When opened on April 16, 1888 ferry steamers that regularly plied the Auckland-North Shore route carried Navy crew and officers to join members of the public. They arrived by ferry and in all manner of craft including yachts crewed by members of the Auckland Yacht Club.

According to a report published in the Auckland Star, the HMS Calliope cut through the blue ribbon covering the entrance. It edged into the dock before then-Governor Sir William Jervois declared the site officially open.

A lunch spread was put on for the long list of dignitaries; but it wasn’t just the good and the great who got to celebrate the occasion – six casks of beer were provided for the refreshment of ships’ crews and dock guards.

However, records say a brawl broke out which brought proceedings to an end.

According to the Navy Museum, it took three years to finish the dock which was one of the largest and most challenging engineering works undertaken in New Zealand in the 19th century.

At the time, it was the largest dock in the Southern Hemisphere, built for all forms of large shipping up to 10,000 tonnes.  

It was named after its location at the foot of Calliope Point, named after the HMS Calliope which visited Auckland in 1846.

Henry Newrick, the managing director at Heritage Publishing, found the photos at an auction in the United Kingdom two years ago. 

“Despite extensive research I have been unable to find any record of photos from the opening of this famous dock being publicly offered before,” he said. 

“Unlike the works of Burton Brothers and other commercial photographers from that era being relatively common.”

Newrick does not expect the photos to fetch a considerable amount; the price guide is $200-$250 per framed picture.

“I am unlikely to make any profit as I like discovering early New Zealand paintings or works overseas and then repatriating them to New Zealand,” he said.

“Sometimes I make a reasonable profit. Other times I pay too much because I think a work is important and am lucky to break even. This will be one of those occasions.”

The six original photos go up for auction at Webb’s on May 1 – 7.  Pictures of all photos can be seen online at the Webbs Auction House.