In Focus

I am starting to pull together all the information I can find about Ealing’s early photographic studios.  This is just a first attempt – very much work in progress – to share this information with others who may be interested and especially for anyone who may be able to contribute.

Cabinet Card by Wakefield, 1 High Street, Ealing, early 1900s

Ealing is a suburb about nine miles due west of the centre of London.  I have lived there, in four different houses now, for nearly 20 years so it seemed an obvious topic to cover!  For the purposes of this article I am restricting ‘Ealing’ to the areas of Ealing Broadway, South Ealing, North Ealing, and Northfields.  I will probably also include Hanwell and Boston Manor, as that is where I live, and then in time look to expand it to cover areas such as Acton, Brentford, Greenford and and Southall.  By early photographers I mean pre World War 1.  And by their nature, most of these studios were portrait studios, so most examples are of unknown individuals rather than old views of Ealing itself.

Photographic studios

Here’s a first stab at a simple list of all the Ealing photographic studios I have found, and a summary of what I know about them so far.  Initial  sources are:

1. Photographer listings on www.photolondon.org.uk
2. Items seen listed on eBay
3. Items shared by other users on Flickr
4. My personal collection as shared on Flickr

Note that I have not yet consulted the excellent (but not free) www.victorianphotographers.co.uk which I am sure will fill in a lot of gaps and answer many questions, especially in relation to dates.  I will also try to undertake some genealogical research, and have made contact with the Ealing Local History Centre where I will aim to look at local trade directories, maps etc.

Bell, Edwin

Listed as a photographer living in Ealing in 1881, 1891 & 1901 census records. Formerly assistant with Lock & Whitfield. [1a]

Examples: Cabinet cards [2, 2, 2, 2]

Bridge, E.L.

There is no mention of EL Bridge on www.photolondon.org.uk [1]; the only reference to this studio I have found so far is from the carte de visite that was listed on eBay (see below)

Examples: Carte de visite [2]

Hopgood, E.

Edwin James [Jas] Hopgood b1862, or father Edward (both photographers).  Check comments in source link for further location info, provided by Flickr user Paul J Hilton [3j]

Neither Edwin nor Edward Hopgood is listed on www.photolondon.org.uk [1]

Sandringham Studio, High St [3k]

Examples: Carte de visite [2, 3v (6 images)]

Lock & Whitfield

Unknown woman by Lock & Whitfield, The Common, Ealing

A well known and sizable studio, first based in central London and then opening a branch in Brighton.  I am not sure as yet when the Ealing studio opened, but I suspect it was around 1880.

Samuel Robert Lock and George C Whitfield [3s]

“printing establishment moved from Kensington to Ealing March 1869; still in operation 1908.” [1b]

When sold in 1908 address given as Burlington House, Uxbridge Road, Ealing Common [1b]; this address, assuming it to be the same, is now a council run care home and is situated as you leave Ealing Broadway heading east (into London) along the Uxbridge Road, just before Ealing Common.

Also at 178 Regent Street, September 1856 – 1894 [1b]; shown on cabinet cards – see examples below

See also George Carpe Whitfield, in Additional Names section below – I now believe that this is the Whitfield related to the Lock & Whitfield studio.

Examples: Cabinet card [2, 2, 2, 2, 4c]; unknown format(CdV?) [3u]; Woodburytypes [3t (many images)]

McLanachan, J.L.

Likely John Lorimer McLanachan; b. 1845 Ayrshire [3b]

2 The Mall [3c]

It is suggested that he may have only been in Ealing for a couple of years c. 1881 (possibly after which EC Porter took over at 2 The Mall) – see comprehensive comments from Flickr user Paul J Hilton[3b]

There is no mention of JL McLanachan on http://www.photolondon.org.uk [1]

Examples: [3w (5 images)]

Muir, Samuel John

78 Uxbridge Road [2]; 78 Uxbridge Road, Ealing 1895 – 1904 [1c, 3n]

In 1891 he is recorded as living at 67 Eccleston Road, Ealing (I suspect far too small to run any sort of business – I used to live at 84), and then in 1901 at the studio address at 78 Uxbridge Road [1c]

Percy John Muir, Samuel’s son, is listed in 1901 as a  photographic assistant living at 78 Uxbridge Road, Ealing [1d]

Examples: Carte de visite [3n]; Cabinet card [2]; Real photo postcard [3p]

Unknown woman by EC Porter, The Mall, Ealing

Porter, Edward Cecil

6 The Esplanade [3e, 3i, 3m]
2 The Mall [3g]
20 The Mall [2]

Census records show him at 2 Cumberland Terrace in 1892 as an artist/painter, then as a photographer at 2 The Mall in 1891, then 20 The Mall in 1901.

