Josiah Martin (teacher)
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Josiah Martin | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Martin in Masonic regalia | |
| Born | 1 August 1843 London, England |
| Died | 29 September 1916 (aged 73) Auckland, New Zealand |
| Occupation | Photographer |
Josiah Martin (1 August 1843 – 29 September 1916) was a New Zealand teacher, photographer and prominent Auckland Freemason.
Career
Martin's first work experiences in New Zealand were in farming and operating a school in Northland region town, Maungaturoto. Martin was one of the founding members of the Grafton District School and remained headmaster there until 1874.[1] In 1875, Martin helped to set up the Auckland Model Training School, which was the first of its kind in Auckland.[3] He was also instrumental in founding the Auckland School Teachers Association in 1873 which aimed to create a national education program and fought for educational reform.[1]
In 1879 Martin was urged to retire from his teaching and headmaster roles due to poor health and changes in the education system.[2] He then turned his attentions to photography.
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In 1879, he traveled to London and was introduced to rapid 'instantaneous' photography at the Royal College of Chemistry.[1] Once he returned to New Zealand, he opened a studio in Auckland.[1] Martin became well known for his topographical and ethnological photographs. He often presented these at the Auckland Photographic Club.[1] In 1886, Martin captured the eruption of Mt Tarawera on camera.[1] These photographs were published in the Auckland Evening Star. Martin has also been published in the Auckland Weekly News,[4] New Zealand Illustrated[5] and exhibited photographs at the Pitt Rivers Museum at the University of Oxford.[1] In 1886, he was part of the Colonial and Indian Exhibition and was awarded a gold medal in 1889 for his work in the Exposition Coloniale in Paris.[1] Martin's photographs appeared in the French illustrated press through the photo-agency Chusseau-Flaviens.[6]
Martin was an active lecturer, not only on photography matters but he also had an interest in geological and physiological subjects.[1] He was editor of Sharlands New Zealand Photographer and a founding member of the Auckland Society of Arts.[1] Martin served on the Auckland Institute Council from 1881 to 1892 and was the President of the Council in 1889.[7]
