Cambridgeshire Photographers

Name: BIBBY'S STUDIO
Address: 35 Narrow Bridge Street, Peterborough
Working Dates: c. 1924
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: This studio has one single directory entry in a local directory for 1924. It has not been possible to date to find out more about this studio. There was a Bibby's Studio at 42 Humberstone Gate, Leicester, 1925-1927, advertising three postcard prints for one shilling (Leicester Mercury 2 Feb 1925 p1). The 1921 Census lists as a photographer Thomas Edwardson Bibby, b: 1890 Bradford Yorks, who was living at 148 Sheridan Street, Leicester, an employer working from home. There were two other photographers in England by the name of Bibby. John Ray Bibby b:1856 Preston Lancs, was a photographer in Southport in 1911. There was also a photographer Robert Bibby - nothing further known. There is nothing known currently to connect any of these to Peterborough.
References: Kelly's Directory of Northamptonshire 1924 .

Name: BICKERSTAFFE, Lucy Camilla b: 1884 Leamington, Warwickshire. d:1937 Barton
Address: Silverthorn, Wimpole Road, Barton, Cambs
Working Dates: c.1920-37?
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Lucy Camilla Bickerstaffe was the daughter of a medical doctor, Roger Bickerstaff and Esther Parker, of Leamington Warwickshire. In 1901 Lucy was with her uncle, Charles Bickerstaffe, a C of E Clergyman, and his family at The Vicarage Dronfield, Derbyshire. In 1911 she was a lady of independent means at the home of an aunt, Sophia Anne Bickerstaffe (also of private means) in Pokesdown, Christchurch, Hampshire. By 1919 Lucy was living in Barton Cambridgeshire. She was a "new scoutmistress" in the village in 1920 and appears to have also been a church organist and a charity concert organiser. Exactly what her connection was with photography is not yet known, neither is her occupation, if she had one. She does not appear in commercial directories as a shopkeeper in Barton (1900, 1916, 1922, 1929, 1933 and 1937 Kellys directories - no trace) and yet her name, "Miss L.C. Bickerstaffe, Barton, Cambridge" appears on the real photograph postcard below, which depicts three bricklayers on wooden scaffolding working on a chimney beside the incomplete roof of a building. It is difficult to see the purpose of the postcard. Might it have been work on Miss Bickerstaffe's house, or the near completion of an important building, possibly an important re-build, perhaps issued as a fund raising idea? Until the mystery is solved or more information comes to hand, we will list Miss Bickerstaffe here.
References: Cambridge Independent Press: 26 Dec 1919 (violin solo at concert at Comberton), 2 Jan 1920 p12 (scoutmistress) 9 Jan 1920 p3 (church organist) , 16 April 1920 (concert organiser) 6 Aug 1920 (new scoutmistress) Cambridge Daily News 29 May 1921 p1 (offering two goats for sale)

RPPC of workmen on roof Text on reverse of above postcard

Name: BILLING, William Rogers b.1853 d. 1937
Address: Elsworth
Working dates: c.1900-13
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information:

William Rogers Billing, the son of Royal Marine William Billing (1818-1897), was born in 1853 at East Stonehouse, Devon. "Rogers" was his mother's maiden name. He spent his early years at Stonehouse where his father was a Royal Marine Dispensary Man at the Royal Marine Infirmary. By 1871 William Rogers Billing was a pupil teacher living with his parents and three sisters at East Stonehouse. The 1878 Whites Directory listed William as a schoolmaster at the National School, Farringdon, Devon. In 1874 William married Louisa Charlotte Simmons (1843-1886), daughter of a millwright, and they had three daughters, Kathleen Louisa (1876 - 1884), Edith May (1877-1963) and Nellie Marion (1880-1962). By 1881 William had finished his training and was a teacher at Sidlesham, Sussex. In November 1887 William and his family moved to Cambridgeshire and William was the schoolmaster at Elsworth, living in the School House, Brook Street. William's wife Louisa died in March 1886 and in November that year he married Elizabeth Jane (Bessie) Snell (1866- 1931) born in St Cleer Cornwall. They had two additional children, William Ernest Howard (1888-1984) and Janet Winifred (1891-1966). The 1891 census listed William as a school master at Elsworth and an organist. A further child, Bessie Elfrida, was born in 1893. By 1901 both William and Elizabeth were school teachers, and by 1911 Janet Winifred was also teaching. In 1911 the family was living at Woodbine Cottage Elsworth. William's son, William Ernest Howard Billing, also later became a school teacher. William left Elsworth school in March 1912 and became the headmaster of the Public Elementary School at Balsham, Cambridgeshire; a much larger school with 237 pupils compared with the 113 at Elsworth. According to the Electoral Register in 1915 and Kelly's Directory of 1916, William was living at Park House, Balsham. It is not known whether this was the schoolmaster's house or a temporary address, but in either case, Park House, along with The Green House, Balsham, both became Red Cross Auxiliary Hospitals for casualties during WW1 and according to family oral tradition, William and family helped out at the hospital. William retired in 1919 and at some point after he retired, moved to 63 Richmond Road Cambridge, his address in the 1921 Census and the electoral rolls from 1920-27. The 1921 Census shows William's occupation as an elementary schoolteacher and his last place of employment, at Foxton School. Then, around 1930, he moved to 11 Leys Road, Cambridge, which was his address until he died in 1937.

