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Old Photographs - Cambridgeshire Photographers - Br-Bt

Photographers are listed alphabetically by surname on the following pages.

0 - 9 | Aa-Ak | Al-Ao | Ap-As | At-Az | Ba-Bak | Bal-Bam | Ban-Bd | Be-Bh | Bi-Bk | Bl-Bn | Bo-Bp | Br-Bt | Bu-Bz | Ca-Ck | Cl-Cn | Coa-Cor | Cos-Cz | Da-Dh | Di-Dq | Dr-Dz | Ea-Ec | Ed-Ez | Fa-Fh | Fi-Fz | Ga-Gd | Ge-Gq | Gr-Gz | Ha-Hd | He-Hh | Hi-Hn | Ho-Hz | Ia-Iz | Ja-Je | Jf-Jz | Ka-Kz | La-Ld | Le-Ln | Lo-Lz | Maa-Mad | Mae-Mar | Mas-Mb | Mc-Mi | Mj-Mz | Na-Nh | Ni-Nn | No-Nz | Oa-Oz | Pa-Pb | Pc-Ph | Pi-Po | Pr-Pz | Qa-Qz | Ra-Rd | Re-Rh | Ri-Rz | Sa-Sb | Sc-Sf | Sg-Sk | Sla-Slz | Sma-Ss | Sta-Std | Ste-Sth | Sti-Sy | Ta-Te | Tf-Ti | Tj-Tz | Ua-Uz | Va-Vz | Wa-We | Wf-Wh | Wi-Wz | XYZ


Name:  BRADLEY, Frances    b: 1810      d:
Address: Newnham, Ely 1866-7, Fore Hill, Ely 1879
Working Dates: 1866-81
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: See below for William Bradley
References: Census 1871, 1881

Name:  BRADLEY, George    b: 1814 Ely Cambs      d: 1869
Address: Ashley Heath, Ashley, Newmarket, Barton Mills, Suffolk, travelling photographer.
Working Dates: 1861-1869
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1861 census George was listed as a photographer, living at Ashley Heath, with his wife Eliza b: 1818 Barton Mills, Suffolk, and daughter Emma b: 1847 Barton Mills Suffolk. No trace can be found of George or his family in 1851. George was a travelling photographer, which was no doubt a demanding way of making a living. Sadly he died in 1869. The Cambridge Chronicle and Journal on Saturday 08 May 1869 p6 reported: "Isle of Ely, Inquest. On Wednesday last, the dead body of a man was found between Stuntney and Ely. Notice was soon after given to Superintendent Lantsbury, who caused the body to be conveyed to the Union Workhouse. The deceased proved to be George Bradley, a photographer. An inquest was held on the body, which was adjourned for a week.". The outcome of the inquest appeared in the Cambridge Chronicle and Journal on Saturday 22 May 1869 p6: "Adjourned Inquest. Yesterday se'nnight an adjourned inquest was held at the Ely Union, by W.Marshall, Esq, coroner, on view of the body of George Bradley a travelling photographer, who was found dead a few days previously on the road between Ely and Soham. Mr R.Muriel, having performed a post mortem examination, stated that death resulted from congestion of the lungs, accelerated by exposure to the weather and drink; and the jury recorded a verdict to that effect. " The body of George was found in a straw stack beside the road and he was identified by his father Mr William Bradley, photographer, of Ely. George appears to have been through difficult times before his death, being separated from his wife and drinking. A few days before his death he spent the night locked up in the police station at Mildenhall having been found on the station steps drunk and incapable.
References: 1861 census, Cambridge Chronicle and Journal on Saturday 08 May 1869 p6, Cambridge Chronicle and Journal on Saturday 22 May 1869 p6.
The Halesworth Times and East Suffolk Advertiser. Tuesday 18 May 1869 p4.
Bury and Norwich Post - Tuesday 04 May 1869 p8 (drunkenness offence)

