Cambridgeshire Photographers

Name: A and C PHOTOGRAPHY
Address: Fenland Studio 45A High Street, March, Cambridgeshire
Working Dates: c. 1999 -
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: weddings
References: Peterborough Yellow Pages 1999

Name: AARESS CAMERA
Address: 106 Wootton Avenue, Old Fletton, Peterborough
Working Dates: c.1990
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information:
References: Peterborough Yellow Pages 1990

Name: ABBS, Christopher William, b: 30/3/1868 Cambridge d:1940
Address: 20, 40, 43 High Street March, 3 and 4 Dartford Road March, Corner House, High Street Hunstanton, 1 Lincoln Street New Hunstanton.
Working Dates: c.1911 - 1939
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In 1901 Christopher William Abbs was living at 10 Station Road, March, Cambridgeshire, with his wife Mary A Abbs b:1851 Isleham. Christopher was a railway inspector with the Great Eastern Railway. By 1911 Christopher had changed profession and was a shop keeper in March. According to the 1911 census he was a fishmonger and fruiterer at 20 High Street March. By 1916 he was still a fishmonger and fruiterer, but with an additional shop in Dartford Road, March. In the 1921 census Christopher gave his occupation as a fish and fruit dealer, an employer, operating from March Cambridgeshire. He was living at 5 Victoria Avenue, Hunstanton. In 1922 Christopher was a confectioner in Dartford Road March, but in 1929 he was a fish merchant at 40 High Street and a tobacconist at 43 High Street March, and also a confectioner at 3 and 4 Dartford Road March. The same businesses were listed in Kelly's Directories for 1929, 1933 and 1937. Also in 1937 Christopher was listed in the Kelly's Norfolk Directory as a tobacconist at the Corner House, High Street Hunstanton and as a private resident at The Retreat, 1 Lincoln Street, New Hunstanton. In the 1939 Register, Christopher, then a widower, was still living at the same address in Hunstanton and his occupation was shown as a shopkeeper, tobacconist and confectioner.

Christopher appears in this listing because he published and sold a series of local topographical postcards. To date six different sepia views of Hunstanton 1920s or 1930s have been found - on the reverse is printed "Published by C.W.Abbs March and Hunstanton". One example is shown below. It is not known at this stage if Abbs was the photographer responsible for these views or whether he bought in and published postcards which he then sold through his shops. The postcards so far discovered have a publisher's number in the lower rh corner; numbers seen so far are: 14091 (illustrated below), 14092, 14096, 14106, 16984 and 19872. These high numbers suggest that the photographer and publisher behind this series of postcards was more productive than might be expected of someone for whom this was a secondary occupation. A search for other Hunstanton postcards of a similar period, in sepia, with narrow white border, similar typeface and number in lower rh corner has produced one somewhat similar item of The Green, Hunstanton, no 6155, which was produced by J Salmon Ltd Sevenoaks as one of their Grande Style series. The type on the face is a little heavier, albeit in a similar font. Although the number on the Salmon example is four digits and the Abbs examples are five digits long, it is possible that Abbs bought in these postcards for resale through his Hunstanton shop from Salmon. More examples may enable us to decide whether Abbs was simply a publisher of postcards or was a local photographer as well.

Mr Abbs shop in the High Street at Hunstanton re-emerged in 2017 after a former tea room and bakers' shop in the High Street closed. As the building was renovated the fascia boards from CW Abbs Confectioner and Tobacconist were revealed - see below. Also still standing at 1 Lincoln Street Hunstanton, is the Retreat, which was Abbs' home address. (Many thanks to local historian Tony Gale for spotting these reminders of the past).

References: 1901, 1911 England Census, Kelly's Directories of Cambridgeshire1916, 1922, 1929, 1933, 1937, Kelly's Directory of Norfolk 1937, 1939 Register.