Kelly’s Directory for Ealing records (accessed via www.historicaldirectories.org):
1889-90: 2 The Mall
1893-4: 20 The Mall and then states “photographer (Holcombe)” which I’m not too clear on the meaning of.
1907: 21 The Mall

There are several records of the surname Porter on www.photolondon.org.uk, but none for Edward Cecil. The most notable is Mary Ann who was a photographic mounter living on Windsor Road in 1891 and 1901 – I have a feeling she will be a relative of Edward [1e]

Examples: Carte de visite [2, 3f, 3h, 3l, 3o, 4a]; Cabinet card [3a, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3d]

Unknown lady, by Alfred Raines, 7 Queens Terrace, Ealing Dean

Raines, Alfred

The only record I currently have of this studio is a single cabinet card that I own.  Raines is not listed on www.photolondon.org.uk.  There are however records on www.victorianphotographers.co.uk which I shall have to access.

7 Queens Terrace, Ealing Dean [4b]

Examples: [4b]

Wakefield, Frank

21 The Mall, Ealing 1897 – 1901 [1f]
1 High Street, Ealing 1902 – 1904 [1f]

Unknown man & woman (groom & bride?) by Wakefield, 1 High Street, Ealing

The census records show him in 1901 as a photographer living at 24 Oxford Road, Ealing [1f]; his three sons also worked in the business – Edward Arthur, Frank Graham & George Hamilton Wakefield; he had worked until 1880 in the City in partnership with Henry Holden Bray

Examples: Cabinet card: [4a (7 images)]; Unknown format [3q, 3r]

Whitfield

see Lock & Whitfield

Additional names

I have come across several other names of photographers who at some point lived in Ealing.  These may all warrant further research, but for now I shall just list them.  All information is sourced from www.photolondon.org.uk unless stated.

Atkinson, Arthur Woodcroft – 1901: photographer living at 65 Warwick Road, Ealing

Bagley, Arthur John – 1881: photographer living at 4 Coningsby Road, Ealing

Bradshaw, Alfred Herbert – 1901: photographer living at 92 Park Road North, Acton.

Bradshaw, Charles Frederick – 1901: photographer living at 92 Park Road North, Acton

Bulley, Herbert – 1881: photographic assistant living at 20 Princes Road, Ealing

Bullingham, Henry – 1891: photographer living at 8 Heathfeld Road, Acton.
1901: photographer living at 40 Avenue Road, Acton (studio was in Kensington)

Burow, Ralph – 1901: photographer living at 9 Churchfield Road East, Ealing (studio in Regent Street)

Edwards, Benjamin Joseph – 1901: photographic chemist living at Greylands Lodge, Castle Bar Park, Ealing (not a photographer as such, but I have included him as the photolondon listing shows many fascinating looking photographic patents against his name, and his firm moved to Castlebar Works, Ealing Dean in 1905)

Fleming, Mary – 1891: photographer with father Lewis Baldwin Fleming, living at Norwood Villa, High Street, Hanwell

Foxlee, Edward William Michael – 1881: photographer living at 1 Gloucester Villas, Acton. 1891 & 1901: photographer living at 22 Goldsmith Road, Acton.

Garratt, James Philip -1901: photographer living at Wooden Cottage, Warwick Road, Ealing.

Gay, David – 1881: photo enameller living at 2 Shirley Villas, Hanwell. 1901: retired, living in Ealing.

Gill, Sydney – 1901: photographer living in Ealing.

Glasse, Thomas Allan – 1891: photographer living at 30 Arlington Road, Ealing.

Hall, William Henry – 1881: photographer living at 18 Coningsby Road, Ealing.
1891: photographer living at 7 Shakespeare Road, Acton.

Hyatt, James Hallett L – 1891: photographer living at 1 Hamilton Road, Ealing.
1901: photographer living at 3 Kent Villas, Kent Gardens, Ealing (studio in Great Russel St, Bloomsbury)

Lewis, Stephen Charles – 1881: Autotype printer living in Hanwell (studio at 3 Ealing Terrace, Uxbridge Road, Hammersmith 1888 – 1889)

Martyn, Frank – 1901: photographer living at 12 Argyle Road, Ealing. Also artist (earlier, studios in Islington and Westminster)

Mason, Frederick G – 1891: photographer living at 25 Coldershaw Road, Ealing.
1901: photographer living at 8 Holly Park Terrace, Hanwell

Parker, William Edward – 1901: photographer living in Acton.