Name:  BRADLEY, William           b: 1797      d:
Address: Newnham, Ely 1866-7, Fore Hill, Ely 1879
Working Dates: 1866-79
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: See below two cartes de visite from the 1860/70s, on cream card with square corners, the reverse carries a rubber stamp "Bradley & Haydon, Photographers, Fore Hill Ely". This name does not appear in local trade directories. The second carte is dated 1878 on the rear. The same tassel-decorated chair-back appears as a studio prop in both images. On the second carte the image has been inaccurately cut, and this together with the rubber stamped rear suggests this firm may not have been the best in town, or they were operating on low volumes of work.
References: Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Mathiesons Directory of Cambridge Ely and Newmarket 1867 - Newnham and Ely
Kelly's Directory of Cambridge 1866-7
PO Directory of the Counties of Cambridge, Norfolk and Suffolk, Kelly and Co London Nov 1879

See the entry above for George Bradley - whose body was identified in 1869 by his father, William Bradley, photographer, of Ely. According to the Census, in 1871 William Bradley b. 1797 was at 111 Newnham Ely, he was a retired postman. According to the Cambridge Chronicle 20 July 1867 p8, he retired from the post of Post Office Messenger from Ely to Sutton after 20 years service in 1867. His wife Frances Bradley b. 1810 is however described as a photographer. In 1881 the couple were 10 years older and living at Fore Hill Ely, William was described as a pensioner and Frances as a photographer.

Haydon was the surname of Ely photographer Martha Bolton by a previous marriage. Co-incidence - or more likely that the two families were connected together professionally? There was also another partnership "Bradley and Bolton" (see below), which makes the connection more likely

Carte de visite, Bradley and HaydonReverse Bradley and Haydon carte de visite

Carte de visite Bradley and HaydonCarte de Visite 1878

BRADLEY & HAYDON see BRADLEY, William

Name: BRADLEY & BOLTON - see BRADLEY, William and BOLTON, T
Address: Fore Hill, Ely
Working dates: 1870s?
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: This is most likely a relatively short partnership between Frances Bradley (see above) and Martha Bolton (see above), which never had an entry in local trade directories. See below for two examples of cartes de visite of young boys in Norfolk style jackets with white shirts and bow ties. These could in fact be two photographs of the same sitter. The reverse of the mounts are identical "Photographed by Bradley and Bolton Artists and photographers Fore Hill, Ely Cambs, copies of this picture can always be had. Portraits enlarged to any size and finished in oil or crayon". The quality of these finished cartes is mixed. The rear is printed to a high standard, but it appears that the mounts have been trimmed using a pair of scissors leaving uneven edges and imperfectly rounded corners - unless a previous owner has trimmed the mounts to fit them in an album.
References: No trace of the firm has been found in local directories.

Two cartes de visite by Bradley and Bolton, Ely

Reverse of Bradley and Bolton cartes

Name: BRAND, F. A.
Address: P.O.Stores, High Street, Pampisford
Working dates: 1911-1916
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: William John Brand b:1853 Hoxton, a retired tramway inspector, and his wife, Ellan Amelia Brand b:1861 Chatham, ran the Post Office Store in Pampisford and in 1911 lived there with their two youngest sons, John Robert Brand b 1899 and Thomas Debram Brand b 1903. By 1911 their oldest son, William C Brand, had left home. RPPC publisher included in a "Directory of Cambridgeshire Postcard Publishers/photographers noted before 1914" by Michael Rouse in "Cambridge in Early Postcards", Oleander Press 1978. Not currently known whose images used. The initials "F A" do not match any of the family members, but could be a typographical error for E.A.Brand. By 1916 the family were no longer in Pampisford.
References: Kelly's 1916 Directory of Cambridgeshire. Electoral registers Cambridgeshire

