The adventures of the chapel bell at St John’s College The chapel bell, still in use at St John’s College, was formed from two cracked and disused church bells sent to England to be reforged into one. One of these was the original bell from when the College was established… Read More »The Chapel Bell at St John’s College
St John’s Collegiate School art lessons taught by Wilhelm Dittmer While working on a research request we came across this advertisement for drawing, painting, and sketching lessons at St John’s College to be taught by Wilhelm Dittmer. This piece of ephemera is held in our ‘St John’s School and King’s… Read More »“Entirely from Nature”: Art Lessons at St John’s Collegiate School
What do you imagine when you hear the words ”The Undine”? A) An opera by E.T.A. Hoffman, b) A non-humanoid species in the television series Star Trek, c) A mythological creature in the same class as mermaids, d) The name of a vessel owned by Bishop George Augustus Selwyn, e)… Read More »The Voyage of the Undine
This beautiful New Zealand Book of Hours is held at the Kinder Library The John Kinder Theological Library rare books collection holds a New Zealand Book of Hours, on behalf of the Methodist Trinity College. This was originally donated to the college by the New Zealand publisher, A. H. Reed.… Read More »Book of Hours in New Zealand
One of the art pieces displayed in the John Kinder Theological Library is a painting by Captain Matthew Thomas Clayton, depicting Samuel Marsden’s landing at the Bay of Islands to preach a Christmas Day sermon in 1814. An article in the December 1914 issue of Church Gazette states that “[…]… Read More »The Landing of Samuel Marsden at the Bay of Islands Painting
Recently accessioned in the Methodist Archive at the Library is this print of W.H.Y.Titcomb’s acclaimed work, Primitive Methodists. Titcomb, a figurative oil painter, was particularly known for his depictions of Cornish fisherfolk. His painting, the full title of which is Primitive Methodists at Prayer, was first displayed at the Dudley… Read More »PrimitIve Methodists, W.H.Y. Titcomb [MET 64/2/2]
This watercolour of the original Selwyn stone building is signed F.B. Good, Nov 3rd 1877. Fanny Bertha Good who this is presumed to be, is better known as a botanical artist. It is probable that she painted the scene during a visit to the College on that date. (Archives ref… Read More »Watercolour of early St John’s College building
John Kinder was an avid watercolour artist John Kinder, best known for his photography and watercolours of New Zealand landscape, came to New Zealand selected by Bishop GA Selwyn as Headmaster of the Church of England Grammar School in Parnell, Auckland. We hold five of Kinder’s watercolours: four of St… Read More »John Kinder the Watercolour Artist
Discovered: a sketch of St John’s College Purewa This sketch is of the St John’s College settlement at Purewa 1844-1845 at the time when Bishop GA Selwyn moved the College from Te Waimate to Auckland. Most College members ‘camped’ on the bank of the Purewa Creek (at the point at… Read More »St John’s College Purewa, c.1845 – an intriguing sketch
