Walter B. Woodbury Photograph Collection
General International Standard for Archival Description
Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Finding aid encoded in NoteTab Pro. Encoded by Danielle Kovacs 2007-06-15
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Creation of Walter B. Woodbury Photograph Collection
Time of Creation of Walter B. Woodbury Photograph Collection
Woodbury, Walter B. (Walter Bentley), 1834-1885
Biographical History for: Walter B. Woodbury Photograph Collection
Background Note Tanah Abang House, 1866 Walter Bentley Woodbury was born in Manchester, England, in 1834 and was raised by his maternal grandfather. In 1857, still in his early twenties, Woodbury traveled to Java where he founded a busy photographic firm with James Page, and between them, they took the majority of the known photographs of Batavia (present day Jakarta) from the latter part of the 19th century. The two men, accompanied by Walter's brother, Henry James Woodbury, traveled extensively through Central and Eastern Java in 1860, relatively soon after which the photographers went their separate ways. Woodbury remained in Batavia. In 1863, Woodbury and Page offered a list of sixteen topographical photographs of the city for sale in albumen format. These images are considered the first of their sort from Batavia, which was originally established in 1619 as a colonial supply station for the VOC (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie), or the Dutch East Indies Trading Company. Prospering during the 17th and 18th centuries as part of the spice trade, Batavia was a regional center for commerce and colonial administration, but particularly after a wall was erected around the city for security, it gained a reputation as "the Graveyard of Europeans," due to the poor sanitation and the stagnation of the canal system. Although Woodbury worked initially with the wet-plate collodion negatives and albumen positive prints, he was an avid experimenter in photography, trying his hand at photoceramics, stereoscopic photography, stereoscopic projection, balloon photography, and electromagnetic shutters. He is perhaps most widely known for the photomechanical process he developed in 1866, the Woodburytype. Woodbury died in England in 1885.
The Du Bois Library holds a copy of John Thomson's The Straits of Malacca, Indo-China, and China (Call no. DS507 .T49 1875a) inscribed to a Frank L. Wilson "with love from S.H.C." The handwriting in this volume seems to match that on the images, although the initials change to S.H.W., perhaps as the result of a marriage. This collection was originally housed with the John Thomson Photograph Collection (PH 2) and the Felice Beato Photograph Collection (PH 4), which may indicate that the prints were all acquired together by S.H.W. and family while living in Indonesia.
The Woodbury Collection consists of 42 medium-format albumen topographical photographs of Java produced by the firm of Woodbury and Page during the 1860s. The majority of photographs were taken in Batavia (modern day Jakarta), with a few from Surabaya and Buitenzorg (modern day Bogor). While Woodbury focused primarily on landscape, several photographs -- particularly those from Batavia -- depict members of the European community, their homes, clubs, and meeting places. Among the sites represented in the collection are the Harmonie Club House, Monlenvliet canal, Michiels Monument, Welsevreden Palace, Willems Church, the residence of Martinus Petrus Pels, and the Governor's palace at Buitzenborg. Photographs of the Tanah Abang house are annotated as "our" house by a person with the initials S.H.W., and who also locates the house in relation to other landmarks and homes in the area. The photographs are arranged in alphabetical order by title, as supplied by S.H.W. or (perhaps) the photographer.
The collection is open for research.
John Thomson Photograph Collection (PH 2) Felice Beato Photograph Collection (PH 4)
Collection was processed by Meghan Fahey, May 2007.
Woodbury, Walter B. (Walter Bentley), 1834-1885.
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Woodbury and Page.
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Back View of Gov. Genl's. Palace at Buitenzorg, Java
Creation of Back View of Gov. Genl's. Palace at Buitenzorg, Java
Time of Creation of Back View of Gov. Genl's. Palace at Buitenzorg, Java
Back View of Gov. Genl's. Palace at Buitenzorg
Batavia Cemetery, Java
Creation of Batavia Cemetery, Java
Time of Creation of Batavia Cemetery, Java
Batavia Cemetery, Java View of European cemetery located in Tanah Abang from inside cemetery fence. Fresh graves in fore. The cemetery was established in 1795 to provide a burial ground for Christians.
Catholic School, Singapore
Creation of Catholic School, Singapore
Time of Creation of Catholic School, Singapore
Chinaman's House at Batavia, Java [on Molenvliet]
Creation of Chinaman's House at Batavia, Java [on Molenvliet]
Time of Creation of Chinaman's House at Batavia, Java [on Molenvliet]
Chinaman's House at Batavia, Java Tile roof house with adornment along roof peaks. Exterior of front porch adorned with hanging prints, statues, and sculptural elements. Four people sitting on porch. Believed to have belonged to the Khouw family who were local Chinese landowners. Possibly home of Khouw Kim An chairman of Batavian Chinese Council.
