Archibald Fisher Archive

Archibald Joseph Charles Fisher (1896 - 1959), known as Archie, was an English born artist, educator and art critic. Fisher studied fine arts at the Birmingham Municipal School of Art in 1918 and later at the Royal College of Art, London. In 1921, Fisher married Frances Elizabeth Bird, known as Jane, and the couple went on to have two children: E.J.W. Fisher, known as Tom, and Catherine Fisher, known as Baggy.

In 1924, Archie Fisher and his wife immigrated to Auckland, where Fisher assumed the role of the Principal at Elam School of Art. Under his leadership, Elam evolved from a day school to becoming a department of the Auckland University College in 1950. Following this integration, Fisher served as Elam’s inaugural Director, a position he held until his death in 1959.

The archive contains personal papers of Archibald Fisher related to his art practice, career at Elam and travels to England and Europe in 1953. Housed in four folders, it consists of correspondence, newspaper clippings, and black and white photographic prints.