Auckland in the 1960s Through Fascinating Color Slides

Auckland street scenes in the 1960s were characterized by bustling activity and a mix of architectural styles. You’d see classic cars cruising down busy streets, with trams still part of the landscape until their phased-out transition.

Queen Street served as a vibrant shopping hub, filled with locals and visitors, while cafes buzzed with chatter. The fashion of the time reflected global trends, with youth culture beginning to flourish. Street markets and public events added to the lively atmosphere, showcasing the city’s growing cultural diversity.

Auckland street scenes featured street performers and artists, contributing to a lively cultural ambiance. The influence of American pop culture was evident, with music and film shaping the youth’s interests. Parks and public spaces became popular gathering spots for socializing and protests, reflecting the era's changing social dynamics.

Overall, the streets of Auckland in the 1960s were dynamic, marked by a blend of tradition and the burgeoning influences of modernity. Here below is a set of fascinating color slides from Dave’s Old Slides that shows street scenes of Auckland in the 1960s.

Queen Street, Auckland, circa 1960

Queen Street, Auckland, 1961

Looking along Mt St John Avenue, Epsom, from the corner of Belvedere Street, Auckland, 1962

Party for trip to Great Barrier Island, Auckland waterfront, 1962

Queen Street, Auckland, December 1962

See more»

40 Wonderful Kodachrome Slides Capture Everyday Life in New Zealand During the 1960s

New Zealand in the 1960s experienced significant social change and modernization. The decade saw economic growth, increased urbanization, and a rise in consumer culture. There were also notable social movements, including growing awareness of Māori rights and women’s liberation.

The country maintained strong ties with the UK but began to develop a more independent foreign policy. Investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure were significant, and cultural influences from the US and UK grew.

These wonderful Kodachrome slides from Dave’s Old Slides were taken by photographer Mary M. McCalman (1921-2017) that show everyday life in New Zealand during the 1960s.

Tulips, New Zealand, circa 1963

Unidentified family group, New Zealand, circa 1960s

At a New Zealand wedding, 1968

At a New Zealand wedding, circa 1960s

Beard growing competition, Owaka, New Zealand, 1966

See more»

Studio Portraits of Whanganui Men Taken by William James Harding From the 1850s to the 1880s

A fascinating posting on the portrait photographs of New Zealand photographer William James Harding (1826–1899), which provide a detailed picture of Whanganui society from the 1850s to the 1880s, and are a rich source of information relating to Māori and Pākehā individuals and their relationships at a formative time in this country’s history. He’d come to New Zealand from England as a coachbuilder in 1855, along with his wife Annie. He tried his hand at cabinet-making, and in 1860 set up a photographic studio in Ridgway St, Whanganui.

In the main the photographs are the usual Victorian colonial fare of formal studio portraits of white settlers, the standing or sitting subjects posed with props on linoleum floors against rolls of plain paper or painted backgrounds staring straight into the camera lens or obliquely off into the distance. Harding’s portraits never flatter to deceive: Harding’s sitters are also largely unsmiling. But their faces are alight, staring down the camera, eyes aflame. Sometimes they look peevish, bored or exhausted. There seems to be little inclination towards idealization. Harding refused to retouch his photographs as other commercial photographers did. Faces are weathered and freckled; clothing is often ragged, mended or borrowed, illustrating the hardships of colonial life.

What is undeniable is the wonderful, casual yet almost crystalline presence that Harding’s sitters possess... no doubt due to his perception as a human being and a photographer, to his association with the community in which he lived, and to the clarity of the glass plate negatives that he produced.

William Harding used his studio from 1860 until 1889, when he left for Sydney. His collection of 6,500 glass-plate negatives were nearly dumped by the studio’s new owner but were rescued by a relative of Harding’s and the Whanganui Museum. They were bought by the Turnbull Library in 1948.

See more»

Life of New Zealand in the 1960s Through Amazing Kodachrome Slides

During the 1960s the arrival of TV and jet airliners shrank our world, and New Zealanders began to express themselves on a range of international issues, including opposition to the Vietnam War.