Hunstanton postcard by CW Abbs

Reverse of CW Abbs postcard

Similar postcard from J Salmon Ltd Sevenoaks

Abbs tobacconist High Street Hunstanton

Abbs's home in Hunstanton

Name: ABLETT, Walter b.1861 Bury St Edmunds d.1912
Address: 17 Trafalgar Street, Cambridge
Working Dates: c. 1891 - 1911
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Walter Ablett was listed as a photographer in the 1891 census, living at 19 Trafalgar Street, Chesterton, Cambridge. In 1901 he was at the same address and in 1911 he was at 17 Trafalgar St, listed as a photographer's assistant (a worker). From the 1910 local trade directory, he appeared to be trading at some point in his own name, and from his home address.
References: Cambridge Annual Directory, A.P.Dixon, 1910

Name: ACE PROMOTIONS
Address: possibly St Ives.
Working Dates: c. 1960s-1980s
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Very little is known about this firm. They could have been photographers, publishers, printers or advertising agents. There are two postcards by this firm in the Norris Museum. PH/S.IVE/Mrkt.Hl/40 is a postcard of Market Hill St Ives from the 1980s, printed on the reverse "Published exclusively for E.H.Deer, St Ives, by Ace Promotions". Similarly PH/S.IVE/Waits/30 of The Waits, St Ives, thought to be from the 1960s. E.H.Deer was a stationer in St Ives. Below is another example composite topographical post card, depicting Erith Cambs, posted 1989 and labelled "Former Huntingdonshire County Sets by Ace Promotions".
References: Norris Museum PH/S.IVE/Mrkt.Hl/40, and PH/S.IVE/Waits/30

Name: A.C.S. PHOTOGRAPHY
Address: (1986) Manor Way, Deeping St James, (1990) Market Deeping, Peterborough (1995) Unit 6 Bridge Street, Deeping St James, Peterborough, (1999) 51 Bridge Street, Deeping St James, Peterborough, now at 110a Church street , Deeping St James , Lincolnshire PE6 8HB
Working Dates: 1986, still in operation in 2018
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: weddings, portraits, industrial
References: Peterborough Yellow Pages 1986, 1990, 1995, 1999, www.acsphotography.com/

Name: ACTION PRINTS:
Address: 75 Chapel Street, Exning, Suffolk
Working Dates: c.1980s
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: The only evidence so far of this studio is the survival of the 5 x 3.5in colour print below. The photograph shows that this studio was providing horse racing images (although this image is not flat racing so is not from Newmarket). The premises are currently (2017) a bridal shop. The print may possibly be from the 1980s - the race horses are named as Smiling Cavalier and Cole Porter (nothing found on either name). The reference, 866/115/21, may refer to 1986. The studio label does not have a postcode - these were introduced in the 1970s so this might suggest an earlier date in the 1970s. The label used appears to be an "able-label" which have been obtainable since the l950s, so this does not help with dating.
References: Found photograph below

Racing photograph by Action Prints

Reverse of above print by Action Prints

Name: ADAMS, Alice Maud b:1886 Ely d:
Address: Newnham Street, Ely
Working Dates: c.1911
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Listed in the 1911 census as a photographer, employed as a worker. No indication in the census return of who employed her. In 1911 she was living in Newnham Street Ely with her widowed mother, Elizabeth Martha Adams b: 1853 Kings Lynn, and her 23 year old brother, Alfred, a school teacher.
References: 1911 census return.

Name: ADAMS, Edith E b:1884 Cambridge d:
Address: 55 Burleigh Street, Cambridge
Working Dates: c.1901
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Edith was the daughter of a cycle dealer Frank W Adams b: 1860 Kent and his wife Eva b: 1858 Cambridgeshire. In the 1901 census Edith was single, living at the family home at 55 Burleigh Street Cambridge, with her parents and siblings: Ethel F Adams b:1886 Cambridge, Frank Adams b: 1888 Cambridge, Hilda Adams b:1890 Cambridge, Arthur E Adams b: 1894 Cambridge and Horace P Adams b:1896 Cambridge. Edith was an apprentice photographer, employer not known. By 1911 Edith had changed her occupation and was a sewing machinist.
References: 1901, 1911 Census

