Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1890s-1913 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
Circa 2133 glass negatives (21,5 × 16,0cm and 25,0 × 20,0cm); film negatives; and 2115 photographic prints
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
Having appeared for the first time in Johannesburg as "The Eastern Star", the daily newspaper was to be published on the Witwatersrand from 1889 under the name "The Star".
In the 1920s, the photographer David Barnett, brother to the late photographer Joseph Barnett, was approached by Mr C.D. Don, Editor of "The Star" from 1915 to 1938, persuading him to sell the collection of photographs to "The Star", which he did.
In 1966 the photographs of the Barnett brothers were published by "The Star" as "The Barnett Collection: a pictorial record of early Johannesburg". But the more than 2100 photographs, made by the Barnett brothers between the 1890s-1913, not only cover early Johannesburg, but a wide range of topics and locations in Southern Africa, thereby offering a rich historical glimpse through the lenses of these photographers.
Name of creator
Biographical history
Joseph Barnett was born in 1861(?) in Brynmawr, Wales as one of 6 children of Barnett and Ellen Isaacs. He came to Johannesburg around 1888/9, where he started a photographic business in 1895, later joined by his brother David. Both brothers obtained contracts with periodical publications like the illustrated London journal "Black & White". Joseph Barnett died while on holiday in Wales and was buried at his birthplace on the 23 July 1897.
His brother David not only continued with the business Barnett & Co., but also took over Joseph's appointment as special correspondent of "Black and White", taking the photographic work of the brothers further. In the years to follow he contributed many of his pictures of the South African War (1899-1902), published by 'Black and White', and later launched a series of postcards in about 1902. David Barnett died at the age of 90 in 1964.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The collection, consisting of glass and film negatives and photographic prints made from these negatives, was deposited at Historical Papers by The Star newspaper in 2011.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The photographs of Joseph and David Barnett cover the early years of Johannesburg, its buildings and streets; gold mining, mainly on the Witwatersrand, but also as far as Barberton; events like the Jameson Raid in 1895, the Matabele Rebellion in 1896, the Queen Victoria Jubilee in 1897, and the South African War (Anglo Boer War) in 1899-1902; as well as personalities like Cecil Rhodes and Paul Kruger.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The Index, which was compiled in 1984 by The Star archives, lists all images according to topics. The inventory for this collection has retained this order, whilst adding more information to each listed image, i.e. the year, place, other facts where available, and condition of the negatives. Where the image itself provides the description, it was used in order to provide the context from which these images originate, but without the jargon used at the time. Otherwise the description was complemented with information written on the envelope used at The Star, holding each individual negative. Often the year would be such additional information and might have to be verified.
In section 74, descriptions of buildings in Johannesburg were provided by The Star at the back of the photograph - some of which might have to be verified as well.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
The Barnett collection is subject to Copyright and permission to publish images from the collection has to be obtained. Copyright for The Star Newspaper resides with African News Agency, Cape Town, South Africa.
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Provisions are made in the archival description, indicating whether there is no longer a Glass negative available, or no photographic print is available, or there is no Glass but a Film negative for this image, which might have replaced the Glass negative at a later stage; can be 35mm film or large negative.
Finding aids
Uploaded finding aid
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
The collection was assessed by Carol Hardijzer, for the purpose of identifying possible original photographic negatives by the Swiss photographer HF Gros. His overall finding was that there are negatives by HF Gros that were taken in 1881, particularly in sections 53-PTA, 44-NTV and 70-ZLY. Further reference will be made in those particular sections. Some Gros negatives that can be positively linked to him have a Z-numbering range included on them.