Godfrey W. Allen
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The reverse of this card, printed in pale lilac on
pale green, gives the address: Wolverhampton Studios, 53 Queen
Street. It also says "From Piccadilly and Regent Street
Street, London, W". But the quality of the card is far from
the West End.
From the style of dress and the meditative pose, the gentleman
is probably a nonconformist minister. |
Anglo American Photographic Company
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This company was at 53 Queen Street (and in Birmingham
and London). They proudly offer "3 doz. Gem portraits
for 2s. 6d. taken and finished in a few minutes".
Presumably Gem portraits are these tiny prints. Scans of
this carte de visite (and several others on these pages) have
been kindly provided by Carl Green from his massive
collection. |
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A. Asprey
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A. Asprey had his studio in Bilston, but exactly where
it does not say. |
Arthur & Co.
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Their address is 49 Snow Hill.
The image of the baby is nicely exposed, showing details in
the dark background, and the light dress. |
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This is possibly a Grandfather and Grandson. The boy is
dressed in lace-up calf length boots, a velvet suit with a
sailor collar and some sort of tie or cravat with worn and
frayed ends. Grandfather is sitting on a typical studio
chair, and the boy is standing on some kind of plinth. |
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By the end of the 19th century it seems to have been
quite common for photographers to be called out to the
wedding reception to take a group photo, which was often
taken in the back garden. This appears to have been in the
photographer's studio. |
Ernest Bassett
| Read an account of Ernest
Bassett and his career |
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W. Bassett
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The reverse shows the address 29 Snow Hill.
The text says "enlargements life size coloured in oil &c".
Photographers were also sometimes painters too but the hand
colouring of photos was common, if expensive. No connection
between W. Bassett and Ernest Bassett has been found. |
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| William Bassett (1822-1899). Courtesy of
Elizabeth
Bowsher. He was baptised at St. Peter's
Church, Wolverhampton, in September 1822 and was the son of
John Bassett, screwmaker, and his wife Mary.
William married Elizabeth Fairbank at Edgbaston,
Warwickshire on the 19th March, 1846. William was then a
portrait painter. William and Elizabeth had three daughters
and two sons. In the 1851 Census, William and Elizabeth,
along with their two daughters, lived at 6 Trinity Terrace,
Aston.
In 1855 he was listed as an artist in Peel Street,
Birmingham, in the Post Office Directory and from 1861 to
1898 was listed in directories as a photographer in Snow
Hill, Wolverhampton.
William died on the 12th February, 1899. His address was
given in the probate calendar as 37 Horseley Fields. |
W. Beasant
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Not a photographer but a "photographic artist",
one of
many photographers who, from time to time occupied 41
Darlington Street. Edith has signed her name in the top
right corner.
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J. Caddick
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Caddick is a common local name and it is unlikely
that this gentleman was an American.
His business address was 166 Penn Road. |
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| This photo was kindly sent by Victoria Yardley, of a
child, who could have been a family member. It states on
the back of the photo that it was taken at Caddick's
American Studio. Permanent address, 166 Penn Road,
Wolverhampton and 355 Garrison lane Birmingham.
The portrait could be enlarged to life size and Finished
in Oil or Water Colour. |
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|
Courtesy of Russell Ridout. |
This is an unusual photo of a hopefully staged execution,
rather than the real thing. At the time, Mr Caddick was based at
Machynlleth in Wales. He appears to have moved around quite a
lot. I have to thank Russell Ridout for the information. |
J. N. Cadwalender
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The text on the photo lists two locations: Chapel Ash and Henwood Road. The Henwood Road address may well be
Cadwalender's residence, with a studio in the front room. Note
the elaborate painted backcloth, suggesting an opulent sitting room.
Such backcloths were common studio props.
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Note that in the photo above details of the ladies'
dresses have come out. The Ladies Journal of 30th
October 1880 had this advice on how to dress when sitting for a
photographer:
"Very few ladies know how to dress so as to secure the most pleasing
photograph. The best materials to wear are such as are not too glossy,
and such as will fold or drape nicely, as reps., poplins, satins and
silks. A black silk dress looks well on almost everybody, and if not
bedecked with ribbons or lace, which will take whiter, will photograph
satisfactorily. So garnet, cherry, wine colour, sea or bottle green,
light and dark orange, and slate colours are all excellent colours to
photograph. But pure white is bad, and lavender, lilac, sky blue, purple
and French blue take very light, and dresses having bold patterns upon
them, should never be worn for a picture. Avoid anything that will look
streaky or spotty".
J. P. Crook
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The address is 91 Shaw Road - very much an out of
town address.
This photo - possibly of four generations of men is unusual
in that it appears to have been taken outside, possibly at the
family home. Photographers did not often go out because of
technical problems with equipment and lighting. |
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W. A. Dodds
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Dodds' address was 53 Queen Street. All of these
scans of his work come from Carl Green, to whom many thanks.
This is a typical representation of a middle class man. |
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Another, and very different representation of a middle
class gentleman. The child's pose is very unusual. |
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A fine, but faded photograph of an old lady. |
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| Dodds also produced this photo of a drawing
of what looks very much like St. Michael's, Tettenhall.
It would be interesting to know if this was a commission by
the painter or whether Dodds sold prints of local scenes as
a regular commercial practice. |
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