte de visite, cabinet photos, postcards
Donald Cameron   1896-1897 Previously in Maitland and then in partnership with Daniel Metcalfe in Maryborough. Cameron eventually left to set up by himself in Bundaberg. After leaving Bundaberg he set up a studio in Glen Innes, NSW.
cabinet photos
Vandyck Studios
(Peter Wimmelman Hyllested)
Bourbon St 1895-1910 Peter Hyllested operated a studio in Stanley St, South Brisbane from 1891, before moving to Bundaberg on 21 March 1894 aboard the Yaralla. There was also a Vandyck studio at Mackay.  The relation to the Bundaberg studio is unknown. Peter moved on to Beaudesert where he ran a studio until 1933.
cabinet photos
Robert Hyllested Bourbon St 1896-1908  
Alex J. Casmer Bourbon St 1895-1904  
School of Arts Studio     cabinet photos
Charles Frederick Skyring      
Queen Studio
Elite Studio
(Thomas Bernard Harte)
Bourbon St 1914-1921 Married 10 Nov 1914 to Sarah Emmeline Maynard
EARLY POST CARD PUBLISHERS
Coloured Shell Series   c.1904-1915 Produced view postcards covering the all major towns of Queensland.  They appear to have licensed negatives also used by other publishers.  Their range included over 150 different views. 
E.D. & Co. later EDCO
(Edwards Dunlop & Company)
  c1905-1915 Published numerous view postcards initially real photographs usually taken by Crown Studios of Sydney later moving into printed postcards.  Most cards feature an identifying serial number and they cover both the major and many smaller towns of Queensland.
Click on the hyperlinked photographer or postcard publisher names to see examples of their output
Notes:

Some of the year ranges stated may not be 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 Bundaberg 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 date your photos personally. If you are seeking historical photos of Bundaberg I would suggest the State Library of Queensland as my collection consists mainly of portraiture.

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**

Sources:
private photograph collection of author
various Queensland trade and post office directories and Pugh's Almanacs
Alan Davies and Peter Stanbury, "The Mechanical Eye in Australia", OUP, Melbourne, 1988.
Sandy Barrie, "Professional Photographers in Queensland 1849-1920", Brisbane, 1988.
Sandy Barrie, "Queenslanders Behind The Camera", Brisbane, 1988.
Sandy Barrie, "Australians Behind the Camera, Directory of Early Australian Photographers 1841-1945", Sandie Barrie, Booval, Queensland, 2002.
Rod Fisher "Through a Glass Darkly.  Photographers and Their Role in the Moreton Bay Region before 1860" in Journal of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland Vol. XII No. 3 February 1986.
Rod Fisher "Aspects of Early Photography in the Moreton Bay Region", Brisbane History Group journal , 1988.
Thank you to Sandy Barrie, Jack Mathewson, Nancy Bennett and Alan Davies

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"

Bundaberg and district historical organisations/libraries/museums & other links of interest
Bundaberg & District Historical and Museum Society Inc
Botanic Gardens
Young Street
P O Box 7071
Bundaberg North QLD 4670
(07) 4152 0101
Opening  Hours: 10am - 4pm
Preservation & collection of Bundaberg & District's History in an Historical Museum. 
Bundaberg Genealogical Association
Library Kendall's Road
Bundaberg (opposite the airport)
PO Box 103
Bundaberg QLD 4670
harrisp@interworx.com.au
Opening Hours: Tuesday 12.30 - 2.30, Wednesday 10.00 - 2.30, Wednesday 7.00-9.00pm (only the last Wednesday night of each month – for research), Thursday 12.00 - 2.30pm, Saturday 1.00 - 4.00pm
Meetings: 2nd Wednesday of the month, 7.30pm at the Library; Membership: Per Year $25 single $32 family of two (living at the same address), 1/2 Yearly rates - starting from 1 January - 30 June $15 single $18 family of two (living at the same address), Membership entitles you to: quarterly journals and entrance to the library for research & meetings
Latter Day Saints Family History Centre
Cnr Woongarra & Bingera Sts
Bundaberg QLD 4670
(07) 4153 1701
 
Bundaberg Library
49 Woondooma Street
(P.O. Box 885)
Bundaberg QLD 4670
(07) 4153 9253, Fax: (07) 4151 0895
library@BundabergCity.qld.gov.au
Opening hours: Monday & Friday 10.00am - 5.00pm, Tuesday & Wednesday 10.00am - 6.00pm, Thursday 10.00am - 8.00pm, Saturday 9.30am - 12 noon
Bundaberg Railway Historical Society
Wilmot and Station Streets
North Bundaberg QLD 4670
Located just outside the Botanic Gardens and right beside the North Coast Line. Open Tuesday and Friday 9 am to 3 pm, Saturday 8 am to 4 pm. Other times by appointment (07 4152 7070). Nominal admission charge applies. Secretary, PO Box 3203, Bundaberg, QLD 4670.
Bundaberg On The Net  

Return to the Photographers of Southern Queensland Main Page


© Marcel Safier 1999-2008
Photographic historian and collector,
P.O. Box 239, Holland Park QLD 4121, Australia; E-mail: msafier@ozemail.com.au