Last month Te Pānui Rūnaka published the below image on the back page and requested names or information be provided about the photograph. This photo is in the Ngāi Tahu Archive at Macmillan Brown Library, and is entitled A Bluff couple, sourced by Mrs Payne. We would like to acknowledge and thank Michael Stevens, Gary Stewart, Ray Hore, Andrew Burns, Bill Dacker, Greg Coop, Ray Waterreus and Juanita Hoani for making contact and for providing names and information.
The majority of the callers who made contact with us advised that this is a photo of husband and wife (and also cousins) William Isaac Haberfield II (1874 or 1875 – 1936) and Ritea ‘Ruby’ Haberfield (née Rehu; 1885 – 1907). We were also advised that they would be better described as a Moeraki couple, rather than a Bluff couple.
Further information details that William Isaac is a son of John Kerle Haberfield and Elizabeth “Noki” Haberfield (née Honor, formerly Newton) and was raised in the Oue/Omaui/Greenhills area.
Noki was born on Whenua Hou in 1839 to Popoia and Joseph Honor. John Kerle was born at Moeraki in 1845 to William Isaac Haberfield (1815-1907) and Meriana Teitei ( c.1810-1852).
Noki and John were married at the Ruapuke Schoolhouse in 1870. Ritea (a fellow descendant of William Isaac and Teitei) was raised at Moeraki and she and William were married at the Hampden Registry Office in late 1906.
It is believed that this photo was published in the Otago Witness following their wedding.
There was differing information offered about this photograph though, one caller advised that he had identified the gentleman in the photograph as being Joe Hunter. The Hunter family were originally from Stewart Island and for many years Joe Hunter was a lighthouse keeper on Ruapuke Island.
William Isaac Haberfield II (1874 or 1875 – 1936) and Ritea ‘Ruby’ Haberfield (née Rehu; 1885 – 1907)