New Zealand in the 1960s was a relative paradise. There were two million people living in a welfare state. There was no unemployment and about one murder a year. Men worked about 40 hours a week and most women stayed at home to look after the house and children.

The system was geared accordingly and with a State Advances Corporation loan available at 4 per cent interest, most people could attain home ownership, on a full section and be mortgage-free by retirement age.

These amazing Kodachrome slides from Dave’s Old Slides that show what life of New Zealand looked like in the 1960s.

Devon St, New Plymouth, New Zealand, circa 1960

Bath house, Rototura, New Zealand, circa 1960

Bicycles, Moray Place, Dunedin, New Zealand, circa 1960

Moray Place and Filleul Street, Dunedin, New Zealand, circa 1960

Te Kauwhata, New Zealand, circa 1960

See more»

The Mug Shot of Daniel Tohill, New Zealand’s Most Photogenic Criminal

Introducing the ridiculously photogenic 19th century criminal Daniel Tohill. He was arrested for stealing ferrets but we suspect a few hearts were also stolen too.

Daniel Tohill (incorrectly labelled as Daniel Lohill), born in 1881 in New Zealand. Charged with theft and sentenced to 4 months hard labor on March 2, 1908 in Napier. Photograph taken on June 11, 1908 by the New Zealand Police. (via the New Zealand Police Museum)

The photograph was actually mislabeled as Daniel ‘Lohill’ at the time it was taken in 1908; the real name of this handsome rogue is Daniel Tohill, and he was convicted of theft in Napier, New Zealand and sentenced to 4 months hard labor on March 2, 1908.

According to the Museum of Ridiculously Interesting Things, Daniel Tohill was charged with stealing a fur necklet and a bicycle, but was only convicted for the theft of the fur. His mug shot was taken because he had previous theft convictions: he was given a six month sentence for stealing from a railway shed while he was working as a railway porter in Waipawa in 1907, and was fined for stealing two ferrets in Christchurch in 1906.

Colorized version of the mug shot.

Daniel Joseph Tohill was born to John & Sarah Ann Tohill in 1881 (and not 1883, as it states on his criminal record) in Ravensbourne, Dunedin. In 1903, at the age of 22, he married 20 year old Frances Anna O’Kane in her hometown of Waitahuna. They had three children: a daughter named Frances Mary Veronica in 1904, another daughter named Iris in 1906, and a son Daniel Cyril in 1908.

The couple apparently weathered the storm though, eventually moving to Auckland by the end of the 1920s, and buying a house together on Tennessee Drive in Mangere in 1944. Daniel and Frances (Sr) both died in 1950, at the ages of 68 and 67, respectively.

Amazing Mug Shots of People Posing With Their Hands on Chest in New Zealand From the 19th Century

Mug shots are photographic portraits of arrested suspects and convicted criminals. Since the mid-19th century, they have been used to help form a record of identification for the police. However, they are far from being mundane bits of police paperwork. Rather, mug shots are intriguing images which have a powerful ability to captivate our imaginations. Perhaps this is because of the interesting questions they evoke: What crime did this person commit? Were they guilty? Do they look like a criminal? Do they look normal? What happened to them?

Using the New Zealand Police Museum’s collection of mug shots from the 19th century, this exhibition will start to answer some of these questions, and explore the stories behind these compelling photographs. From the people in the images, to the history of mug shots, to the role of criminal identification in New Zealand Police, these mug shots can provide a window to many fascinating stories of the past.

The New Zealand Police Force was officially established on September 1, 1886, and they began collecting photographs of prisoners that same year. These first photographs look a little different from modern mug shots. This is largely because there were no officially trained police photographers in New Zealand at the time. Instead, the police relied on commercial photographers and amateur camera enthusiasts to take the mug shots. Because of this, the style of early mug shots in the collection of the New Zealand Police Museum vary greatly from photograph to photograph.