Praetorius, Charles B – Employed at Autotype Establishment, Ealing June 1870. Studios in Kensington 1872-1891

Sawyer, John Robert Mather – 1881: photographer living at 51 Windsor Road, Ealing. 1884: photographer living at 3 Windsor Road, Ealing.  In addition there are several mentions of companies, patents and bibliographic references relating to printing processes, including autotypes.

Sisman, Thomas Limbird – 1891: photographer living at 1 Broomfields, Broomfield Road, Ealing Dean.
1901: photographer living at 37 Broomfield Road, Ealing Dean.

Spencer, John Alexander – 1874: photographer living at Brownlow House, Ealing Dean. Joined Autotype Company in 1870

Taylor, Joseph & Harold – father & son; 1901: both photographers living at 18 Alacross Road, Ealing

Vidler, Frederick William Wilson – 1881: photographer living at 5 Avenue Road, Ealing (later, studios in Willesden)

Watson, Edward Ellis – 1901: photographer living at Burlington House, Uxbridge Road, Ealing.

George Carpe Whitfield – 1881: photographer living at 14 Sandringham Road, Ealing.  Several business interests and mentions of printing, especially Woodburytypes, and also as the founder of the Paget Prize Plate Co and patent holder for Paget colour plates. However, other sources typically list this as G S Whitfield, and I have since discovered that in 1891 he worked with a George Sydney Whitfield (relationship unknown).  I now believe that  George Whitfield is linked to the Lock & Whitfield studio.   [3s] gives the names as Samuel Robert Lock and George C Whitfield, and I have also found many excellent examples of  Woodburytypes by this studio [3t].

Whiting, Charles Rowland – 1881: photographer living at 14 Denmark Villas, Ealing. Lodger.
1891: photographic operator living at 48 Denmark Road, Ealing. Studios in Camden and Shepherd’s Bush various dates 1866-1887.

Wilkinson, William Thompson – 1881: photographer living at 1 Bloomfield Place, Broomfield Road, Ealing Dean; bankrupt in 1882 then studio in Kensington 1883-4.

Comments

Just compiling this overview highlights a few things of note:

- a number of photographers used the studio at 2 The Mall

- most of the records and examples found date from c. 1880 or later.  This may be no coincidence, as it was at that time that Ealing expanded rapidly with teh arrival of the Metropolitan District Railway (now London Underground’s District Line)

- I am fascinated by a couple of mentions of Ealing in the Additional Names section above, especially the many mentions relating to autotypes and one of the “Autotype Establishment, Ealing”.  I have not pursued this line of enquiry in any depth, but a quick search found information about the Autotype Company which moved from Brixton to Brownlow Road (in what is now known as West Ealing) and at one point employed 70 people – see http://www.aim25.ac.uk/cgi-bin/vcdf/detail?coll_id=13318&inst_id=118&nv1=search&nv2=.  Furthermore the company that acquired Autotype, MacDermid, has a page about the history of the company and a photograph of the Ealing works.  It also states that they moved away from Ealing by 1978 and “There are currently no traces of the old factory in Ealing as the site was used by the Ealing council to provide social housing” – see http://www.cps.eu/autotype.nsf/pages/europeaboutHistory

- likewise through George Carpe Whitfield and George Sydney Whitfield I have discovered that the Woodbury Permanent Photographic Printing Co was at Kent Gardens, Ealing until moving in 1897 – see http://www.photolondon.org.uk/pages/details.asp?pid=8659

Did you know that Flickr Commons, home to some of the finest images from many of the best public collections in the world, currently has 181,247 images of which 17,456 (9.6%) are geotagged?

In a review I wrote about websites and services for displaying vintage images on maps (and in mobile apps for that matter) I mentioned that there was no such thing, as far as I was aware, for displaying Flickr Commons images.  Well, I felt I ought to fill that void, so I’ve spent a little time reminding myself how to write code, and learning a few new tricks along the way. Still very much work in progress, but the results so far are:

Flickr Commons on Google Earth

Flickr Commons on Google Earth

Google Earth is a very neat bit of software that allows you to explore the whole world in 3D.  It has lots of built in stuff you can display, but you can also add your own things, through a format known as kml.  So all that was needed was something that would use the excellent Flickr API and convert it into kml, and then a tool to just display what was in the current view and stop overloading everything with over 17,000 images at once.

How to view Commons images on Google Earth

First you’ll need to make sure you have Google Earth installed. Then you simply click on this link – www.whatsthatpicture.com/flickr/commons.kml – and make sure you open it in Google Earth.