Name:  BRENNER'S BAZAAR
Address: 14 High Street Wisbech. Brenner's Bazaars were run by Max Nusen Brenner (1879-1936), a Romanian entrepreneur who lived in Norwich.
Working Dates: c. 1913-1936
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Postcard producer, Wisbech. Not known at this stage whose images were used. Below is an example real photograph post card of Alexandra Road, Wisbech. On the reverse along the left hand edge is printed: "Published by Brenners' Bazaar 14 High Street, Wisbech" [note the position of the apostrophe]. Along the bottom of the reverse is printed: "Printed in England 7649 - 1675" These high numbers probably relate to the ordering system for the printer of the postcards. The view of Alexandra Road must have been commissioned locally, suggesting that Brenner's Bazaars did more photographically than simply sell other people's postcards. Brenner had bazaars in Kings Lynn, Boston, Wisbech and Great Yarmouth. Various advertisements describe these Bazaars as offering: enamelware, tinware, aluminium, china and glassware, toilet, dinner and tea sets, haberdashery, stationery and fancy goods and raincoats. Newspaper entries for the firm have been found between 19 and 1936. Max Brenner was killed in a motoring accident in February 1936 when he was a passenger in a car driven by his brother in law Mr Alfred Bennett Rosen, at Heckington near Sleaford.
References: Powell, Roger and Bell, Robert, Britain in Old Photographs, Wisbech, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1972, pp 20 (1920s)
Michael Rouse, "Cambridgeshire in Early Postcards", Oleander Press, 1978. Brenner's Bazaar was mentioned in a shoplifting case in the Cambridge Daily News Thursday 17 October 1918. Grantham Journal 8/2/1936 (death of Max Brenner). Brenner's Bazaar in Kings Lynn is mentioned here by Robert Pols http://subdomain.early-photographers.org.uk/?page_id=69

RPPC of Alexandra Rd Wisbech, published by Brenner's Bazaar

Name: BRICKWOOD, Hubert b.5/4/1901 d. 1989
Address: Potton Rd, Hilton Cambs
Working Dates: c.1939
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Hubert was born in Fenstanton. His father was a coachman (domestic). The Cambridge Independent Press 3 Feb 1939 p10 carries a photograph by Hubert Brickwood of flooding at Hilton. The 1939 Register shows Hubert at the above address with his wife Violet. His occupation was shown as "Head mechanic and electrician motor and agricultural engineer". In 1921 when single and living with his parents at St Ives, Hubert's occupation was motor engineering. We do not know if, for Hubert, photography was a secondary occupation or simply a hobby
References
: 1939 Register. 1921 Census.

Name: BRISTOW, George Smart b:1819 d: Derby 3 Nov 1870
Address: Albert Place Peterborough
Working Dates: possibly 1840s to mid 1850s in Peterborough
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Described as a portrait painter in local directories in 1847 and 1850 - did he then become involved with photographic portraits? According to Brett Payne's excellent site on Derbyshire photographers, he did: https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~brett/genealogy/photos/dbyphoto_index.html#B, lists George Smart Bristow as a photographer at London Rd Derby in 1858 and at Bristow's Portrait Rooms, 5 Regent Terrace, Derby, 1862-1871. George died in Derby - his death was recorded in the Stamford Mercury 18 Nov 1870 p4, when he was described as an artist, formerly of Peterborough. His wife, Lois died 6 days after George.
References
: Slaters Directory of Northamptonshire 1847 and 1850

Name:  BRITANNIA'S ELECTRIC PORTRAITS LTD, BRITANNIA STUDIOS from 1964
Address: 14 Long Causeway, Peterborough (in 1961 tel 5126) from 1964 at 15A Long Causeway, Peterborough
Working Dates: 1924-71
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: See our page on Britannia's Electric Portraits Ltd in the national context.

