Snowfall at Ohingaiti, August 1st 1898
On the 1 st August, 1898 a snowfall event affected a large area of the Rangitikei County. At Ohingaiti photographer Edward Child was all too keen to gather up his camera, glass plate negatives and tripod and record some of the rarely occurring snow scenes. From the cliff edge, overlooking the Rangitikei River, and located a few metres from his cottage and studio at the southern end of the township, he took the first two vistas. The valley area directly below him was known locally as ‘Totara Flat’ and had been recently cleared of forest. The mill itself, owned by Alexander Bell, was located at the base of the cliff and not visible through the lens, but the jumble of snow covered stumps and fallen logs were evidence of the bushmen’s labour.
The sawn timber from the valley mill was removed by horse and wagon by way of a steep road specially built in 1894 and known at ‘Mill Road’. Edward turned his camera some 90 degrees for a second photograph which clearly showed that road.
Collecting his photography gear together Edward made his way along Main Street South (now Makohine Lane) past several new cottages until he reached Stokes Boarding House at the Bell Street corner. Here he took two further photographs which highlighted the fall of snow and the inevitable snowman which was proudly seated on the boarding house boardwalk.
From this vantage point and looking north Edward also recorded a view of the Ohingaiti business area separated by the vacant railway land and main highway. To the right is Main Street South with its huddle of shops and Coyle’s two storey Royal Hotel on the Onslow Street corner. To the left on Main Street North can be seen the Post Office (a cottage), Ellis and Valder’s store, and Meehan’s Hall and Commercial Hotel. The Auckland Weekly News published this view which had been forwarded by Edward Child.
This is a ‘colourised version of the original B&W photograph.
To complete his trip through Ohingaiti in the snow Edward Child set up his tripod and camera in the vacant railway land on the northern end of the township and prepared a view looking south. The resulting negative was seriously under exposed but some careful darkroom work extracted a workable print.
This print has been the basis of an enlarged and hand-drafted version which ignores the snow on roof tops.
On the far left of this view is Coyle’s Royal Hotel, this site being now occupied by the Ohingaiti and District War Memorial Hall. Numerous shops line Main Street South and Mrs Stokes’ large two-storey Boarding House is a prominent feature on the Bell Street corner. Meehan’s Commercial Hotel on the corner of Onslow and Main Street North occupies part of the area of newly realigned highway while the adjacent stables of Berry and Travena are located on the site of the current hotel building.
Identification and acknowledgement data for the graphics used for the item titled...
‘A Walk in the Snow.’
Items are listed sequentially by page number.
A.T.L. = Alexander Turnbull Library. F.P. = Full plate. ½.P. = Half plate.
1. ‘No. 20. Ohingaiti. Totara Flat.’ Page 1. A view from the cliff edge to the
Rangitikei River and showing the snow covered milled area in the valley below.
A.T.L. Catalogue No. 7759 (F.P.)
2. ‘No. 15. Mill Road. Ohingaiti. C.&Co Pho Ohingaiti.’ Page 1. A view south
from the Rangitikei River cliff edge locating Mill Road. The upper access point to Mill
Road is located some 200 metres south of the Ohingaiti Cemetery.
A.T.L. Catalogue No. 10991 (F.P.)
3. ‘Ohingaiti Aug.......South.’ Page 2. A view south along Main Street South from
the Bell Street corner. Stokes Boarding House is located on the left of the view and
two pedestrians walk on the immediate road centre.
A.T.L. Catalogue No. 38750 (F.P.)
4. ‘Mr Snow. Ohingaiti. 2 days old.’ Page 2. A close-up view of ‘Mr Snow’ on
seated on Stokes Boarding House front board walk.
A.T.L. Catalogue No. 35474 (½ P.)
5. ‘Ohingaiti. 1 st Aug./98. C&Co Photo.’ Page 3. A view looking north from
Stokes Boarding House along Main Street South and to the buildings on Main Street
North.
A.T.L. Catalogue No. 7757 (F.P.)
● Page 3. A cropped B&W photograph dated Ohingaiti 1898 printed from the original
Full Plate negative taken by E.G. Child. The view is looking south from the Railway Reserve
area locating Coyle’s Royal Hotel on the extreme left and Meehan’s Commercial Hotel at
centre right. Both hotels are on Onslow Street but separated by the railway Reserve.
There is no library or archive reference for this photograph. This print is owned by Allen
Shaw.
● Page 4. A digitised copy of a drafted version of E.G. Child’s photograph identified as
Ohingaiti Aug. 1898. The original draft was done by Allen Shaw in 1981.
Details recorded as at 27 June 2023.