Christopher Swinbourne

Christopher Swinbourne was born 1834 in Louth Ireland.

County Louth (pronounced /ˈlaʊð/ – Irish: Contae Lú) is is an administrative county in the Republic of Ireland and one of the thirty-two traditional counties in the island of Ireland, located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the village of Louth.
Louth (Irish: Lú) is a village at the heart of County Louth, Ireland. It is roughly 11 km south-west of the town of Dundalk. The county takes its name from the village, which was once an important town. The original Irish name for both village and county was Lughbhaidh but today it is standardised and simplified as Lú. It was named after the Irish god Lugh.

Christopher migrated to New Zealand aboard the Duke of Portland in 1852. At the time he was 18 years old. He traveled with his parents, Richard Swinbourne and Anne McGrath, along with a sister named Elizabeth Swinbourne. The family departed Gravesend on the 20th June 1852 and arrived at Port Lyttleton on the 21st October the same year.  Unlike his father Richard who was a shoe maker, Christopher became interested in photography. He made a name for himself in the christchurch area and is remembered as a pioneering Photograper of the Canterbury region of New Zealand. Several archived newspaper articles and advertisements mentioning Christopher's work have been recorded.. see

Christopher Swinbourne married Margaret Plunkett daughter of John Plunkett and Jane Thompson on the 29th July 1862 in Christchurch New Zealand. Sadly Christopher died after only seven years of marriage. He passed away in 1869 at the young age of 35 at his home in Kilmore Street, Christchurch. He was buried in the family plot at the barbadoes street cemetary, which is the oldest cemetary in christchurch city.

Photographic Portraits.
Mr C. Swinbourne, begs is announce that he is now prepared to take correct likenesses, coloured or otherwise, by the collodion process, daily, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 (5?) p.m.
Children's likenesses taken daily from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
High street, Christchurch, Feb. 16.

Canterbury Standard 24 February 1859

Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 656, 19 February 1859, Page 5

Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 659, 2 March 1859, Page 5

We have always had a strong objection to praise or seen to puff the excellencies of anything that is a native product, simply as such; but we cannot refrain, for once, from commending the successful efforts at photographic portraiture exhibited by Mr. C. Swinbourne since his arrival in this town. We believe that Mr. Swinbourne received his early instruction, in the art from Mr. Elsbee, whose skill as a photographer is so highly, appreciated in this province; and we must say that the success of the disciple reflects credit upon the training he has received as well as upon his own artistic skill. We have seen specimens of Mr. Swinbourne's manipulation which speak for themselves of the progress he has made in a very short time, and which really stand well among the ordinary specimens of the art which are current in the colonies. We wish this painstaking gentleman every success.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XII, Issue 706, 13 August 1859, Page 4

Lyttelton Times, Volume XII, Issue 709, 24 August 1859, Page 6

Lyttelton Times, Volume XVII, Issue 986, 23 April 1862, Page 5


Timaru Portrait Rooms

Mr C. Swinbourne begs to intimate to the inhabitants of Timaru, and the surrounding stations, that the above rooms will be opened on the 1st January next, and will close on the 15th. all persons who intend having portraits of themselves, families, or friends, are particularly requested to make an early call, as Mr. Swinbourne's visit will be very short. Likenesses taken by him are well known all over Canterbury, and he will therefore leave them to speak for themselves.
The Lyttelton Times, 14 January 1863.

Temuka

Mr C. Swinbourne's Portrait Rooms, Temuka, will remain open until after the races. -
Timaru Herald, Volume IX, Issue 356, 24 October 1868, Page 3


 

Children of Christopher Swinbourne

Christopher and Margaret had 5 children, they were James John Richard Swinbourne 1863, William Christopher Swinbourne 1864, Elizabeth Ann Swinbourne 1866, Alfred Theodore Swibourne 1868 and Christopher charles Swinbourne 1870. Margaret Plunkett, Christopher's widow remarried Henry Ball on 17th MArch 1874. She had a further four children, Jane Theresa Ball, 1875, Emily Mary Ball (1)1876-1877, John Robert Ball 1879-1901 and Emily Mary Ball (2) 1881.

James John Richard Swinbourne married Ann Catherine Lucy Dahlen.