See below, a small print 1.6 x 3.25 inches, of an unknown mother and child, probably from the 1920s. The reverse of the photograph is printed "Britannias, 6 Leeming Street, Mansfield, 17 Market Place, Grantham, and 20 Long Row Nottingham. Next is a postcard sized print of an unknown child - the reverse shows the name of the photographer to be Britannias Portraits, with studios at three locations: Nottingham, Peterborough and Boston. It is difficult to date this, but it could be possibly from the 1920s. Next is a postcard sized portrait of an unknown young woman who has dated the photograph June 1924. From the reverse it can be seen that Britannia's Portraits by Britannia Electric Portraits Ltd were then available from eight locations: Nottingham, Mansfield, Lincoln, Ilkeston, Kidderminster, Coventry, Peterborough and Chesterfield. This particular postcard is from the Lincoln Studio - in the lower right corner it stamped with a hand embossing machine "Britannias 259 High St Lincoln". Below this is a 1930s postcard sized print of a seated young lady. On the reverse of this is the name of the firm "Britannias Electric Portraits Ltd with branches listed in 11 towns (the previous eight plus: Wigan, Boston and Coalville). By 1958 the firm was described as "Britannia Studios (Passport and Commercial) 5a Market Place, Peterborough Tel 5126". (Britannia D and P Works at 15B Long Causeway, Peterborough in 1968). Their Peterborough premises were taken over in around 1960 by Campkins, and was run for them until 1964 by Eric Milward, then by Reg Wilcox. Normally one would expect that as a firm expanded so the addresses printed on their mounts would build. The first two examples above show the firm with three addresses, but there is only one address in common - Nottingham. Perhaps this suggests the firm started with a central base adding locations on short leases, which changed over time. Clearly there is much more to be discovered about this firm.
References: Kelly's Directory of Northamptonshire 1924, 1928, 1931, 1936, 1940. Kelly's Directory of Peterborough 1958
The Peterborough Advertiser Directory 1925, 1927, 1961. Peterborough Telephone Directory 1964. Eastern Counties of England Trade Directory 1966/1967 DA Yales Directory of Huntingdon and Peterborough 1967/1968, Peterborough Yellow Pages 1971. Companies House does not have a record of Britannia's Electric Portraits Ltd.

Small portrait by Britannias

Britannia Studio portrait of unknown child
Reverse of Britannia studio portrait

1924 Britannia's Portraits postcard of an unknown young woman

Reverse of 1924 Britannia's Portraits postcard showing eight studio locations


Portrait of unknown young lady by Britannias Electric Portraits LtdReverse of Britannias Electric Portraits Ltd portrait

BRITANNIA STUDIOS see BRITANNIA'S ELECTRIC PORTRAITS LTD above

Name:  BROADBENT, Nancy J.G. (later SWAIN)  b: 30 May 1914      d:
Address: 25 Alpha Road Cambridge
Working Dates: c.1939
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1939 Register Nancy was listed as a photographer at the above address. At the same address were: Alfred Watts b: 1892, bank clerk, Florence R Watts b: 1894, William A Watts b:1919, Geoffrey D Watts b: 1927, Annie Broadbent b: 28/4/1886, widow, school teacher. Nancy married Kenneth T.G. Swain in 1941.
References: 1939 Register.

Name:  BROOM, Anderson (Andy) Charles  b: 1893 Cambridge  d: 1933
Address: 11 Priory Street Cambridge
Working Dates: 1913-1933
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Son of Anderson Broom, b: 1867 Cambridge, sign writer and decorator. Anderson trained initially as a printer. He became the first full time photographer of the Cambridge Chronicle, where he worked for 20 years. He was the first full time press photographer in Cambridge. The 1921 census lists Anderson as a press photographer with the Cambridge Chronicle 9 Market Hill, Cambridge, living at 11 Priory Street Cambridge.
References: Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Spalding’s Directory of Cambridge 1925-1933
Mike Petty, An Eye on the Past, Cambridge Weekly News, 20/5/1992,
Obituary, Cambridge Chronicle 13/9/1933 P12.