One common element in many mug shots, however, is the display of prisoners’ hands. In 1886, the introduction of fingerprinting in New Zealand was still nearly two decades away, so the inclusion of hands in mug shots provided an additional point of identification for police. Missing fingers, scars, and the general shape and condition of the prisoners’ hands could all help in the identification of a suspect.

Here, these images below show a few examples of prisoners with distinctive hands from the 19th century:

Ah Chop (b. 1854, China). Charged with attempted larceny and sentenced to 2 years in gaol on April 9, 1889 (Invercargill). A miner by trade, he is described as being a pagan by religion with a sallow complexion. Photograph taken on June 15, 1889.

Alex Haddlestone alias Fiddlestone/Thomas Edwards/Edmunds/Allan (b. 1861, New Zealand). Charged with larceny and sentenced to 18 months in gaol on October 24, 1886 (Blenheim). Previous charges for larceny and false pretences. Photograph taken on August 18, 1886.

Alfred Hyde (b. 1836, Denmark). Charged with forgery & uttering and sentenced to 3 years in gaol on January 7, 1886 (Auckland). A draughtsman by trade. Photograph taken on April 13, 1886.

Alfred Langley (b. 1837, England). Charged with illegal gaming and sentenced to 1 month in gaol on March 20, 1889 (Christchurch). Described as having a mole on his left knee. Photograph taken on April 19, 1887.

Alick Evan McGregor (b. 1869, India). Charged with larceny and sentenced to 1 month in gaol on April 15, 1887 (Hastings). Describe as a “notorious young thief” with a “freckled face.” Photograph taken on May 5, 1887.

See more»

50 Amazing Photos of New Zealand in the 1970s

New Zealand’s population reached three million in late 1973. The rate of natural increase then slowed as the contraceptive pill became more widely used and an economic downturn meant that young couples were less eager to start families. There were also more emigrants and fewer immigrants. The population had only reached 3.2 million by the end of the decade.

In 1975, the average weekly wage was $95 (equivalent to $920 in 2018). This rose to $157 by 1979, but because of inflation the average Kiwi was no better off. The minimum wage for adult workers was $1.95 an hour ($11.10 in 2018) and the average hourly rate was $4.52 ($26).

In 1970 the single state-run television channel (a second began broadcasting in 1975) broadcast 65 hours of programs each week. Color television arrived in 1973, but it was expensive. In 1975 a 26-inch set would set you back around $840 (more than $8000 in 2018) and its annual license fee of $35 ($340) was almost double that for a black and white set. With advertising restricted to weekdays for much of the decade, the license fee was an important source of revenue for television broadcasting.

The women’s movement grew in strength through the decade, influencing significant legislative and social changes. United Women’s Conventions attracted thousands in the main centers. The message of women’s rights was brought to the streets in marches and protests. Key issues for women included the right to safe legal abortion, pay equity, matrimonial property rights, and legislation to outlaw discrimination against women.

These amazing color photos from Dave's old slides show what life of New Zealand looked like during the 1970s.

Bluff, New Zealand, 1970

James Cook School, Marton, New Zealand, April 1970

Anderson House, Invercargill, New Zealand, 1970

Children's lamb feeding competition, Tuatapere, New Zealand, 1971

Fox Glacier Visitor Centre, New Zealand, 1971

See more»

These Modeling Photos of 16-Year-Old Nicole Kidman Are So Bad They’re Amazing!

In July 1983, an adorably gangly 16-year-old Nicole Kidman was on the cover of Dolly Magazine; according to former editor Lisa Wilkinson, the issue was one of the most popular ones in the magazine’s history, mostly thanks to Nicole Kidman’s fire-engine red hair (which everyone thought was natural but apparently was dyed).

“I got on the cover of Dolly magazine,” Kidman recalled. “I dyed my hair red. I was only, like, 14. It wasn’t red like that. Everyone always thinks it was that red, and it wasn’t.”

The cover helped launched Kidman’s career, and the photos... well, they’re just great!

33 Beautiful Color Photos of Hastings Blossom Festival, New Zealand in 1956

Hastings’ Blossom Festival was first held in 1950.

