Francis Herbert Dufty facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francis Herbert Dufty II
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| Born | c. 1846 |
| Died | c. 1910 (aged 64) |
| Occupation | Photographer |
| Spouse(s) |
Louisa Palmer
(m. 1883) |
Francis Herbert Dufty II (1846–1910), also known as Frank Dufty, was a photographer born in England. He became famous for his pictures of Fiji. Dufty's work was very important in Fiji during the 1870s. He was one of the first and most important photographers there.
Contents
Life Story
Francis Herbert Dufty was born in Kennington, Surrey, England, around 1846. His parents were Francis Herbert and Martha Dufty.
In 1865, Francis and his brother, Edward, moved to Australia. Their father and younger brother, Alfred, arrived in Melbourne in 1868. Their mother and another brother, Walter, came in 1871.
In 1883, Francis married Louisa Palmer. She was the oldest daughter of James Palmer from Vagadaci, Levuka, Fiji. Their son, Colin Dufty, became an Australian rules footballer. He played for the Collingwood team.
Francis Dufty passed away in Melbourne in 1910. He was 64 years old.
Photography Career
Starting in Australia
Francis Dufty was a professional photographer. He and his brother, Edward, traveled around the Victorian goldfields. They used a special studio that could be moved by horses. People said his pictures were 'the sweetest Australian scenes'. In 1866, Dufty was listed as a 'photographic artist' in Kyneton, Victoria. He had a studio there with John P. Carolin.
In June 1866, Dufty and Carolin created 21 photos of Kyneton. These were for an exhibition in Melbourne. The Kyneton Guardian newspaper said one photo of a property was 'one of the sweetest Australian scenes'. Three of their photos were chosen to be sent to a big exhibition in Paris in 1867.
Around 1865, Dufty started a photography company in Victoria with his brother, Edward. Later, Francis Dufty was listed alone in Melbourne in 1869. Edward likely stayed in the countryside.
Working in Fiji
When he was 25, Dufty arrived in Levuka, Fiji, in June 1871. He opened a new photo studio next to the Fiji Times newspaper office. This was on May 24, 1871. He also had a jewelry business in the same place.
His brother, Alfred, who was 16, came to join him from Sydney in December 1871. Alfred often traveled outside Fiji. So, most of the photos from Fiji are believed to be taken by Francis Dufty.
The Dufty studio took many different kinds of photos. They took pictures of people in their studio, street scenes, and landscapes. They also made many "cartes de visite." These were small photos on cards that were popular in Europe. They photographed missionaries, European settlers, important Fijian leaders, and everyday people. They also photographed people from other Pacific Islands.
Sometimes, the portraits were set up or "staged." Dufty collected many Fijian handicrafts to use as props in his photos.
In 1880, one of Dufty's landscape photos of Fiji was shown at a big exhibition in Melbourne.
Alfred Dufty moved to Suva, Fiji, around 1884 or 1885 and opened a studio there. Francis Dufty stayed in Levuka until 1886. Then he moved to Suva to work with Alfred.
In June 1887, Alfred and his family went back to Australia. Francis Dufty did not stay in Suva much longer. He left for Melbourne in April 1892.
Community Involvement in Fiji
Francis Dufty was very active in the local community in Fiji. He was an important member of the British Subjects' Mutual Protection Society. This group was against the government of Cakobau. Dufty strongly supported Fiji becoming part of Great Britain. He was also one of the first members of the first Masonic lodge in Fiji.
For three years, he was the president of the Levuka Mechanics' Institute. He also held many other important roles in the community.
