By Jane Comeau, Collections Inventory Cataloguing Technician
The Clifford Collection is a massive treasure trove of around 77,000 glass plate and film negatives, mostly portraits of Cantabrians, dating from 1902 to the mid–1940s. The photographer, Henry Herbert Clifford (1872–1949), was once an operator for the Standish and Preece photo studio, before striking out on his own and becoming one of Christchurch’s leading portrait photographers.
He prided himself on his artistic eye, flattering retouches and attention-grabbing staging. At first, he operated out of the Beath’s building on Cashel Street, in a studio crowded with ornate furniture, props and painted backdrops. In 1927, he built a new studio as an extension to the Whitcombe and Tombs building on the same street.
Clifford’s most recognisable portrait is of Kate Sheppard, which features on the $10 note, but he photographed many of Christchurch’s old families and notable citizens, including Dame Ngaio Marsh, Sir John Hall, Ada Wells, a young Rewi Alley among many others.
The Collection was donated by Clifford’s son, Ogilvie in 1980. Since then, it has been kept in cold storage at the Museum to prevent degradation. Having all these negatives digitised and available online makes this invaluable slice of history accessible to everyone.
Search the Clifford Collection on Collections Online.
This collection has been digitised thanks to the support of the New Zealand Lotteries Grant Board.
