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Morel, Leo

Biography

BiographyLeo Morel was born at sea, grew up in New Zealand, and had an interest in photography from the age of eleven.

He studied art in the USA, then lived in the Cook Islands where he had been a school teacher for three years, worked for a trading company, took over a plantation and volunteered for service when WWII broke out.

After the war he found his plantation overgrown so he returned to New Zealand, first to Auckland, then in 1947 to Upper Hutt where in October he opened a studio at 20 Wilson Street; his telephone number was 311M. His particular interest lay in news and child photography. In 1950 Leo was appointed as one of the United Nations official photographers. His first assignment had been to cover the recruiting, training and departure of New Zealand's force to Korea.

Leo had hand-colouring of his black and white photographs done by Miss Jean Rabbitt (later Mrs Penman) during the weekends.

An April 9, 1952 'Leader' advertisement says he had sold his business; he left Upper Hutt to live on the West Coast, where he married. A photo from the time states his business address in Westport was 142 Palmerston Street and is dated December 26 1953. One local photographer remembers him working as a photographer in Westport, 1956-1958. When enquiries were made in 1999, no information about Leo Morel could be found at the Alexander Turnbull Library or the New Zealand Centre for Photography.

The Buller Camera Club was founded by Leo in 1956, and their website cites him as having been president of the New Zealand Professional Photographers association.

DATING THE MOREL STREETSCAPE
Leo Morel has become best known in Upper Hutt for his 'Streetscape' series, in which he photographed all the shop fronts and sections along Main Street between Pine Avenue and Logan Street. No information is known about the background of this project and his reasons for undertaking it. There is also no recorded information about the date on which these pictures were taken. On the basis of various evidence this has generally been ascribed by the Archive as having been sometime between 1947 and 1950. However local historian Don McLeod has suggested a more precise dating of early 1948. His argument for this is as follows:

"From the pictures, work on the Dunlop reservoir has started, but so far there is no reservoir visible; the year must be 1947-1948. There is one Father Christmas picture in a Hazelwoods window, and none in any other shop, so Christmas must be over. Both theatres advertise films for Saturday, and their titles ('An Ideal Husband' and 'Suspense', both made in 1947) are not mentioned in any surviving 'Upper Hutt Leader'. There are no 'Leaders' surviving for most of 1948, and the Upper Hutt theatres did not advertise in the 'Dominion' and 'Evening Post', so there is no way of finding when the films were shown. The films for Saturdays December 27 and January 3 are known, so the date must be after that. The street is almost bare, and almost all the shops are shut.
Conclusion: a Saturday or Sunday, early in 1948."

Photos

Upper Hutt Warriors Hockey Club, c.1947–50

Main St, Upper Hutt, Jan. 1948; north side 07; Moran's

Main St, Upper Hutt, Jan. 1948; north side 06; Dorothy Book Club, milk bar, Marigold beauty salon

Russell Sager as a young boy 2

Russell Sager as a child 1 ("Busy back and front")

Heretaunga Players; Pink String & Sealing Wax: Christopher Loch, Joan Glaum.

Heretaunga Players; Pink String & Sealing Wax: Bernard Lee, Richard Bradley, Vinsen Good.

Heretaunga Players; Pink String & Sealing Wax: Christopher Loch, Joan Glaum.

Heretaunga Players; Pink String & Sealing Wax: Kay Hooper (centre).

Upper Hutt Borough Council Ford buses

Upper Hutt Borough Council Ford buses and drivers; ca. 1946-51

Timber industry; sawmill; Mr Jim Maher M.P., Otaki, cutting first flitch.

Children's pets, possibly at an A & P show, at Maidstone Park.

Main St, Upper Hutt, Jan. 1948; north side 22, BNZ-Bird-Duncan (L22)

Oak tree; corner Main Road and Russell Street, Upper Hutt.

Timber industry; Campbells Sawmills Ltd, Goodshed Road; breaking-down saws, Ted Beavis.

Postman; 'Cliff (Gribben) on post run 1948'. [P2-681-1685]

Karapoti; Pioneer Bridge on mill track.

Queen Street saleyards and weeds; east end; heaps of old manure.

Queen Street saleyards and Savage Crescent.

Queen Street saleyards, during sale of cattle.

Queen Street saleyards; spectators and buyers.

Queen Street saleyards; cattle auction.

Video

Upper Hutt Main Street - an oral history Part 1

Upper Hutt Main Street - an oral history Part 2

Upper Hutt Main Street - an oral history Part 3

Upper Hutt Main Street - an oral history Part 4

Details

Date of Birthnot specified