NameBROWN, Catherine M. b: 1904 Eynesbury, St Neots d:
Address: Cambridge Street, St Neots
Working Dates
: c.1921
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1921 census Catherine was living with her widowed grandmother in Cambridge Street, St Neots. She was an assistant photographer working for St Neots photographer Ernest Albone.
References: 1921 Census

Name:  BROWN, Charles T.  b:1863 Scotland      d:
Address: Avenue Terrace, Godmanchester
Working Dates: c.1891
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1891 census Charles T Brown was shown as employed as a photographic operator. He was a boarder, a single man, living at the home of a Mrs Elizabeth Wrighton. There is currently insufficient information to trace Charles in the 1881 or 1901 census returns.
References: 1891 England Census

BROWN, David and Jane - See The Portrait Studio, Oakington and Histon

Name: BROWN, F.
Address: High Street Histon, Cambs
Working dates: c.1914
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: RPPC publisher included in a "Directory of Cambridgeshire Postcard Publishers/photographers noted before 1914" by Michael Rouse in "Cambridge in Early Postcards", Oleander Press 1978. Not currently known whose images used.
References: No trace of this individual in Kelly's 1916 Cambridgeshire Directory

Name:  BROWN, John Lawrence    (Later Brown & Co - see below)  b:  1876     d: 1934
Address: 7 North End Wisbech (1890) Boro Studios, Wisbech (1901), 7 York Row Wisbech (1904), Broad St March (1916)
Working Dates: 1890-22
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1891 census, John, living with his parents at 7 North End Wisbech and aged 15, was "learning the photographic business". Shown as Brown J L & Co, Broad St, March in 1916 and 1922. See below a cabinet photograph, c 1901, of two children, on grey mount with plain cream reverse and beveled edge. On the face is written in gilt lettering "JL Brown The Borough Studio Wisbech". Next is a carte de visite of similar age, on a grey card mount with gilt edge and plain reverse. On the face in gilt lettering is "J Lawrence Brown Borough Studio Wisbech". Below this is a photograph of the Church of St Andrew, Sutton-in-the-Isle, Cambridgeshire - 6 x 4 print on buff mount - no printing on the face. Printed on the back, possibly with a rubber stamp, maybe even a "John Bull" rubber stamp printing outfit, is "J L Brown photographer 7 North End Wisbech". The second initial is very unclear. This is probably one of John's earliest works while he lived with his parents. John later operated at Borough Studio, later in partnership with Lilian Ream, trading as Brown and Ream. John employed Alice Askew to run his studio in Broad Street March and in 1916 Alice bought the studio and set up on her own account. In June 1922 Brown was reported to have purchased the photographic business at 102 High Street Kings Lynn from Mr F.Drew. Brown later retired to Hunstanton, and Lilian Ream took over his Wisbech studio.
References: Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Kelly's Directory of Cambridgeshire 1904, 1916, 1922
Powell, Roger and Bell, Robert, Britain in Old Photographs, Wisbech, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1972, pp 33 (1910)
We are grateful to Nick Smith for information incorporated above concerning Alice Askew.
Lynn Advertiser 4 May 1934 p13 for a brief obituary, Lynn News 24 June v1922 p 7 for the purchase of the Kings Lynn business. (Thanks to Garry Monger for these references)

Cabinet photograph by JL Brown

Carte de visite by J Lawrence Brown

Sutton in the Isle Church by JL Brown

Reverse of JL Brown photograph

Name:  BROWN, John L     
Address: Earith
Working Dates: 1898
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: There is a single entry for John L Brown Photographer in Earith in the Kelly's Directory of Huntingdonshire 1898. It seems likely that this was John Lawrence Brown above, who was born in Earith and went to school there. His Earith studio pre-dates that in Wisbech (above)
References: Kelly's Directory of Huntingdonshire 1898