William was something of a polymath. In addition to his long career as a schoolmaster, William had many other interests. He was actively involved in adult education, running an "Evening Continuation School" at Elsworth. He was an organist, a singer and a violinist, involved in a number of local musical performances. He was a long term member of the Elsworth Conservative Club and its Secretary for some years. He was a keen bee keeper, winning prizes in local shows with his honey and honeycomb. He was also a skilled woodworker, and was awarded a lathe as a prize from the County Council's Technical Education Committee, following an excellent performance in the City and Guilds examinations. William was initiated into Freemasonry in 1911 at St Ivo Lodge No 2684 but resigned from the Lodge in 1915, possibly because of his move to Balsham.

No advertisements or other records have been found suggesting that William was also a photographer, but clear evidence of this interest, and of William's photographic skills, comes from the survival of the photographs shown below. These appear to date from around 1910-13. Perhaps William intended to move into professional photography after he retired from Elsworth School or to take up a supplementary occupation. The first is a cabinet photograph with a full length portrait of as young man with a floral button hole and watch chain. (does the buttonhole decoration suggest this could be a photograph relating to a wedding?) He is standing in what appears to be a naturally-lit outdoor studio space. Behind the sitter is a brick wall and part of the wall is covered by a painted back-cloth. The backcloth depicts a large window with vegetation around the edges. The design of the backcloth is unfocussed and a number of the plants have a spiky appearance. On the right hand side of the image the vegetation in the back-cloth blends in with real vegetation, possibly a vine, growing against the wall. The backcloth may have been hand painted by the photographer rather than being purchased commercially. The young man is standing on a floral pattern cloth or carpet. A rustic bent-wood chair is used as a studio prop, and part of a second chair can be seen lying on the floor. The subject is well framed and perfectly focussed. The photograph is mounted on a green cloth finished card mount with serrated and gilt edges printed in gilt "W.R.Billing Elsworth Cambridge". The reverse of the mount is blank cream card.

The second cabinet photograph, purchased from the same source, shows the same young man, dressed in similar clothes, plus a flat cap, standing holding a new looking bicycle. The photograph appears to have been taken on the same occasion. This photograph is taken in a garden, with a wall and staked bushes in the background. The subject is standing on a lawn. The bicycle has pneumatic tyres, not solid rubber ones. The front brake is a spoon brake the rear a rod brake. The overall appearance of the cycle is relatively modern, so perhaps it dates from around 1910 at the earliest. This photograph is on a much cheaper plain glossy chocolate brown mount with no information on the photographer.

The source of these two photographs believed that they came from one of two local Elsworth families, Braybrook or Poulter, and written in pencil on the reverse of the bicycle photograph is the name "Braybrook". There were at least four different Braybrook families living in Elsworth at this time. One possibility is that this is a portrait of Walter Braybrook b 1885. These two cabinet photographs have been described in detail in the hope that this may lead to more of William Billing's work being recognised, perhaps in albums from families in neighboring villages.

William's great grandson, David Hurst, has kindly provided the next five photographs below from his family archive, and allowed us to include the images here. These are described below. Collectively these show that William was a very competent photographer. He had purchased at least two sets of personalised cabinet photograph mounts, a hand embossing press with his name and address and at least two other types of mounts. He also produced prints on postcard printed photo cards. He produced at least two personalised photographic family Christmas cards. Expenditure of this nature would be unusual for an amateur photographer and tends to suggest a real interest in entering the field of professional photography, either as a career change or as a supplementary occupation.

