Tea for two, and an unknown soldier
In the war years, home movie-making in New Zealand was a rare event. Intimate scenes like the ones shown in this film are even rarer. We believe that this is Rob Millington, who is pictured having tea at his home in Wellington in 1916, with his fiancée Daisy and their cat. Millington was a camera operator employed by Henry Hayward. Soon after this film was made Millington signed up to serve with the merchant navy as a wireless operator; he was killed in November 1917 when the ship he was serving on, the Aparima, was sunk by a German torpedo. The name of the older soldier shown toward the end of the film is unknown. He may be a relative of the Hayward or Fuller families, who were both prominent NZ cinema-owning families.
This film is an uncommon portrait of an individual soldier at a time when only large bodies of men were usually shown on screen.
Tea for two, and an unknown soldier
In the war years, home movie-making in New Zealand was a rare event. Intimate scenes like the ones shown in this film are even rarer. We believe that this is Rob Millington, who is pictured having tea at his home in Wellington in 1916, with his fiancée Daisy and their cat. Millington was a camera operator employed by Henry Hayward. Soon after this film was made Millington signed up to serve with the merchant navy as a wireless operator; he was killed in November 1917 when the ship he was serving on, the Aparima, was sunk by a German torpedo. The name of the older soldier shown toward the end of the film is unknown. He may be a relative of the Hayward or Fuller families, who were both prominent NZ cinema-owning families.
This film is an uncommon portrait of an individual soldier at a time when only large bodies of men were usually shown on screen.
Year: 1916
Length: 01:33
Credits: Possibly filmed by: Rudall Hayward
Source: Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision
Catalogue Reference: F27365 Personal Record. Hayward, R. [Wellington NZ October 1916]
People: Rob Millington, Daisy Millington
Location: Oriental Parade, Wellington, New Zealand
A memorial was dedicated to Millington at the Dominion Wireless College in October 1918. ("Memorial Unveiled: Aparima's Wireless Operator", New Zealand Herald, 22 October 1918, p.6).
This is the third oldest family film in Ngā Taonga’s collection and gives a poignant glimpse of family life at home during the war. The film is credited to the pioneering New Zealand filmmaker Rudall Hayward. He would certainly have had the equipment at hand to make such a film, though at the time he was only 16 years old. However, the provenance of this film is uncertain. The attribution to Rudall Hayward was made by New Zealand Film Archive (NZFA) staff based on recollections from one of Hayward’s relatives. If you recognise any of the people shown here, please get in touch with Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision.
Tea for two, and an unknown soldier
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Wellington
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0:06
Man playing with cat in backyard.
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0:13
Lady cuddles and snuggles into the fluffy pet.
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0:48
Lady poses for camera, then blows kisses to the wind.
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00:53
Couple with their cat enjoy a cup of tea out in the garden.
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0:56
Couple pose for camera.
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1:06
Elderly lady poses for camera.
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1:15
Man dressed in army uniform poses, before advancing toward camera to salute.