Once it’s loaded you’ll get the latest 100 images from the area on view. Pan around and zoom in and out, then when you stop it will display the 100 images for that region – just give it a few seconds to fetch them. Try zooming (or ‘flying to’ as they call it) Paris, Sydney, London, New York …

Have a play and see what you think.  There are also a couple of ‘hidden’ features in my code that allow the more technically savvy to filter by keyword and by Flickr Commons member institution.  For example here are all the war images (just add ?q=war or whatever search term you wish), and here are all the images from the National Library of Ireland (add ?owner=47290943@N03, or the userid of one of the other 50+ Commons organisations you want – find them all in this xml)

Flickr Commons on Layar – now live

Flickr Commons on Layar mobile augmented reality browser

Finally, and because 90% of the work was already done, I’ve created a version that displays Commons images in the Layar augmented reality mobile phone app. Wherever you find yourself you will be able to open up the app on your smartphone and browse around you for the nearest Flickr Commons images.

I’ve submitted it for approval to Layar, and all being equal it should be available publicly in the next few days. Update 19/12: the Flickr Commons Layer is now live – http://layar.it/u3CSgE. If you open the link on a compatible smartphone* it should take you straight to the layer, or prompt you to download the app if you don’t have it installed.  Any user with Layar already installed can also search for it within the public library which comprises thousands of layers worldwide.

*You’ll need a smartphone, and to install the Layar app, which is available for iPhone, Android, Symbian (Nokia) and Blackberry.

Flickr Commons custom map – coming soon

Flickr Commons on Google Maps (early protoype)

It’s very straightforward to also display the kml for Google Earth in Google Maps, giving access via a standard web browser.  You just go to Google maps and paste in the address of the kml file – like this.

The user experience leaves a lot to be desired though, and I personally find it almost unusable as it jumps around a lot, and the info windows suddenly disappear.

I’m working on a custom version (screengrab of prototype shown here) which I hope will be live soon – if there are any developers with Google Maps experience reading this who’d like to lend a hand …

Feedback

These are very much ‘work in progress’ – if you spot any issues, or have any suggestions, then please leave a comment or drop a note to me.

Work commitments and a manically busy schedule have stopped me posting for some time, but hopefully I’ll get back in the swing now things are calming down!

It is Father’s Day here in the UK today, as it is in many countries of the world (but not all), so I’ve pulled together a quick gallery of pre-1900 images from Flickr of fathers and their sons.

It was actually remarkably hard to find that many, reinforcing a theory I have that pictures of mothers and their children were far more common in the 19th century.

There’s an image from my own collection here, but do make sure you see the full gallery of other people’s father and son images on Flickr.

Family Group, early 1860s, by Downie, Jamaica St, Glasgow

I stumbled across a wonderful Victorian album on Flickr today. It is so typical of family albums assembled during that era, with images ranging from the early 1860s (including some real gems like the family portrait shown here) through to the 1880s or even 1890s. I have a few of these albums myself, just not of my own ancestors, only strangers.

It must be a real treasure to have something like this preserved in the family, but it’s great to also see it shared online.  If anyone can help with any dating or identifications I’m sure Don would be very pleased to hear from you. (more…)

This wonderful image, a quarter plate daguerreotype, is currently the oldest image in my Dated Vintage Photographs group on Flickr.

To me this image underpins the real joy and true value of Flickr, and especially Flickr Commons – famous public institutions (in this case the Library of Congress) can reach mass audiences, extending their reach beyond their own websites, yet sharing the stage on equal terms with individuals who hold small private collections. As you can see from the comments, it’s also much appreciated.

I administer a number of groups on Flickr, some of which I’ll no doubt feature and promote in due course. But for starters be sure to check out the Vintage Photographs [Directory] group. Like other self-proclaimed meta-groups on Flickr (there’s the History Directory for starters, and lots more) the main aim is not to be an active group with huge numbers of photographs, but to bring together structured links to anything and everything that falls within the category.

Currently the group has amassed over 150 (yes, one hundred and fifty!) vintage photograph related groups, under such diverse categories as Military, Natural World, Photographic Techniques and Styles, and even a bit of Risqué.  Which are your favourites?  For the sleuths amongst you, I’ve found there’s no better way to get mystery images identified than finding a related group and sharing your images there.  Plus of course you get the chance to help others and share your own knowledge.

You’ll need to head on over to the group description on Flickr (follow link and scroll down) to get the most up-to-date list, but to start the ball rolling I’ve copied the current (31 Jan 2011) list below. I’m especially keen to fill in some of the gaps in the geographic regions as I’m sure their must be vintage photo groups on Flickr for places like Africa and the Middle East.

