Amongst the photos kept by Henry Evans and his daughter Molly, are some from Henry’s brother Charles Evans sent from Gisborne, New Zealand.
One professional print dates from about 1897 and shows the Evans family home in Te Arai, in Gisborne.
Te Arai, Gisborne, New Zealand, c. 1898. Photo by J. Macquarters
This photo seems to have been taken at the same time (ie New Years Day 1897) as the one shown on the Charles Evans page on this site and forms a group of six photos of a similar date. However, the other photos are not on professional mounts and would appear to be more amateur in nature. All photos of the house have very similarly dressed people apparently engaged in the playing of tennis.
The young boy is likely to be Charles Evans youngest son, Dudley Evans (b 1888). The three young ladies would logically be Alpha (b 1872), Theta (b 1880) and Sigma (b 1884). The lady in black could, by extension, be their mother Eleanor.
There is a separate page for the studio portrait photos of Alpha(?) and Theta that must be of similar date.
The date in an unknown Victorian hand (possibly of Charles himself) of 1 Jan 1897 is written on the back of the group photo. Any accompanying letter to his brother has unfortunately been lost.
Te Arai, Gisborne, New Zealand, 1 Jan 1897
Notes
- For more on John Macquarters and his photography see: http://taurangahistorical.blogspot.com/2021/08/john-macquarters-1869-1915.html where it notes a connection to tennis.
- In the obituary of Charles Evans in the ‘Poverty Bay Herald’ of 24 Aug 1916. it mentions that Te Arai Homestead had for many years been the ‘centre of numerous social gatherings’ see: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PBH19160824.2.12
- It seems likely that this was the building destroyed in a fire in 1911.