Leo Lemuel White

Leo Lemuel White (1906–1967) was a notable New Zealand photographer, photojournalist, aviator, publisher and writer.[1] He was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1906.[2]

Leo White was born on 4 July 1906 to May Rae and Albert Edward White, a carter. He went to school in Ellerslie and Remuera and then became a telegraph messenger. He soon took up photography, working at the New Zealand Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic Review, being freelance and later working for the New Zealand Herald. He became known for aerial photography from about 1921 and, in February 1942 joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a photographer in New Zealand and the Pacific.[3]

1935 Leo White photo of Weheka

Whites Aviation

In 1945 Whites Aviation Limited was started in Auckland, publishing books and magazines,[3] including several editions of an air directory,[4] and also being a travel agent,[5] from at least 1949[6] to 1955.[7] During the 1950s Whites Aviation had a team of about 8 artists,[8] who worked on producing popular hand-coloured photographs[9][10] using oil paints.[11]

In 2007 the Alexander Turnbull Library purchased the Whites Aviation collection and has 79,549 of its items on its website.[12] The building occupied by Whites Aviation remains on the corner of Darby and Elliott Streets, close to Auckland's Queen Street.[13]

Personal life

On 5 June 1934 he married Irene Elizabeth Blakey at the Pitt Street Methodist Church, Auckland. Around 1960 he became ill with asthma, emphysema and coronary artery disease. He went to Franz Josef, hoping to ease his condition, but died at Mount Eden on 29 December 1967, survived by his wife and two children.[3]

References
  1. Watling, Amy (19 June 2019). "The view from above". natlib.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 19 June 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  2. Macpherson, Ross. "Leo Lemuel White". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  3. "White, Leo Lemuel". teara.govt.nz. October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  4. "AVIATION IN N.Z. PRESS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 10 November 1953. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  5. Alsop, Peter (1 December 2016). "Whites Aviation : hand-coloured New Zealand; Remembering Leo White". National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  6. "OTAGO DAILY TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 18 August 1949. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  7. "TRAVEL AGENCY'S AFFAIRS. PRESS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 22 April 1959. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  8. "Colouring Girl". publicaddress.net. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  9. "Whites Aviation, Darby staff". National Library of New Zealand. 27 March 1957. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  10. "Oceans to Fly: Whites Aviation". m.facebook.com. October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  11. "The Colourist". Loading Docs. 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  12. "Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs". National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  13. "18 Elliott St". Google Maps. April 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.


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