Newspaper Article 2014 – Esteemed ex-mayor makes mark

Esteemed ex-mayor makes his mark

One of Napier’s most popular mayors was George Henry Swan (1833-1913), who was mayor from 1885 to 1901 (he declined to stand again in 1901).

His biggest legacy to Napier is the Marine Parade. He also championed the beautification of Clive Square and the seawall to guard against high seas – which before the 1931 Hawke’s Bay Earthquake would flood buildings across the road.

Even the Ocean Spa Complex has an indirect link to him, as it is built on the site of the 1909 public salt-water baths, which Swan had advocated in the 1880s. He was also a strong supporter of developing the present port at Napier, fighting hard against Hastings and other interests who wanted Ahuriri as the main port.

Swan’s life was colourful to say the least. Born in Sunderland, England, he trained as a chemist, and it’s likely he worked for his older brother Joseph (1828-1914), who was a physicist and chemist. Later knighted, Sir Joseph Wilson Swan invented the electric light bulb, and his house in 1878 was the first in the world to be lit by electric light.

He later went into partnership with Thomas Edison.

Lured by the gold rush, in 1854 George Swan sailed for Dunolly, Victoria, Australia, and soon went into business there – possibly as a photographer. By August 1857 he had emigrated to Wellington and begun a business called the Wellington Ambrotype Portrait Gallery. A brief partnership occurred with a competitor, W Davis, in 1858 but Swan surfaced in Wanganui in 1859 .

He photographed Mrs W. H. Foley’s theatrical group in Wanganui, and also performed as an actor. Swan appears to have had a relationship with Mrs Foley (1821?-1887, nee Catherine Huggins) who was separated from her circus-owning husband. When Foley went to Australia with another favourite of hers, Swan was said to be broken hearted.

Swan and Foley would cross paths many times later, especially in Napier where she settled in the early 1880s with her third husband, Victor Webster, taking over the Royal Hotel.

By 1860 Swan had larger photographic premises in Wellington. He went into partnership with photographer J.D. Wrigglesworth in January 1864, and Swan’s association with Napier began later that year when he moved there to start a branch of Swan and Wrigglesworth.

His interest in things dramatic continued in Napier, including managing the former Mrs W.H. Foley’s production in December 1865 of Lady of Lyons.

During his acting days Swan was one of New Zealand‘s best actors, one review stating of his character when he had earlier acted in Lady of Lyons: “Beauseant was everything that could be desired in the hands of Mr G.H. Swan, who evinced a thoroughly good conception of the revengeful citizen, and whose acting throughout was marked by careful study and a just appreciation of the meaning of the author. Mr Swan’s appearance was excellent, and he received frequent and well-merited applause, which in such an unpopular (with the audience) character as Beauseant we should take as a double compliment to the actor.”

Swan dissolved the partnership with J. Wrigglesworth in 1866, but continued on his own account in Napier. That year he diversified into the brewing business, taking a part ownership in the Hawke’s Bay Brewing Company. He also bought Mac’s Hotel in Shakespeare Rd, which he renamed the Empire Hotel. He left that hotel in 1871.

Around that time he also sold his photography business to Samuel Carnell, who would be notable for his photos of Ngati Kahungunu.

Interestingly, in 1871 Swan’s brother Joseph in England had developed dry plates for photography by using nitro-cellulose instead of glass. He later patented bromide paper. George Swan bought the White Swan Brewery around 1871, and in 1877 between his brewery and White Rd (Hastings St) he opened the White Swan Baths, Hawke’s Bay’s first public baths.

In 1874 Swan had been elected to the Napier Borough Council. His run as mayor, from 1885 until 1901, was the longest at that time of any New Zealand mayor. He also was a parliamentarian from 1891 to 1893, when he lost to Samuel Carnell.

Swan left to live In Hawera in 1901, and he appeared reluctant to leave Napier saying he had “hoped to spend the rest of his days’ in the dear old town, but the dictator of duty willed it otherwise”. His only son from his first marriage, Joseph Henry Swan, had bought in 1900 the Crown Brewery in Wanganui, and changed its name to Swan Brewery. In 1901 Swan became part owner with his son and one other man.

The tributes paid to Swan on his 1901 departure from Napier came generously from all over the province. A public appeal resulted in the presentation of a gift of £500 (2015: $88,000) worth of gold sovereigns. On the night of his departure, employees from the White Swan Brewery waited outside his house and presented farewell souvenir gifts to George, as did Frederick Cox of the White Swan Baths to Mrs Swan.

In his farewell speech at the council, Swan noted that “honours seemed to be pouring in on him thick and fast. There were times when the tongue, supposed to be the medium of conveying thought and feeling became partially paralysed and had a tendency to cleave to the roof of the mouth. That was an occasion of the kind. He felt that it would be useless for him to attempt to give adequate expression of his feelings and sentiments. He had only done his duty as a citizen and a burgess.”

George Henry Swan passed away in Wanganui on 25 July 1913. He had one son from his first marriage, and his second produced five daughters and four sons.

One obituary stated “he was intimately acquainted with the Napier people. He was a genial kind-hearted, broadminded man who did his very best to advance the interests of Napier. It was a open secret he spent his money upon the town”.

Photo captions –

BYGONE DAYS: This is Marine Parade circa 1886 when it was called Beach Road, and before the influence of G H Swan (and the 1931 earthquake, note how close the sea is). Past the scaffolding to the left are Napier Borough Council offices, where MTG now is.
PHOTO/THE ALEXANDER TURNBULL LIBRARY HTTP//TIMEFRAMES.NATLIB.GOVT.NZ/

POPULAR: George Henry Swan.
PHOTO/HAWKE’S  BAY MUSEUMS TRUST
RUAWHARO TA-U-RANGI, 1268

Michael Fowler
Historic Hawke’s Bay