14 newsletter - The Binns Family

:ULJJOHVZRUWK %LQQVThe newspapers of New Zealand in the late 1800’sand early 1900’s would have looked very differentwithout the contributions of the photographers Wrigglesworthand Binns. For instance the WellingtonEvening Post of 11th May 1888, reported that the“most important match which has ever been playedin this city will take place tomorrow when the firstEnglish team that has visited the Southern Hemispherewill meet the best fifteen in Wellington.” “Theteams will be photographed by Messrs. Wrigglesworthand Binns at 2.45, and the public whomay be on the ground at that time will be offered anexcellent opportunity of making themselves acquaintedwith the personal appearances of each ofthe visitors.”D J Wrigglesworth came from Melbourne, Australia,and started the business in Wellington in 1863.Shortly afterwards he was joined in partnership byFrederick Charles Binns, who came from London,and they established branches in Christchurch andDunedin. Both Wrigglesworth and Binns had eventfulpersonal lives. Wrigglesworth was a capableamateur actor and his daughter made a career onthe stage as ‘Kate Gair’. He was married threetimes, his first wife and family having drowned whenthe barque ‘Cyrus’ was wrecked at Happy Valleyshortly after leaving port in Wellington. His secondwife was the mother of the above daughter and histhird wife gave him a son. The family went back toMelbourne in August 1906 and Wrigglesworth diedthere, aged about seventy, in October the sameyear.As mentioned above, Binns was a Londoner and in1851 at 43 Trinity Square, Lambeth, Surrey, we findmarried head William Binns, age 36, born Lancashirewith his wife Mary Ann age 39, born Halifax;Frederick C., son age 7, born Lambeth and Emily,daughter age 5. Also present were Thomas Ellis,unmarried lodger age 19, an engineering student,born Hayes and an unmarried visitor Mary Ogden,age 21, born Halifax. They had a 20-year old femaleservant.By the time of the 1861 Census the family appear tohave gone up in the world and are now at 15 EdithGrove, Chelsea, Middlesex, where the married headis William Binns, age 46, engineer, born Oldham,Lancashire with his wife Mary A, age 49, born Halifax;Frederick C., unmarried son, age 17, no occupationrecorded, born Southwark; and William H,son age 12, scholar, born Southwark. They stillhave an unmarried female servant. Daughter Emilyappears to be a 15 year old pupil at Greenhill HouseSchool, at Church Street, in Stourbridge, Worcestershire.The school had about 21 pupils age 9 to 17and was run by Frances A, Rebecca H, andSusanna Sugden the unmarried daughters of FrancesSugden, age 69, the widow of a Wesleyan Minister.3DJH7+(%,116)$0,/