Story: Pets

Gum digger’s cat

Gum digger’s cat

A Northland kauri gum digger cleans buckets of gum with a cat at his feet, around 1910. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, gangs of working men often lived in isolated places under harsh conditions. Pets such as cats and dogs provided a homely touch to their austere surroundings.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Northwood Collection (PA-Group-00027)
Reference: 1/1-006270; G
Photograph by Northwood Brothers

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Nancy Swarbrick, 'Pets - History of pets in New Zealand', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/19737/gum-diggers-cat (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 24 Nov 2008