Edward C. Minthorne Photographs
Scope and Contents
As Minthorne was city photographer, these negatives were taken for various departments of the city. Each negative or print is labelled with the city department and then the topic. Negative and prints each have a number with corresponds with date. Most envelopes contain multiple negatives.
Some of the negatives are from 1920, so may have been taken by someone besides Minthorne.
City departments and offices represented in the photos include Water, Sewer, Central Planning, the Airport, Port Newark, Streets, and Street Cleaning. The photos span a wide range of subjects.
Many of the photo subjects are pipes, tunnels, construction projects, vehicles, water meters, and street and sidewalk damage and repairs. However, perphaps of more interest to researchers, there are also Newark panoramas, photos of city workers and politicians, Port Newark, Newark Airport, parks, buildings, recreation facilities, and streets. There are also several photos taken for the Newark Defense Counsel including photos of the city blackout in 1941 to prepare for the Second World War.
This collection is a valuable record of city photographs during this time period.
Dates
- 1920 - 1963
Conditions Governing Use
Photocopying of materials is limited and no materials may be photocopied without permission from library staff. Researchers wishing to publish, reproduce, or reprint materials from this collection must obtain permission.
The library has no way to scan glass negatives, so an arrangement needs to be worked out with the users.
Biographical / Historical
Edward "Eddie" Minthorne (1905-2004) was born on South 7th Street and attended Summer Place School and Boy's Vocational School.
Minthorne spent a few years in the U.S. Merchant Marines, but by 1925 had returned to Newark.
Once back in Newark, Minthorne worked as a photostat operator and lithographer (1925-1927), and as an aerial photographer at Heller Field, a landing field for the U.S. Mail service located in north Newark near Belleville. From 1927 until his retirement in 1973, Minthorne was the official photographer for the City of Newark.
He married Esther Goslau (1909-1978) and they had one daughter Gloria Minthorne Schott.
Extent
6.42 Linear Feet (3 Paige boxes, 1 Hollinger box, 6 glass negative boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This is a collection of negatives (bulk film, some glass) and a small number of prints from city photographer Edward Minthorne.
Physical Location
Glass negative boxes are kept in back room due to fragility. Other boxes are kept in basement with the bulk of NJ Room's archives.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Minthorne Collection of negatives was donated to the Newark Public library in 1977 by the City's Division of Central Purchase and Public Information, which had been storing them in its photographic lab in the City Hall basement. Minthorne himself was also involved in the donation. There were 12,000 according to contemporary publicity.
According to library notes, many had to be discarded because they were nitrate film.
Processing Information
All negatives were kept in envelopes they were donated in. Glass negatives were put in glass negative storage boxes. Film negatives were put in Paige boxes and Hollinger box. All negatives were kept in original number order (numbers correspond to dates).
- Author
- Beth Zak-Cohen
- Date
- 2020
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Charles F. Cummings New Jersey Information Center, Newark Public Library Repository
3rd Floor
Newark Public Library
5 Washington St.
Newark NJ 07102 United States
973-733-7775
njreference@npl.org