Life and career
Born in Yorkshire on the 26 September 1860, Henry Winkelmann arrived in New Zealand in October 1878, where he lived an interesting and varied life.
In August 1881 he was sent to claim remote Jarvis Island, on behalf of Thomas Henderson, and was stranded there for eight months. He then spent ten years working as a clerk for the Bank of New Zealand. Winkelmann took up photography as a career in 1892, when he was nearly forty. He supplemented his income by continuing to work for the Bank until 1895 when he left to farm Great Barrier Island.
By 1901 he was well established as a photographer, setting up a studio in Victoria Arcade.
Renowned and awarded, at home and overseas, for his marine photography, Winkelmann photographed a wide variety of subjects including scenes from all over New Zealand.
The Henry Winkelmann collection
Auckland City Libraries purchased his documentation of Auckland City in 1928. The collection ranges from late 19th century through to the 1920s. It features photographs of the central business district, Auckland's waterfront (many taken from the top of masts of berthed ships), and views from mountains showing Auckland’s suburbs.
The Auckland Institute and Museum received the large remaining collection of his glass plates and photographs upon his death in 1931.
Henry Winkelmann left Auckland with a great treasure. It has been an invaluable visual source for people studying the history of Auckland, the Waitemata, architecture, transport and shipping, as well as homeowners seeking early photographs of their houses. His work gives insight into Auckland's history documented by a skilful and inventive photographer.
Henry Winkelmann collection online
Almost the entire Winkelmann Collection is now accessible through the
Heritage Images Online database. This collection includes many views of the Auckland waterfront, the central business district, and wonderful panoramas taken from hills and mountains around Auckland.