This magic lantern slide is a delicately hand coloured photograph and one of a set used by travelling lanternists who dazzled and entertained in town halls across the world. There was no cheap way of printing colour photography at the time so each slide was done by hand- first by washing the slide, then preparing specially thinned paint (to allow enough light to shine through) and finally coating the results with a protective varnish. Many of these ornate slides illustrated popular music hall songs and religious hymns. This one appears to have been made for ‘Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep’ which first became popular in the mid-19th century.  A full set of slides covered the entire song whose lyrics went like this…. 

Rock’d in the cradle of the deep

I lay me down in peace to sleep;

Secure I rest upon the wave

For thou oh Lord, hast power to save.

I know thou wilt not slight my call,

For thou dost mark the sparrow’s fall!

And calm and peaceful is my sleep

Rock’d in the cradle of the deep,

And clam and peaceful is my sleep

Rock’d in the cradle of the deep. And such the trust that still were mine

Tho’ stormy winds swept o’er the brine.

Or though the tempest’s fiery breath

Roused me from sleep to wreck and death!

In ocean cave still safe with thee,

The germ of immortality;

And calm and peaceful is my sleep

Rock’d in the cradle of the deep,

And calm and peaceful is my sleep

Rock’d in the cradle of the deep   

MAVtech’s slide was made by Bamforth and Company who were based in the English town of Holmfirth. They started making lantern slides in 1883 and later branched out into silent films and seaside postcards.  An online source suggests that this slide was made in 1901. At the time, Major Joseph Perry of the Salvation Army was in the midst of his sensationally popular touring shows which mixed entertainment and a religious service. When they began in the 1890s they consisted of magic lantern performances and live music but Perry later branched out into cinema. He became the most prolific filmmaker in New Zealand at the time. 

There were still some magic lantern shows in 1901 and this popular Christian song would have been perfect for Perry’s tour. Newspapers reveal that Perry did host shows in Palmerston North and Wanganui in 1905, 1906 and 1907- might the slide have been shown there?  

‘Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep’ was a popular song in New Zealand and was sung live at many concerts. Our reliance on shipping (and the high amount of shipwrecks in recent memory) gave the nautical theme even more interest. In Christchurch one rendition in 1897 was backed up with illustrations from a magic lantern. Did another company make a series of slides before Bamforth? Or was this slide made earlier than first thought??  

This 'kit' was prepared by the Department of Education, most likely in the early 1970s. These resource packs were made to cover topics as diverse as water safety, road safety, animals of the world, New Zealand industries and religious topics.

Each kit contained film strips which were shown, one image at a time, through the classroom's projector. There was also an audio cassette which provided narration to the film strip and a booklet which gave a transcript of the presentation as well as activity ideas for the class.

This particular kit was issued to Levin's Saint Joseph's School and featured the story of the nativity. There was a printing error on the box which reads 'The Holy Knight'- something which has since been corrected by hand.  Did the children expect to hear a story about sword fighting and archery battles instead?

The MAVtech museum has a range of these filmstrips in it's collection and are working to display more of these pieces of history. 

24-2-2019Levin Hope Centre’s pastor Tony Collis in the historic St John’s church building’

Inscription on reverse reads: ” Some of them you don’t know, Some of them you do. While in the front are one or two, Who think the world of you. With kindest regards to all Sincerely yours F E Parker”

Bible class of the Levin Y.M.C.A.: A formal photograph of a group of 22 men in suits and collars.

Mounted on card, with paper surround and with printed title above and names by row below.

Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.”

Banner in photo – VAL TRIGGE MISSION

Written on back with blue ballpoint pen: “Mary Helena Pickering, nee Lena Carlson, born 1897”

Penciled on back: “Century Hall”

A Methodist Church group at the Century Hall in Levin. This photograph taken between August 26 and September 5, 1917, during a mission conducted by the Rev. Val Trigge. Almost all those in the photograph are wearing sprays of flowers in their lapels, and a banner draped across the front of the building proclaims the “Val Trigge Mission”. The wooden building behind the group has a fixed sign which is headed “Methodist Church” to the left of the entrance. The Century Hall was built by the Methodist Church in 1901 and was used for services when the church built in 1895 became too small for the congregation. Later the hall was used for the church’s social activities and Sunday School.

1 B&W photo print, mounted

Excerpt from Chronicle newspaper, Saturday, 13 October 1917 - Rev. Val Trigge Revisits Levin A large gathering of people assembled in the Century Hall on Thursday night to meet the Rev. Val Trigge…....express our gratitude to God for the rich blessings received during the mission conducted by you in the Levin Methodist Church from August 26th to September 5th, 1917…..

Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.”