11 Dec 2022

Pioneering Nelson photographer Rosaline Frank

From Standing Room Only, 1:47 pm on 11 December 2022

Very much against the odds, Rosaline Frank was able to forge a career as Nelson's first woman professional photographer, starting at the end of the 19th century.

A local photographer Rosalina McCarthy became so captivated with her near namesake's work and achievements that she's written her story in a book called Belated Accolades.

It's actually a joint biography, also telling the story of William Tyree for whom Rosaline Frank worked before effectively taking over his studio.  

And as well as examining Rosaline Frank's all-consuming photographic career, Belated Accolades looks at the dilemma she faced as custodian of well over a million negatives and photographic glass plates accumulated over decades at the Tyree studio.  The famous Tyree Photographic Studio collection has UNESCO Heritage status because of its social history value.

First things first though - Rosalina tells Lynn Freeman how she came to be fascinated with Rosaline Frank's story.