Name:  BROWN and Co
Address: 9 York Row, Wisbech 1912, March in 1922
Working Dates: 1910-1922
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Postcard producer - also some portrait work. See below a postcard format portrait of a young girl in theatrical or fancy dress from the 1920s, the reverse states "Brown and Co Wisbech and March" ( may be earlier as Brown sold his March Studio to Alice Askew in 1916) . See also below a portrait of a seated lady 4 x 5.5in on embossed brown mount with gilt lettering "Brown & Co, Borough Studio, Wisbech. This portrait provides the direct link between this firm and John Lawrence Brown (above) at Borough Studio. Both of these portraits show Brown had mastered the technique of making his subjects stand out by the use of backlighting to fade out the background.
References: Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Rouse M “Cambridgeshire in Early Postcards”
Kelly's Directory of Cambridgeshire 1912-16
Kelly's Directory of Cambridgeshire 1922
Powell, Roger and Bell, Robert, Britain in Old Photographs, Wisbech, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1972, pp22 (1905), 32 (1910), 38 (1910), 39 (1910), 40 (1911), 41, 43 (1910), 45 (1914), 46 (1912), 47 (1914), 49, 53 (1910)

RPPC Portrait of child in theatrical or fancy dress by Brown and CoReverse of Brown& Co postcard

Portrait by Brown & Co, Borough Studio Wisbech

Name:  BROWN and REAM         
Address: Borough Studio 7 York Row, Wisbech
Working Dates: c.1908
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: This was a partnership between Lilian Ream and John Lawrence Brown at Borough Studio, formerly John Kennerell's business. The partnership ceased on John Brown's retirement in 1921 when Lilian Ream acquired the Studio. See below a postcard of show horse "Walsoken Pride" and carriage - oval mask, dated in manuscript on rear " 1908" - publisher shown as "Brown & Ream, Borough Studio Wisbech". For information on the legendry show horse "Walsoken Pride" see http://wisbech.ccan.co.uk/content/catalogue_item/newspaper-cutting-recalling-a-local-legendary-show-horse-walsoken-pride.
References: Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Kelly's Directory of Cambridgeshire 1908.

Postcard of Walsoken Pride by Brown and Ream 1908
Reverse of Brown and Ream postcard

Name: BROWNE, Alfred P. b:1883 d:
Address: 35 Grove Street, Peterborough
Working dates: c.1939
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1939 Register Alfred was shown as "Photographer Managing Camera Operator". His employer is not currently known. He was a single man living with his widowed mother Henrietta b: 1860, at the above address. Alfred has not yet been located in the 1921 census - but his parents were at 35 Grove Street, Peterborough.
References: 1939 register.

Name: BRUCE   (B.A.NYE)   b:1912       d:1989
Address: 9 Northampton Street, Cambridge
Working Dates: 1948-1966
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: 1948 directory shows B.Nye (presumably Bruce Armstrong Nye) as proprietor. An advertisement in Kelly's Directory of Cambridge 1964 and Spalding's Directory of Cambridge 1965/6 states: " BRUCE BA Nye. Private and Commercial Photography. Weddings a Speciality. Litho Printing and Plate Processing. Office and Works Factory Site, Milton, Cambridge." Below is an example wedding group from the 1950s with a Bruce Nye backstamp. The Cambridgeshire Collection holds a series of aerial photographs from the 1950s and 60s taken by Derek Symonds for Bruce.
References: Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Kellys Directory of Cambridge 1948-64, Spaldings Directory of Cambridge 1965/6. Cambs Kelly’s 1964, 1965/66

Bruce Nye wedding group 1950s

Bruce Nye backstamp from wedding group above, 1950s

Name: BRUNNEY, Philip Alexander Lake b: 1913 Chatteris, d: 2003 See also RAMSEY AND MUSPRATT
Address: Ramsey and Muspratt's Studio at Post Office Terrace Cambridge
Working dates: c. 1934 to 1970