Name: ADDISON, Robert Richard b:1885 Cambridge d: 1971
Address: 5 Park Parade, Cambridge
Working Dates: c.1901 - 1921
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1901 Census Robert was an apprentice photographer, living with his parents and family at 57 Alpha Road Chesterton, Cambs. Robert was listed in the 1911 census as a photographer's assistant, employed as a worker. No indication in the census return of who employed him. In 1911 he was living with his parents, brother and two sisters at 5 Park Parade. His father Francis William Addison b: 1858 Cambridge was a college gyp. In 1921 Robert was employed as a photographer's assistant by Stearn's, 72 Bridge Street, Cambridge and was living at 68 Searle Street, Cambridge with his wife Clara and one year old daughter Margaret. In the 1939 Register Robert was living at 1 Park Parade Cambridge, his occupation had changed to college porter and he was living there with his wife Clara L. Addison b: 23/12/1884, a university lodging house keeper, and their daughter Margaret E Addison, later Vail, a shorthand typist.
References: 1911, 1921 census returns. 1939 register. Would appear to be the brother of Francis William Robert Addison below.

Name: ADDISON, (Francis) William (Robert) b:1880 Cambridge d: 1956
Address: Masons Gardens, Pound Hill, Cambridge 1901, 7 Victoria Street Cambridge in 1911, 42 Herbert St 1916-1931, 52 Catherine Street by 1939
Working Dates: c.1901 - 1921
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1901 census William was shown as a photographer, employed, employer not known. He was living at 3 Masons Gardens, Pound Hill Cambridge with his grandmother (a retired college bed maker) and his sister. In 1911 William was married to Gertrude and had a young child of 4.5 months - he was living at 7 Victoria Street Cambridge and was shown as a general assistant to a photographer. In October 1916 Gilbert Stearn, then running the family photographic firm Stearn and Sons, 72 Bridge Street Cambridge, applied for an exception for military call-up for his employee, F W Addison, 36, of Herbert Street, Cambridge, who was described as married with two children, a photographic operator, printer and dark room developer. Gilbert Stearn, who stated that his brother's eyesight had deteriorated to the point where he could do no photographic work, had only one operator left out of five operators and four printers, and pleaded that losing that operator, Addison, to military service would mean that he would have to close his business. His application was unsuccessful, Addison's call-up was deferred for just one month and it was pointed out to Gilbert that he could recruit women for his photographic work. (Cambridge Independent Press 6 Oct 1916). Addison returned to Stearn and Sons after his RAF military service and is recorded as a photographer there in the 1921 Census. However, in the 1939 Register, Addison and wife Gertrude were listed at 52 Catherine Street, Cambridge and his occupation was shown as a grocery and provisions dealer.
References: England Census 1901, 1911, 1921. Cambridge Independent Press 6 Oct 1916. 1939 Register. Would appear to be the brother of Robert Richard Addison above.

Name: The AERIAL PHOTO CO, later, from 1923, The Aerial Photo Co (Peterborough) Ltd
Address: 24 Long Causeway, Peterborough
Working Dates: 1922-36
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the Peterborough Advertiser Directory 1922 there is an advertisement "The Aerial Photo Co . Commercial Photographers, Enlargers, Etchers etc etc. All kinds of outdoor and indoor photography undertaken at reasonable charges. Express service. Our new works are fully equipped with the latest automatic machinery - our output of real photo postcards is amongst the largest in the Kingdom. Enquiries kindly solicited. 24 Long Causeway, Peterborough". In the 1922 British Journal of Photography Almanac page 706 they advertised; "Postcard Printing. Real photo editions, black and sepia, all surfaces, guaranteed highest quality and lowest prices in the trade. Aerial Photo Co, Peterborough, samples and prices post free." In local directories in 1925 and 1927 they are shown as "photographic trade printers", but are also listed under "photographers". The firm used postcard presses manufactured by Ellis Graber of Tunbridge Wells and were listed as customers in Graber's advertising between 1923 and 1930.