References: England census 1861,1871,1881,1891,1901,1911, 1921. Cambridge Chronicle and Journal - Friday 11 November 1892 p4, Cambridge Chronicle and Journal - Friday 10 March 1893 p8, Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 20 July 1894, Cambridge Chronicle and Journal - Friday 01 November 1895 p4. Elsworth Chronicle Issue 4 May 1992 and Issue 5 Dec 1992. www.elsworthchronicle.org.uk.

portrait, Braybrook, by William Rogers Billing, Elsworth

Example (i) Cabinet Photograph outdoor portrait of unknown young man, surname probably "Braybrook", mount from J.R.Billing, Elsworth, Cambs.

portrait, Braybrook, by William Rogers Billing, Elsworth
Example (ii) Cabinet photograph outdoor portrait of the same young man as in (i) above, with bicycle. Mount blank on face and reverse.

Part of Christmas card showing the Billing family. Reproduced with the permission of David Hurst

Example (iii) Part of Christmas card showing the Billing family, 15.7 cm x 11.1 cm, In manuscript on the lower left corner is written "With best wishes for a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year" No photographer's name but the backcloth and setting match the cabinet card at (i) above, which has the the name "W.R.Billing Elsworth Cambs" on the mount. Reproduced with the permission of David Hurst.

Cabinet photograph, oval cameo self portrait of William Rogers Billing

Example (iv) Cabinet photograph, oval cameo self portrait of William Rogers Billing, on rectangular dark green embossed mount with scroll work; impressed and printed along the lower edge is "W.R.Billing Elsworth Cambridge" . Reproduced with the permission of David Hurst.

Outside portrait of the Billing family, postcard format, c. 1913 - William Rogers Billing is in the centre of the group - he is probably the photographer, taking the photograph with a timed shutter release. Reproduced with the permission of David Hurst.

Example (v) Outside portrait of the Billing family, postcard format, c. 1913 - William Rogers Billing is in the centre of the group - he is probably the photographer, taking the photograph with a timed shutter release. Reproduced with the permission of David Hurst.

Cabinet photograph outdoor portrait c.1900 of William Ernest Howard Billing (1888-1984) taken by his father W.R.Billing. Reproduced with the permission of David Hurst

Example (vi) Cabinet photograph outdoor portrait c.1900 of William Ernest Howard Billing (1888-1984) taken by his father W.R.Billing, whose name is on the mount. This is a black and white scan of a dark green personalised mount identical to (i) above. Reproduced with the permission of David Hurst.

Mounted part of a photographic Christmas card depicting William Ernest Howard Billing and his two sisters, with a cycle and cycle trailer. Reproduced with the permission of David Hurst

Example (vii) Mounted part of a photographic Christmas card depicting William Ernest Howard Billing and his two sisters, with a cycle and cycle trailer. This appears to be a different cycle to that in example (ii) above. Handwritten onto the photograph is "With best wishes from all for a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year". The photograph 4.25 x 6.5 in is mounted on a rectangular dark green 10 x 8 ins, embossed with a floral design and impressed beneath the image "W.R.Billing Elsworth, Cambridge". This impressed text was probably made with a hand operated embossing press, but is not the same as the impressed text in example (iv) above as, in this case, the words "Elsworth, Cambridge" are on the same line and there is no flourish beneath "W.R.Billing". Reproduced with the permission of David Hurst.

Name: BINGE, John Photography b: d:
Address: 34 Westfield Road, Sawtry
Working Dates: c.1986
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information:
References: Peterborough Yellow Pages 1986

Name: BINGHAM, Mary Ann b:1858 Brampton, Huntingdonshire. d:
Address: High Street, Huntingdon
Working Dates: c.1881
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1881 census Mary is shown as a photographer's assistant. She was living in High Street, Huntingdon with her father, John G Bingham, brewer and cooper b: 1838, St Neots, Huntingdonshire and mother, Isabella b:1838 Tempsford, Bedfordshire. No trace has yet been found of Mary Ann after 1881. (As an aside it is interesting to note that Newmarket photographer Henry Robert Sherborn was married to another Mary Ann Bingham, born St Neots Hunts 1852, whose father, Thomas Bingham, was also a cooper. It is believed that John G Bingham and Thomas Bingham were brothers and the two Mary Anns were cousins).
References: England census 1881