Entrance to town of Batavia
Creation of Entrance to town of Batavia
Time of Creation of Entrance to town of Batavia
Entrance to town of Batavia View of arched gate down road lined with trees. Structure originally marked the south entrance to Batavia's old castle built in the 17th century.
Front View of House at Tanah Abang. Breakfast Table of the Period!
Creation of Front View of House at Tanah Abang. Breakfast Table of the Period!
Time of Creation of Front View of House at Tanah Abang. Breakfast Table of the Period!
House, Tanah Abang
Garden Scene at Kedring Badak
Creation of Garden Scene at Kedring Badak
Time of Creation of Garden Scene at Kedring Badak
Hamlet's Ghost, Sourabaya [Surabaya], Java [Boat with Passengers and Crew]
Creation of Hamlet's Ghost, Sourabaya [Surabaya], Java [Boat with Passengers and Crew]
Time of Creation of Hamlet's Ghost, Sourabaya [Surabaya], Java [Boat with Passengers and Crew]
Hamlet's Ghost
Harmonie Club House, Batavia
Creation of Harmonie Club House, Batavia
Time of Creation of Harmonie Club House, Batavia
Harmonie Club House View of corner of clubhouse. Social club for European community. This structure was built in 1815.
Horse R.R. Station, Batavia, Java
Creation of Horse R.R. Station, Batavia, Java
Time of Creation of Horse R.R. Station, Batavia, Java
Horse Railroad Station
Hotel Sumatra
Creation of Hotel Sumatra
Time of Creation of Hotel Sumatra
Hotel Sumatra Annotation on image: "Hotel 'Sumatra' at Padang. I lived in the front room at right of picture about 1 year."
House of a Batavia Merchant
Creation of House of a Batavia Merchant
Time of Creation of House of a Batavia Merchant
Merchant's House in Batavia
House of Batavia Merchant
Creation of House of Batavia Merchant
Time of Creation of House of Batavia Merchant
Merchant's House, Batavia
House of M. P. Pels, Esq., Kings Plain, Batavia, 1866
Creation of House of M. P. Pels, Esq., Kings Plain, Batavia, 1866
Time of Creation of House of M. P. Pels, Esq., Kings Plain, Batavia, 1866
Pels House This image is believed to have been commissioned by Mr. Pels. It appears in a Woodbury & Page album along with nine other photographs but is not recorded as an available print for sale in the Woodbury & Page inventory.
House of Prince Radheu Saleh, Batavia
Creation of House of Prince Radheu Saleh, Batavia
Time of Creation of House of Prince Radheu Saleh, Batavia
Radheu Saleh House View of residence from front. House is heavily adorned with statues, urns, and stained glass windows. Manicured lawn and developing gardens visible in foreground. This structure was originally built in 1852.
House of the Pels Family Next to Ours at Tanahabay
Creation of House of the Pels Family Next to Ours at Tanahabay
Time of Creation of House of the Pels Family Next to Ours at Tanahabay
Pels House View of house from across the road. Four figures stand looking at camera in front of gate. Martinus Petrus Pels served as the honorary vice-counsel for the United States in Batavia. He likely made his living working for a trading firm and in 1866 served as a member of the Batavian Chamber of Commerce.
Kedirie [Kediri] River, Java
Creation of Kedirie [Kediri] River, Java
Time of Creation of Kedirie [Kediri] River, Java
Kediri River
Michiels Monument, Waterloo Plain, Erected in Memory of Genl. Michiels & the Troops Killed During the Three Expeditions toi Bali in 1848
Creation of Michiels Monument, Waterloo Plain, Erected in Memory of Genl. Michiels & the Troops Killed During the Three Expeditions toi Bali in 1848
Time of Creation of Michiels Monument, Waterloo Plain, Erected in Memory of Genl. Michiels & the Troops Killed During the Three Expeditions toi Bali in 1848
Michiels Monument View of Monument with Roman Catholic Church in right of image. Monument was erected to honor the memory of Major General Andreas Michiel.
Mr. and Mrs. Volz, Kings Plain, Batavia
Creation of Mr. and Mrs. Volz, Kings Plain, Batavia
Time of Creation of Mr. and Mrs. Volz, Kings Plain, Batavia
Volz Residence, Kings Plain, Batavia
Natives Making Sarongs and Saraps
Creation of Natives Making Sarongs and Saraps
Time of Creation of Natives Making Sarongs and Saraps
Natives
Padang [Port from water]
Creation of Padang [Port from water]
Time of Creation of Padang [Port from water]
Padang
Palace at Buitenzorg, Java
Creation of Palace at Buitenzorg, Java
Time of Creation of Palace at Buitenzorg, Java
Palace at Buitzenborg
Palace at Weltevreden, Batavia, Java
Creation of Palace at Weltevreden, Batavia, Java
Time of Creation of Palace at Weltevreden, Batavia, Java
Palace at Weltevreden Large private estate, home to numerous governor generals.