"Flight", a magazine concerned with aero engineering and airships, records in its issue of Nov 8th 1923 that a new company had been registered: "Aerial Photo Co (Peterborough) Ltd" at 24 Long Causeway Peterborough with a capital of £2000 in £1 shares. The new company had acquired the business carried on at Peterborough as the Aerial Photo Co and the Nene Photo Co, under agreement with John Borrill Etches (full details of John and his family are here) and J.Whitman (see details in our entry on The Automatic Photo Printing Co here), who were both lifetime directors of the new company. John Borrill Etches (1878-1942) was listed in the 1911 Census as a commercial photographer, working on his own account at his home at Audries Villa, Dogsthorpe Road, Peterborough. In 1901 he appeared as a visitor in the Leeds Census Return, when he was shown as a "traveller for photos". J. Whitman was undoubtedly Joseph Whitman (1875-1951), who, with his two sons, later set up the Automatic Photo Printing Co at Walton, Peterborough, also a major real photo post card producer (See Below). In the 1921 Census Joseph Whitman gave his occupation as photographic trade printer and an employer working from 24 Long Causeway, Peterborough and living with his wife and two sons at 38 Princes Street, Peterborough. Tom Johnson, who worked briefly with the Whitmans, describes here on this site using a Graber machine for postcard production.

In Kelly's Directory 1936 the firm is listed only as "Photographic Printers" and not "photographers" and listed as "AERIAL PHOTO CO (Peterborough) Ltd, Oxford Road, Peterborough"

The name "Aerial" may have had less to do with the subject of Aerial Photography than was assumed by Flight magazine. Below is a real photo postcard (author's collection) of The Hollow, Wood Green, Hampshire, pre 1923 - company name on the rear, showing that the firm produced non-aerial photo shots. The rear is rather poorly printed stating "Copyright Photo. Printed and published by The Aerial Photo Co., Peterborough". The face of the card includes a reference No 940, The location is shown bottom left in white caps, the postcard is printed without border. Below this is a similar example depicting No 635 Edmondsham House Cranborne, Dorset. Other images have been seen including: No 435 Memorial Cross and Bakers Shop Burley, Hants. RPPCs with Hampshire and Dorset subjects are more plentiful, while Local Cambridgeshire images may be much harder to find.

Employees of the firm listed in the 1921 Census were: EMBLOW, Catherine Amy; EMBLOW, Minnie and LINCOLN, Lillian

Proceedings to liquidate the company commenced in July 1950.

References: Peterborough Advertiser Directory 1922, 1925, 1927
Kelly's Directory of Northamptonshire 1936
Flight Global: www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1923/1923%20-%200692.PDF
(Winding up) The London Gazette, Publication date: 18 July 1950, Issue:38972 Page: 3716, The London Gazette, Publication date: 3 October 1950, Issue:39033, Page: 4934
British Journal of Photography Almanac 1922 page 706

Postcard by the Aerial Photo Co Peterborough

Reverse of postcard by Aerial Photo Co Peterborough

RPPC by Aerial Photo Co

Reverse of Aerial Photo Co RPPC

Name: AJP PHOTOGRAPHIC
Address: 24 Lee Close, Cottenham
Working Dates: c.1995
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: This may have been a business venture by former Cambridge News photographer, Andrew Parsons. See also Empire Pics of Cambridge.
References: Cambridge Yellow Pages 1995

Name: AJS PHOTOGRAPHY
Address: 65 Pennine Way, Peterborough
Working Dates: c.1999 -
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: weddings, portraits, accident claims
References: Peterborough Yellow Pages 1999

Top of page

Photographers are listed alphabetically by surname on the following pages.

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: 12 March 2023, 08:27

contact us

This site is powered by Web Wiz Green Hosting. We have been using their services for many years and are more than happy to recommend them to you.