Subjects, styles, advertising and other relevant information: We are indebted to John Brunney, Philip's son, for most of the following information. Phillip joined the Cambridge Photographic Club in October 1934. His address at that time was 18 Panton Street Cambridge where he was living with his parents and brother. His father was a builder. Philip was obviously a practical, hands-on type of photographer as a few weeks later he was operating the Society’s projector for one of their meetings, a task normally entrusted only to their annually elected official "Lanternist". Philip joined the local photographic firm of Ramsey and Muspratt around 1936-37. He applied speculatively, taking a portfolio of his work into the studio and asking Lettice Ramsey if she might have any work for him. Lettice was impressed and thus started a life long friendship between Lettice and Philip and their respective families. Philip was particularly interested in cine photography and around 1938 made a film entitled "Children of Spain" depicting the lives of Basque refugee children who had escaped from the Spanish Civil War and were living in a charity hostel in Station Road Cambridge which had opened in 1937. The film was used to help with fundraising for the hostel. Helen Muspratt, partner in Ramsey and Muspratt, was also involved in work with these refugee children. Following the declaration of war in 1939, the College authorities removed all the stained glass from Kings College Chapel for storage elsewhere to avoid damage from air raids. Ramsey and Muspratt had the contract carefully to photograph every panel as it was removed to provide not just a record but an important key for later re-assembly. Philip was the young photographer who undertook this nationally important assignment.

Removal of stained glass windows Kings College 1939
Removal of stained glass windows, Kings College Cambridge (J Brunney family photographs)

Following the start of the war Philip enlisted in the armed forces. He volunteered to join the army as a camera man filming with the infantry, but recruiters instead directed him to photo reconnaissance work with RAF Bomber Command. After initial training at Farnborough he spent two years in Canada training allied pilots and air crew in the use of the heavy photographic gear used to identify targets and later to record bomb damage. In 1942 he took up operational duties at RAF Stradishall in Suffolk. These were harrowing times for Philip. Reconnaissance aircraft usually flew at the rear of large bomber formations to record damage and were often hit by increasingly accurate anti-aircraft fire. Philip was often first aboard returning aircraft to remove urgently required films even before medics could extricate wounded aircrew. The every-day sights of this job haunted him for the rest of his life. While with Bomber Command, Philip proposed and pioneered the use of infra-red film for target damage assessment, a technique which was taken into regular use.

PAL Brunney with PRU Spitfire 1946
PAL Brunney with PRU Spitfire 1946 (J Brunney family photographs)

After the war Philip returned to Cambridge and to his original job at Ramsey and Muspratt. By then he was a seasoned professional and shortly afterwards was made a Director of the firm. In another two-year-long assignment he was employed to photograph the Kings College stained glass again, this time for an academic study. His photographs of the stained glass have appeared in a number of publications, two of which are shown below. The negatives from the work have been deposited in the Cambridgeshire Collection. By 1957 an entry in Kelly's Directory for Cambridge reads "Ramsey and Muspratt Ltd (Lettice Ramsey MA FIBP, & PAL Brunney AIBP), Post Office Terrace". Lettice Ramsey concentrated more on the artistic portrait side of the business and Philip undertook most of the commercial work and some portraiture, as well as increasingly managing the business side of the operation. For Philip lighting was the key to good photography: he believed that lighting and music could often tell a bigger story than words, and he was a great admirer of the work of the Armenian-Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh. On the commercial side Philip photographed many divers subjects including priceless college silverware and museum items for the Fitzwilliam Museum.

