Michele Leggott and Catherine Field-Dodgson
We are in Whakatū Nelson because it is 100 years since Emily Harris died here on 5 August 1925 at the age of 88. We are here to honour her life, her work and the recent publication of Groundwork: The Art and Writing of Emily Cumming Harris, the book that is bringing Emily out of the shadows.
Catherine, Simon and Poppy have travelled from Wellington, Michele and Mark from Auckland, and we are all at Mary Gavin’s apartment in Nile Street for drinks and an early dinner ahead of the celebrations tomorrow. Belinda Fletcher and her partner Jason McCormick who reside at the former Harris property at 34 Nile Street, have stepped over the road to join the party. Out come our hand-coloured sets of Emily’s New Zealand Flowers, Berries and Ferns for admiration and comparison. Multiple copies of Groundwork are displayed in the window of booksellers Page & Blackmore in downtown Trafalgar Street. And the gods are forecasting clear crisp weather for the weekend.
On Saturday 2 August at 11am we gather at Wakapuaka with members of the Nelson Historical Society Te Manatōpū Hītori o Whakatū and the Friends of Wakapuaka Cemetery who lead us to the Harris family grave. There on the hillside in dappled light and with early snowdrops round about, we lay flowers and greenery against the headstone and Michele reads Emily Bronte’s famous poem, ‘No Coward Soul Is Mine’ (1846). The poem was a favourite of Emily Dickinson and was read at her funeral in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1886. Now we are bringing it to Emily Harris in her resting place at Wakapuaka, a century on from her burial in 1925. Emily to the power of three, as Catherine observes.
Emily would have appreciated the floral tributes: kawakaka and orange tulips, daffodils and earlicheer, lavender, rhubarb and parsley, orchids and ferns, more daffodils and jasmine.
At 2pm MC Mary Gavin begins proceedings at the Elma Turner Library in Halifax Street as numbers reach capacity (50) and latecomers stand in the doorway. We launch into a presentation of selected highlights from the nine years of research into Emily’s life and work, focusing on her Nelson productions. In fact, it is fair to say that almost everything covered in the presentation was produced at 34 Nile Street and dispersed into the world from this pivotal location. Libraries in London, Cambridge, Edinburgh, New York, Georgetown, Sydney and Adelaide all hold hand-coloured sets of New Zealand Flowers, Berries and Ferns. Closer to home, the Alexander Turnbull Library, Te Papa, Puke Ariki, Tūranga, the Suter Art Gallery and Nelson Provincial Museum hold significant Harris works.
Page & Blackmore owner Jo Dippie is doing a brisk trade in copies of Groundwork and during the Q&A and afternoon tea that follows the presentation we hear about Harris works still in the hands of Nelson families.
Historical Society member Trevor Squires shows us a head and shoulders portrait in ink, of his grandfather William W Squires. On the back is a piece of paper, with handwriting in biro pen that says: ‘Emmlie Cummings Harris / Pencil Drawing of William W Squires by Miss Harris in 1878 (5 yrs old.)’ Trevor is a former Anglican vicar and he used to own an antiques shop. He still owns a watercolour by Nelson artist Nina Jones, painted on brown paper. He used to own the large oil painting ‘Karaka Berries in Flax Kits’ by Nina Jones that was exhibited at the 1906 International Exhibition in Christchurch. It sold at a Dunbar Sloane auction in 2000 for $1,195.
Another Historical Society member, Kay Cederman, shows us the 1873 hand-coloured Nelson Horticultural and Industrial Exhibition certificate awarded to her great-grandfather George Fleming. He received an ‘Honorable Mention for Excellence in Cabinetwork & Upholstery.’ Like the four certificates in the collection at the Nelson Provincial Museum, Kay’s is signed by Edwin and Emily Harris. Father and daughter were commissioned to design and colour certificates for the exhibition and this is only the fifth one we’ve seen.
George Fleming is the picture-framer who framed and packed Emily’s exhibits for the Wellington Industrial Exhibition of 1885 and for the London Colonial and Indian Exhibition of 1886. He appears several times in Emily’s diaries as she readies paintings for these exhibitions. George Fleming and Sons, Hardy St, Nelson, were furnishers whose business included picture framing as well as the manufacture and renovation of furniture.
Recognition of Emily in Whakatū Nelson continues on Sunday. The Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, The Very Reverend Dr Graham O’Brien, mentions her in each of the three services conducted that day. Belinda hears the Dean’s words in person: ‘I attended evensong at 5pm – the light in the cathedral was beautiful and there was the choir and organ all sounding fabulous. It was thrilling to hear Dean Graham read out her name and legacy of worship in the parish and at the cathedral.’
Outside, the sky is a clear light blue and stars are coming out as the sun disappears behind mountain ranges in the west.
Who are these like stars appearing,
these before God’s throne who stand?
Each a golden crown is wearing;
who are all this glorious band?
Alleluia! Hark, they sing,
praising loud their heav’nly King.
Who are these of dazzling brightness,
these in God’s own truth arrayed,
clad in robes of purest whiteness,
robes whose lustre ne’er shall fade,
ne’er be touched by time’s rude hand?
Whence come all this glorious band?
(Source: Trinity Psalter Hymnal #469)