It was the creation of Greater Hastings, an organisation established initially to provide an Easter attraction (The Highland Games, first held in 1951).

A Blossom Queen contest was added in 1957 to the Blossom Festival. The rules of the contest stated that contestants presenting themselves had to be aged between 18 and 28, unmarried and, among other things, possess “poise, personality, charm, beauty of face and figure, education, voice quality, speaking ability and be in good health.”

No swimsuit parade would occur and, as the promotional material stated: “This is not a bathing beauty contest - but a Blossom Festival quest.”

At the height of the Blossom festivals in the 1950s, about 60,000 people crammed the streets of Hastings to view the decorated paper crépe floats.

These beautiful color photos from Wayslider that show the Hastings Blossom Festival, New Zealand on 15 September 1956, the year Hastings celebrated attaining city status.

Napier City float

Acme School of Driving float

Baldwin & Swanwick float

Bank of New Zealand float

Barclay Motors float

See more»

Scene Inside a New Zealand Railway Carriage, ca. 1920s

Interior of a railway carriage, showing several items of New Zealand Railways picnic equipment.

A woman is seated on the right, wearing a hat, and a coat with fur collar and cuffs. A young girl is standing on the seat on the left. They are both looking out the window.

The seats are button-backed, and on the left is a NZR luncheon hamper, and several brochures advertising New Zealand Railways. On the fold-out table beneath the window there are a thermos flask, a glass, and a set of crockery, all bearing the NZR logo. On the wall above the window is a poster advertising the wares of Collinson and Cunninghame (drapers of Palmerston North).

(Photo by Albert Percy Godber / Godber Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library)

40 Fascinating Color Photos Capture Everyday Life of New Zealand in the 1960s

New Zealand is a sovereign island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country has two main landmasses—the North Island, and the South Island—and around 600 smaller islands. It has a total land area of 268,000 square kilometres (103,500 sq mi).

New Zealand is about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. Because of its remoteness, it was the last large habitable land to be settled by humans.

The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, and its most populous city is Auckland.

A developed country, New Zealand ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as quality of life, health, education, protection of civil liberties, and economic freedom.

Take a look at these fascinating color photos from Custardesque to see what life of New Zealand looked like in the 1960s.

Southland. Lumsden

Akaroa. Children at dock

Auckland Harbour Bridge

Blenheim. In front of the Chief Post Office

Bluff. MV Waiwera

See more»

A Group of Princess Diana Lookalikes Line Up to Meet Prince Charles During His Visit to New Zealand, 1981

In 1981, a group of Princess Diana lookalikes were photographed and presented with the opportunity to meet Prince Charles in New Zealand.

The Lady Di lookalikes wait to greet Prince Charles in Wellington in 1981. From left, Karen Dumble, Margo McAldon, Gina Kremer, Joanne Dean and Belinda Wood.

Gina de Borst and Belinda Wood were among five Wellington women handpicked to pose for a Diana lookalike photo before her marriage to Prince Charles, and to meet the prince in person during his visit to Wellington, New Zealand in 1981.

Mrs de Borst – who was 21-year-old Gina Kremer at the time – was shopping at Kirkcaldies & Stains during her lunch break when the British press approached her to be photographed with the other women.

“They said ‘your hair is perfect’, and they were looking to show that with the style Diana had, you could create different looks.”

In return for posing for the picture, Mrs de Borst and the others met Prince Charles when he toured New Zealand just months before his wedding. She had thought of the photo call as a good opportunity to meet the prince, and the image was later printed around the world.

Belinda Wood was an apprentice at Kirks’ hair salon where the idea for the photo took shape. She was asked to be in the photo because her long hair would be easy to cut and style. “It didn’t worry me, it was quite exciting.”

The British press treated the group to champagne at a hotel while they waited to be made up.

Once the transformation was complete, Miss Wood recalled heading to Lower Hutt to meet Prince Charles. Each woman carried a single red rose, and the prince asked all of them a little about who they were.