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Charles Alfred von Meyern was an accomplished New Zealand portrait painter during the 1880's.



Early Life in England
Charles Alfred von Meyern was born 6th July 1853 at No. 5 Cambridge Terrace, Kennington, London. Source: Birth, Marriage, & Death England and Wales, Civil Registration Index: 1837-1983. Recorded in the September quarter, District of Lambeth, (Volume 1D Page 301).

In the 1861 Census, Alfred, as he was usually called, was aged seven and a pupil at The Priory, a private boarding school in Fore Street, The Hyde, Edmonton. With him was his older brother Frederick (aged twelve), along with fifteen other children and an academic. In 1869 Charles Alfred’s father, a Prussian nobleman and London Bank Manager, Friedrich von Meyern, attested to four children on his 19th March 1869 naturalisation application. (A fifth child, Ellen Blanche having died of tuberculosis in 1868 and a sixth, John Joseph, was born 1st March 1871).

In the 1871 Census, Alfred was recorded living with his family at 46 Stockwell Park Road, London. His parents divorced in August 1876. Alfred supported his mother Ellen von Meyern with an affidavit on her behalf. Ellen was found guilty of adultery with the co-respondent, one Joseph Myers, a wealthy son of Pugin’s builder, George Myers. For Victorians, divorce was not only extremely expensive, but it was also very hard to do. Many stayed away from divorce because of the stigma attached to divorced women. It was also considered a societal taboo. The divorce Court allocated damages to Alfred’s father together with an annuity, with conditions, to his mother Ellen von Meyern.

The Court’s statement concerning the apportionment of financial damages, which were published in The Times newspaper of 5th December 1876: - “There might be circumstances under which I should have allowed some portion of the damages to be paid to them (the children), but two of these children (Ida and Charles Alfred) have cast in their lot with their mother, and, in putting her (Ellen von Meyern) in possession of this annuity, I leave it to her to apply such portion of it to their maintenance as she may think fit, and also furnish another and additional motive for her observance of the (divorce) conditions which I have named”.

Life in New Zealand
In March 1877, three months after the divorce, Alfred left England for New Zealand. There is a record of his arrival in Victoria, aged 23 years old in May 1877. (Source Index of Inward Passenger Lists for British, Foreign and New Zealand Ports 1852-1923. Port B, Fiche 350. Page 004. The Port code (B, F or N) indicates which series of microfiche to look at. The microfiche can be viewed and copied at PROV reading rooms (series VPRS 7666, 7667 and 7786). Alfred’s voyage took place aboard the SS Northumberland and was classified as `unassisted’ meaning that his passage was not subsidised by government. The trip usually took about 61 days.

On 26th March 1881 Alfred Charles Meyern married Camilla Frederikke Hansine Hansen from Denmark, who had also travelled to New Zealand with her sister Johanne. They were married at the Registrar’s office, Christchurch. Alfred was 27 years old; Camilla was 23. Alfred gave his occupation as `artist’. He was unaware that his father Friedrich had died in 1880, as in 1881 he gave his father’s occupation as `gentleman’. Camilla’s mother’s name was Karen Petrea Milsen Hansen (nee Nielsen). Her father was Hans Christine Hansen, a professor of music.

Camilla von Meyern was born in Copenhagen Denmark, and died on 2nd February 1916 at Cleveland Road, Parnell, New Zealand, aged 58. She died having lived in New Zealand for forty years. Her death certificate records three surviving children. Blanche (31), Norma (28) and Victoria (26). Camilla had suffered from heart disease for some years and had suffered a heart attack some two days before she died. Camilla was buried on 5th February 1916 in Waikaraka. In 1913, Camilla von Meyern was listed as living in Ligar Street, Auckland and the von Meyern Tea Rooms are listed in Queen Street.

Career
Alfred was listed as a Dunedin artist in 1883-86 Wise’s. He taught at Braemar House School, Dunedin in 1884. Contemporary reviews of Alfred’s work were very flattering, for example, on 28th of July 1886 the New Zealand mail reviewed a painting of his thus: - We have seen an exceedingly well executed portrait in oils of Cardinal Moran by the local artist Mr. von Meyern. The portrait is life size, is taken from a photograph of the Cardinal, and for faithfulness of delineation and superb colouring and finish is among the best things submitted to us for many a day. Mr Von Meyern’s talent as a painter is unmistakeable.

On 18th November 1887, the New Zealand Mail reviewed Alfred’s painting of His Excellency, Lt. Gen. Sir William F. D. Jervois: - We have had the pleasure of inspecting a portrait in oil of his Excellency the Governor, painted to his order by Herr Von Meyern, the artist, of Cottlaville terrace. It is a most faithful likeness, full of force and expression. The flesh tints are very natural, and the pose graceful. The minute details of the decoration of his Excellency’s uniform are worked with great skill. As a portrait, it reflects very high skill on the part of the artist, and we understand the Governor is very pleased with the production. It is to be regretted the portrait was not shown at the late Fine Art Exhibition. In July 1886 Alfred completed a painting of Pope Pius X, (formerly Cardinal Sarto, patriarch of Venice) which was subsequently in the New Zealand Graphics of 15th August 1903. The records of Dunedin, New Zealand, show details of the birth of Alfred and Camilla’s first daughter, Ellen Camilla von Meyern on 26th December 1881 (named after Alfred’s mother, and herself an accomplished portrait artist). In 1884, in the same town, their second daughter Blanche Lillian von Meyern was born (named after Alfred’s deceased sister). In later life Blanche emigrated to the USA. On 18th January 1886 the birth of their third daughter, Norma Camilla Maria von Meyern is recorded in Wellington New Zealand. She later married Western Australia with the surname. Norma died in Western Australia on 7th October 1969. A fourth daughter, Victoria, was born on 27th April 1887 in New Zealand. She died 29th February 1972 in California USA, where she was known as Violet Marne.

Illness and Death
Alfred von Meyern died on 29th September 1893 at Petre Street, Wellington, New Zealand, aged 40 years. His death certificate described his occupation as an artist. For six months he suffered from Phthisis, a weight loss and wasting disease commonly called Tuberculosis toady. He was last visited by his doctor (Dr. Cahill) on 27th September 1893. Charles Alfred was buried in Wellington on 1st October 1893. His death certificate records four living children, Ellen (11) Blanche (9) Norma (7) and Victoria (6).

The von Meyern family were not well off, and life was hard for them and their children. Charles Alfred was, however, a respected artist and several obituaries were published on his death. The New Zealand Mail, for example, on the 6th of October 1893 announced his passing thus: - Von Meyern – At his residence, Peter Street, off Ingestre street, on Friday, 29th inst. Arthur Von Meyern, artist, the beloved husband of Camilla Von Meyern, aged 40 years. Christchurch, Dunedin, and London papers please copy. (A notice for the benefit of his surviving family in England).

The Evening Post on 30th September 1893 announced: - We regret to record the death of Mr Alfred von Meyern, who has resided in this city for some time past and was well known in Dunedin as a very clever portrait painter. The cause of his death was consumption, from which he had suffered for a considerable period. The funeral took place on Sunday, and he was buried at Karori.