The Dunedin-born Mary Downie Stewart (1876–1957) had the collecting bug, just like her brother, William Downie Stewart (1878–1949), lawyer, one time Mayor of Dunedin and writer. About 1952, Mary wrote to various Judges and Chief Justices in New Zealand asking for a photographic portrait and a specimen signature. Two of the many who responded included the Honourable Mr Justice Francis Boyd Adams (1888-1973) and Chief Justice the Honourable Sir Francis Humphrey O’Leary (1886-1953). These men – like all the others – were happy to be included in the collection. There are 66 portraits in all, beginning with the Honourable Mr Justice Alexander Samuel Adams (1861-1937) and ending with the Honourable Sir Joshua Strange Williams (1837-1915).
Mary Downie Stewart was a frequent correspondent of A H Reed’s. She donated her collection of portraits to him. He commented on this important, but little-known collection by writing on the first box:
This collection was gathered, and presented to the Dunedin Public Library by Miss Mary Downie Stewart, O.B.E. in 1952. Otago may be looked upon as the Cradle of New Zealand Judges, so many of them having been connected with the province either by birth or training, or by the practice of Law. Several of the Chief Justices are also linked with Otago.
While Mary was the prime collator of this collection, she was aided by her brother William, who also had some input into forming parts of it. Indeed, from the documentation extant, he was asking colleagues and friends for portraits and biographical details as early as August 1911. Two who responded (among others) included the Honourable Sir Frederick Revans Chapman (1849-1936) and later in December 1914, the Honourable Sir John Henry Hosking (1854-1928).
Box 1 contains 40 portraits. Sadly, these images and the accompanying documents (letters and biographical details) have been pasted on acidic folders. In time, and through funding, this will be rectified by digitizing the entire collection as well as placing all items in acid free folders and tissue.
Web banner image credit:
William Downie Stewart and his sister Mary Downie Stewart. Evening post (Newspaper. 1865-2002) :Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: PAColl-6301-31. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22341700