Portrait of PAL Brunney c 1955
Portrait of PAL Brunney c 1955 (J Brunney family photographs)

In 1958 Philip was at Marshalls Airport photographing aircraft when Arthur Marshall introduced him to Norman de Bruyne, the founder of Aero Research at Duxford, who wanted photographs taking of an aircraft held together by his firm's revolutionary resin glues. This led immediately to a job offer and so from 1958 until he retired in 1970 Phillip became an industrial and scientific photographer for Aero Research, later Ciba Geigy, in Duxford. Working for this innovative company not only enabled him to practice a wide range of still photography but also to combine his life-long loves of aircraft and cine work. Below is an example of Phillip's work at CIBA from 1962 - there were several illustrations in this technical note of this amazing 17ft sailing craft, built from paper and aerolite resin glue, by John Hookham, the son in law of James Lawrence Haynes. (Photo reproduced with the permission of Francis Hookham)

One of PAL Brunney's assignments at Ciba Geigy

A CIBA technical publication from 1962 illustrated by PAL Brunney (Francis Hookham)

As well as being a professional photographer, Philip was an authority on antique photographic equipment with a keen interest in the development of cameras. He collected and repaired cameras and projectors. Tom Johnson remembers that Philip was regularly in lengthy discussions with KP Cameras owner Thomas Howell about different camera models, and Phillip's son recalls that has father's opinions and services were often sought by major auction houses, necessitating a number of London visits and even the occasional repair of elaborate projectors at the family's home in Shelford.

Philip’s brother, Clement Thomas (Tom) Brunney, was also in the photographic business and worked as a salesman for RG Lewis while they had a photographic shop in Bradwells Court Cambridge and when that shop closed down he went to work for KP Cameras.

References: Kelly's Directory Cambridge 1957.
Minutes of the Cambridge and District Photographic Club 9 Oct 1934 and 4 Dec 1934.
The Windows of Kings College Chapel Cambridge by HG Wayment Published for the British Academy By Oxford University Press, London, 1972, ISBN 10: 0197259189 ISBN 13: 9780197259184
Late glass in Kings College Chapel by Dierick Velient and Peter Nicholson in Cambridge Antiquarian Society Proceedings 1995.
British Women and the Spanish Civil War Angela Jackson, Routlege 2002 Footnote 104 p 265.
Cambridge Daily News Wed 22 Mar 1939 for information about the Basque Hostel in Cambridge.
Obituary 2003: www.cambridge-news.co.uk/legacy-window-world/story-22454208-detail/story.html
A number of Brunney's negatives have been deposited by his family with the Cambridgeshire Collection.

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Photographers are listed alphabetically by surname on the following pages.

0 - 9 | Aa-Ak | Al-Ao | Ap-As | At-Az | Ba-Bak | Bal-Bam | Ban-Bd | Be-Bh | Bi-Bk | Bl-Bn | Bo-Bp | Br-Bt | Bu-Bz | Ca-Ck | Cl-Cn | Coa-Cor | Cos-Cz | Da-Dh | Di-Dq | Dr-Dz | Ea-Ec | Ed-Ez | Fa-Fh | Fi-Fz | Ga-Gd | Ge-Gq | Gr-Gz | Ha-Hd | He-Hh | Hi-Hn | Ho-Hz | Ia-Iz | Ja-Je | Jf-Jz | Ka-Kz | La-Ld | Le-Ln | Lo-Lz | Maa-Mad | Mae-Mar | Mas-Mb | Mc-Mi | Mj-Mz | Na-Nh | Ni-Nn | No-Nz | Oa-Oz | Pa-Pb | Pc-Ph | Pi-Po | Pr-Pz | Qa-Qz | Ra-Rd | Re-Rh | Ri-Rz | Sa-Sb | Sc-Sf | Sg-Sk | Sla-Slz | Sma-Ss | Sta-Std | Ste-Sth | Sti-Sy | Ta-Te | Tf-Ti | Tj-Tz | Ua-Uz | Va-Vz | Wa-We | Wf-Wh | Wi-Wz | XYZ


 

www.FadingImages.uk is a non-commercial web site for local and family historians, listing photographers in Cambridgeshire 1840-2000
This page was last modified: 22 March 2023, 16:21

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