(more…)

This has to be one of the more unusual and strangely captivating early carte de visite that I’ve seen on Flickr in a while. The card style and photographic studio setting tie in well with the 1860s date, but the pose, and indeed the subject of what we assume is the father and his three children, is something quite out of the ordinary for that time. Photographically it is rather an odd composition – the empty space top and bottom, the chair leg and frame that creep into the right-hand side, and the slightly clumsy imbalance between the small boy with face almost toughing his father’s whilst his eldest sister is more removed – but somehow that just adds to the charm.

Head on over to this wonderful image from Crafty Dogma on Flickr to comment, and be sure to check out some of the other fascinating images they have.

Post Bus and Daleks

Mount Pleasant - Stores Department

Northern Ireland - Newtonards airport

Messenger Boy

Mount Pleasant - Stores Department

Scotland - a Royal Mail van by the River Findhorn near Nairn

Birmingham - postman on delivery

Moor Park - collection from pillar box

Kinver - postman delivering mail to a woman at Rock House

Moor Park - baby van

St Buryan - oldest postwoman

Air Mail streamline van - Liverpool Aerodrome

First Australian Air Mail Bag, Dec 1934

First Australian Air Mail

Mount Pleasant - new wing

Savings Bank

Western District Office - London

Mount Pleasant - official opening

Messengers on motorcycles

Travelling Post Office - model of a sorting carriage from 1838

Messenger delivering telegram

A postman on a bridge at South Stack

North Wales - wall box Bwlch Gwyddel

Official opening of Mersey Tunnel

Electric truck

Money Order Department - postal orders

Motor mechanics

Postman on delivery

A postman approaches South Stack lighthouse

Post Office ambulance - attending to a casualty

See more BPMA images:
- on Flickr
- collections catalogue

This is the first of what I hope will be a regular series of articles featuring collections of vintage photographs that have caught my eye.  I’ll especially aim to focus on lesser known collections – not just public ones but especially some of the amazing personal collections that their owners have chosen to share online.

Today I chanced upon a post from Martin Devereux of the British Postal Museum & Archive talking about Digitising the GPO Photograph Library. It gives an introduction to this lesser known treasure trove of images and is illustrated by a rather teasing selection of three lovely images from the first half of the 20th century.  According to the blog post, the collection contains about 99,997 more.

Intrigued, I set out to see what I could learn.
(more…)

The Powerhouse Museum has just launched a plugin for WordPress (the software that this blogs runs on) which allows you to easily embed images of their collections in your own blog. Below is a selection showing some of the wonderful images that they have to offer. You can also see a great selection in the Powerhouse Flickr Commons account.

• 
  Ambrotype studio portrait of a woman with a young child
  H5572-5 Photographic positive, ambrotype mounted in case, studio portrait of a woman with a young child, collodion / paint / glass / wood / paper / metal / velvet, photographer unknown, 1855-1870
• 
  Studio portrait of two children
  H6685 Photographic positive, daguerreotype, studio portrait of two children, silver / copper / glass / leather / wood, photographer unknown, Australia, 1850-1860
• 
  97/92/12-1/37/1 Daguerreotype, portrait of a man, metal / glass / paper, photographer unknown, 1851-1860
• 
  Studio portrait of a woman
  A4116-2 Photographic positive, daguerreotype, studio portrait of a woman, silver / copper / glass / leather / wood, photographer unknown, Australia, 1850-1865
• 
  H5249-19 Photographic positive, studio portrait, daguerrotype of an unidentified man mounted in case, collodion / paint / glass / wood / paper / metal / velvet, photographer unknown, 1855-1865
• 
  Photograph of sketch of Hargrave family outside their home at Keston, Kent
  P2903-9/2 Photographic print, black & white, mounted on board, pen sketch of Hargrave family standing outside their home at Keston, Kent, United Kingdom
• 
  Portrait of John Brown
  H6786-2 Photographic positive, daguerreotype, studio portrait of John Brown, silver / copper / glass / leather / wood, photographer Richard Beard, London, England, 1849
• 
  Four ambrotypes and a daguerrotype
  H5572 Ambrotypes (4) and a daguerreotype, metal / glass / wood / leather / textile, various makers, Australia, 1856-1872
• 
  Daguerreotype, Swanston Street from the corner of Collins Street
  H6786-1 Photographic positive, daguerreotype, Swanston Street from the corner of Collins Street, silver / copper / glass / leather / wood, photographer Thomas Glaister (attributed), Melbourne, 1854 -1855
• 
  Daguerreotype of unidentified man and woman,
  H7930 Photographic positive, daguerreotype, studio portrait of unidentified man and woman, silver / copper / glass / leather / wood, photographer unknown, Australia, 1845-1855