Burke Manuscript

Burke Manuscript: Page 066

Transcript

Amongst the old ones that some will remember was Mr Elsbie, the then fashionable photographer and his dog Boatswain, a splendid Newfoundland. At that time likenesses meant money, and Mr E. made plenty of cash in a year or two and had ample leisure time on his hands, which he for a good part of the day devoted to catching smelties and whitebait from the bank by the City Mill. Elsbie’s place being that corner shop opposite, once, be it stated with all reverence, the office of that august official the Resident Magistrate. In that rookery, Sir John Hall has held Court, so did W.J.W. Hamilton and Mr Brittan, that is, if the business was not considered sufficiently important to be sent over to the old Lands Office, afterwards Magistrates’ Court and City Council offices. Elsbie had an interesting connection with the Stage. Years before he had played as an amateur with the afterwards renowned E.A. Southern, Lord Dundreary also once an amateur.

The other photographic artists at that time were Christopher Swinburne who once kept the old Royal Oak over the Colombo bridge. His studio was on the Ferry road, opposite what is now Bassett’s public house, but then was a six roomed house built by a carpenter of the name of Mouritz, and afterwards bought by the present Mrs Coker, soon after her arrival in the country.

The other photographers, but perhaps later, were Maundy and Lamert who had their place on the site of [sic] where now stands the Langham. Lamont was a relative of the much advertised Lamert, the Doctor of peculiarites. Amongst his little adventures whilst here was an action for seduction and so forth brought by the parent of a young person, who assisted in the Establishment, and while we are about that neighbourhood it may be as well to say that the District Court was then held in the old wooden town Hall, opposite, Sir J. Hall acting I think as District Judge. There the Supreme Court also sat after its removal from Lyttelton and a few sensational trials there took place. There Mr Harston, the original of the firm of Garrick & Cowlishaw, who had a small office in Cashel Street, had to face the music in a crim. con. business. It was a stirring affair for a few days. There also a wife and her paramour were tried for the murder by poison of her husband, an elderly and eccentric old Scot. They escaped and lived together afterwards and waxed wealthy.

There also in later years was tried another celebrated case in which a man owning some considerable property was charged with murdering a man by firing his house. He was defended by Mr Wyn Williams, with his trusty henchman Teddy Preston at his elbow, and between them they got him acquitted. The ungrateful fellow who had made over all his property, to prevent in case of accident the Crown coming in, actually years after took proceedings to compel a restitution not only of his own property, but had the impertinence to move the Court that his defender should furnish account of all business between them for years. It caused some talk.

In that old building besides the Society Balls, the Supreme Court, were also held all the important political meetings. Sir F. Weld made a few splendid speeches there, and had on one occasion an encounter with Crosbie Ward who opposed him. Crosbie in the heat of his speech referred to Weld as “that man”. The audience would not listen to another word until he withdrew the expression. But Mr Ward did not often offend.