About Us

Preserving those images

Words Peter Lewis

Like a number of AHSNZ members of similar vintage, I have spent many years haunting airfields and compiling a quite substantial collection of aviation-related photographs.

However, none of us live forever. Over recent years I have been presented with some similar collections from the families of fellow enthusiasts when these collections become part of an estate or the compiler can no longer house them. I also hear stories about the collections of those who have died and that these collections are either dumped, sold off piecemeal on TradeMe or disappear into never-never land.

It is sad to see these much-loved and carefully tended historically valued items suffer such a fate. While the Air Force Museum does provide a safe haven for items of military significance, no such repository currently exists for non-military photographic collections.

I therefore intend to set up a long-term safe haven for New Zealand aviation and aircraft photographs.

Ron Ark

Peter Lewis

John King

In order to create the Trust we need to appoint three trustees. I am pleased that Ron Ark of Christchurch and John King of Auckland, both well-known and respected historic aviation identities, have accepted my invitation to become foundation trustees along with myself.

The intention is that any collections presented to the Trust will, as far as possible, remain connected to the donor’s name and be available to interested parties to inspect and consult.

I think that this project will add real long-term value to New Zealand’s aviation history and reduce the risk of valuable collections being either destroyed.

The Archives will identify, preserve, and make accessible photographic images of enduring value relating to New Zealand’s aviation history.

The purpose of The Photographic Archives is to organize, house, preserve, and make accessible:

a photographic archive comprising tens of thousands of images of aircraft and aviation locations, in both analogue and digital format, that have been operated or owned in New Zealand;
records relevant to these images to allow them to be identified, sorted and catalogued;
provide the necessary research support to allow interested parties to access and otherwise make use of the Archive's material under such conditions as may from time to time be in force; and
provide a secure and long-term repository for similar image material that may at any time be donated by or purchased from other parties.

Materials may be added by donation to the Archives, or by any other transaction in which title passes to the Archive. The relevancy of the content to the scope of the collection and the condition of the materials being donated will be considered and evaluated before acceptance.

No material will be accepted on loan.

You may have already made arrangements for the safekeeping in perpetuity of your own collection, which is great. However, if you have not, I would urge you to ponder on the future of that collection and consider making provision in your Will or Statement of Intent for it to pass into the hands of this Photographic Trust so that future generations can appreciate the efforts that you personally have made towards the preservation of New Zealand’s aviation history.

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About Us

Preserving those images