Pasangrahan Resting Place for Travelers at Nnangteng, Java
Creation of Pasangrahan Resting Place for Travelers at Nnangteng, Java
Time of Creation of Pasangrahan Resting Place for Travelers at Nnangteng, Java
Pasangrahan
Private House at Sourabaya [Surabaya], Java
Creation of Private House at Sourabaya [Surabaya], Java
Time of Creation of Private House at Sourabaya [Surabaya], Java
Private Residence
River at Tanah Abang from Bridge in Front of Our House
Creation of River at Tanah Abang from Bridge in Front of Our House
Time of Creation of River at Tanah Abang from Bridge in Front of Our House
River at Tanah Abang
River scene at Buitenzorg, Java
Creation of River scene at Buitenzorg, Java
Time of Creation of River scene at Buitenzorg, Java
River scene at Buitenzorg
River Scene in Sourabaya [Surabaya], Java
Creation of River Scene in Sourabaya [Surabaya], Java
Time of Creation of River Scene in Sourabaya [Surabaya], Java
River scene in Surabaya
Road to Town, Batavia (Jangkeh)
Creation of Road to Town, Batavia (Jangkeh)
Time of Creation of Road to Town, Batavia (Jangkeh)
Road to town, Batavia
Ryswyk Portion Harmonie, Batavia, Java
Creation of Ryswyk Portion Harmonie, Batavia, Java
Time of Creation of Ryswyk Portion Harmonie, Batavia, Java
Harmonie Club, Rijswijk Portion View from Rijswijk side.
Salak Mountain River, Buitenzorg, Java
Creation of Salak Mountain River, Buitenzorg, Java
Time of Creation of Salak Mountain River, Buitenzorg, Java
Stadhuis [Town Hall] Batavia, Java
Creation of Stadhuis [Town Hall] Batavia, Java
Time of Creation of Stadhuis [Town Hall] Batavia, Java
Stadhuis
Stream with Bamboo Banks at Sourabaya [Surabaya], Java
Creation of Stream with Bamboo Banks at Sourabaya [Surabaya], Java
Time of Creation of Stream with Bamboo Banks at Sourabaya [Surabaya], Java
Stream with Bamboo Banks, Surabaya
Tanabang Road, Batavia
Creation of Tanabang Road, Batavia
Time of Creation of Tanabang Road, Batavia
Tanabang Road
Temple of Tego Wangie at Kedirie [Kediri]
Creation of Temple of Tego Wangie at Kedirie [Kediri]
Time of Creation of Temple of Tego Wangie at Kedirie [Kediri]
Temple of Tego Wangie
Turn Verein, Batavia
Creation of Turn Verein, Batavia
Time of Creation of Turn Verein, Batavia
View at Buitenzorg, near Batavia
Creation of View at Buitenzorg, near Batavia
Time of Creation of View at Buitenzorg, near Batavia
View at Tanah Abang, Batavia
Creation of View at Tanah Abang, Batavia
Time of Creation of View at Tanah Abang, Batavia
View at Tanah Abang Annotation on image: "The two white pillars at the left represent entrance to house where Mr. Fay [Jay] lived in Batavia, S.H.W." on verso "View at Tanah Abang, Batavia N.B. Our House is just at the right after bridge in the background."
View at Tanah Abang, Batavia, Looking Down the River
Creation of View at Tanah Abang, Batavia, Looking Down the River
Time of Creation of View at Tanah Abang, Batavia, Looking Down the River
View at Tanah Abang
View from Front Veranda, House at Tanah Abang
Creation of View from Front Veranda, House at Tanah Abang
Time of Creation of View from Front Veranda, House at Tanah Abang
Waterloo Plain -- Sunrise, Batavia, Java
Creation of Waterloo Plain -- Sunrise, Batavia, Java
Time of Creation of Waterloo Plain -- Sunrise, Batavia, Java
Waterloo Plain View of the military square at sunrise. The Waterloo monument is visible in front of Daendal's palace. The monument was originally erected in 1828 to commemorate the defeat of Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo.
Willems Church (Dutch Reformed), Batavia, Java
Creation of Willems Church (Dutch Reformed), Batavia, Java
Time of Creation of Willems Church (Dutch Reformed), Batavia, Java
Willems Church