Lighted Windows: The Death and Resurrection of Corbyn Harris We present a sequence of archival fragments surrounding the death of Hugh Corbyn Harris 28 July 1860 and some of the memorialising events that followed. Chief among these is the series of works by Corbyn’s father Edwin depicting the town of New Plymouth under siege in Read More…
Author: Brianna Vincent
2020 Highlights
By Michele Leggott A second year on the website and we’ve been able to upload two of Edwin Harris’s sketchbooks from the 1870s and 1880s while working on the big project of editing Emily’s two diaries from Puke Ariki. The diaries will be completed early in 2021 in 12 sections with full contextual notes. We’re Read More…
A Trilogy of Windmills
The Auction It starts with a buzz around an auction. A painting of a windmill has appeared at Auckland’s International Art Centre signed by Edwin Harris. Oil on canvas, Landscape with Windmill measures 16.5 x 24 cm and depicts a peaceful scene, cloudy blue sky up above, a softly looping road with a cart, sparse Read More…
Sarah Harris’s Ghostly Letters
By Michele Leggott The Turnbull Typings It is like looking at ghosts. The Alexander Turnbull Library holds typed copies of four letters written by Sarah Harris in New Plymouth to her father and sisters in England 1841 and 1843. Thanks to an accompanying note dated 1922, we know more or less how the copies came Read More…
Queen of the Butterflies
Ellen Harris surrounded by plants, flowers and butterflies. It’s one of the most striking photos in the Family Album and the most elaborate photo we have of any of the sisters. While working on the ‘Sisters at a Glance’ posts, we began to refer to it as the ‘fairy tale’ photo when discussing the many Read More…
Sisters at a Glance #7 Ellen Harris
By Michele Leggott and Brianna Vincent Ellen Harris 28 February 1851-29 March 1895 Ellen my seventh daughter was born. (Sarah Harris to sister Emma Jane Hill. New Plymouth, [1852 or later]) Amongst the work of Miss Ellen Harris, the portrait of a nun, several small paintings of scenery, and the earthenware pipes in Egyptian and Read More…
Sisters at a Glance #6 Augusta Harris
By Michele Leggott and Brianna Vincent Augusta Harris 1 August 1848 – 31 August 1870 August 1st. In 1847 Augusta Harris was born. (Sarah Harris, Harris family history. 1871, p.128) I believe I must conclude by telling 5o’clock p.m. Corbyn’s driving in at the gate, Emily at crochet work, Kate looking to see what is Read More…
Sisters at a Glance #5 Mary Rendel Weyergang née Harris
By Michele Leggott and Brianna Vincent Mary Rendel Weyergang née Harris 26 August 1845-2 March 1932 Since our last letter on the receipt of the box we have had an addition to our family of a little girl which we have called Mary Rendel, she is now 2 months old and is very healthy. (Edwin Read More…
Treasure Hunting on Trade Me
Treasure Hunting on Trade Me By Catherine Field-Dodgson At the end of June this year, a friend alerted me to one of Emily Cumming Harris’s botanical prints for sale on the Trade Me website. I knew that the Alexander Turnbull Library had issued some print editions of Emily’s works in 1968, so I quickly jumped Read More…
Sisters at a Glance #4 Frances Emma Harris
By Michele Leggott and Brianna Vincent Frances Emma Harris 14 February 1842-17 September 1892 My daughter Frances Emma I should have told you was born in the timber house before we had it removed Feb 14th 1842 & was christened by Bishop Selwyn 1842, Mrs Merchant & self, sponsors. (Sarah Harris to sisters. New Plymouth, Read More…