Name: BIRD, Frank. Frank Bird (Photography) b:1936
Address: Various addresses in Cambridge, Trumpington and Cottenham.
Working Dates: c.1954 - 2001
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Frank Bird, now retired, was a Cambridgeshire Photographer for over 45 years. He worked first for the Cambridge University Department of Aerial Photography (1954 -1957), then with Edward Leigh in Kings Parade (1957 - 1969) interrupted with periods on the high seas working for the Marine Photo Service, Colchester, on P&O liners from 1961-1963 then briefly with Stearns in Cambridge in 1963). In 1969 Frank went into partnership with Peter Lofts, trading first as "Lofts Bird Partnership" then as "Cambridgeshire Photographers". Frank, assisted by his wife, Madeleine, ran his own firm, Frank Bird (Photography), in Telegraph Street, Cottenham from 1976-2001.
References: For full details, please see Frank Bird's autobiography on our site here. Cambridge Yellow Pages 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000. Peterborough Yellow Pages 1977.

Name: BIRD, Vernon b: d:
Address: Station Road, March
Working Dates: c. 1908
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: It is likely that this single 1908 directory entry relates to William Henry Vernon Bird below - no other obvious candidate has yet been found in March in the 1901 or 1911 census returns. It is possible that William Henry used a double-barelled surname of Vernon Bird.
References: Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Kelly's Directory of Cambridgeshire 1908. Vernon Bird is included in a "Directory of Cambridgeshire Postcard Publishers/photographers noted before 1914" by Michael Rouse in "Cambridge in Early Postcards", Oleander Press 1978.

Name: BIRD, William Henry Vernon b:1881 at Boston, Lincs d:
Address: 5 Alexandra Road, Wisbech
Working Dates: c.1901 - 1904
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In 1901 William was living with his parents at 3 Cannon Street Wisbech. His father, William Bird b: 1851 Boston, was a grocer's manager. William was shown in the 1901 census as a photographer working from home on his own account. There is a directory entry for him in 1904 as a photographer in Wisbech at 5 Alexander Road. If the above entry for Vernon Bird refers to W H Vernon Bird, then he was at March around 1908. By 1911, William Henry Vernon Bird was living with his parents at 6 Grove St, Boston, Lincs and working as a photographer on his own account. A postcard has been listed for sale on Delcampe of a crowd scene - early 20th Century, scratched onto the foreground in shaky capitals is "Vernon Bird" and "Bargate". The location is not identified further, but there is a Bargate in Boston Lincs, suggesting again that WHV Bird used the name "Vernon Bird" in his photography.
References: Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Kelly's Directory of Cambridgeshire 1904

Name: BIRKITT, Malcolm b: d:
Address: 18 Svenskaby, Orton Wistow, Peterborough
Working Dates: c.1999
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: commercial, industrial, advertising, brochures.
References: Peterborough Yellow Pages 1999.

Name: BISHOP, John b: d: 1943
Address: Guilden Morden
Working Dates: 1880s - 1918
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: The Cambridge Independent Press 10th September 1943 has a column entitled "The Passing Hour" by "Watchman" which records "In the cottage homes of Cambridgeshire today there are many hundreds of treasured photographs bearing the rubber stamped words "John Bishop Photographer" a traveling photographer whose funeral was reported recently in our notes from Melbourn. Mr Bishop, it may be recalled, traveled about Cambridgeshire as a photographer for over 40 years until about 1918 living in a caravan and using it as studio and workroom on wheels. He was, one might say, a semi itinerant camera man; not one of those here today and gone tomorrow fraternity. He frequently stayed several months in the larger villages" Later in the same column "The traveling photographer with caravan is now but a memory. He has been driven from the road and village feasts mainly by the ease and popularity of modern photography, even among children many of whom have small cheap "Brownie" and like cameras".

The photo below reproduced with permission from the Cambridgeshire Collection ref W65.5.KO.27409 shows in the background a traveling photographer's caravan at a village feast of some sort, but the sign board appears to be for A.G.Bishop. Does this mean that John Bishop was a second generation traveling photographer?

Below this is what is believed to be an example of Bishop's work. A cabinet photograph of a young boy (or possibly girl) aged around three years standing on the seat of a dining chair, in a dress with frilled collar and short sleeves with a tartan sash round his waist and holding the back of the chair over which is draped a rug of some sort. The photograph has a black border to the mount and black edging. Does this have any meaning connected with mourning the sitter, or is it merely artistic? The reverse is a very faded pinkish geometric pattern. The photographers name alone "John Bishop" can be made out below the image on the rh side of the mount. In the centre of the pattern on the reverse is "John Bishop Art Photographer". There is no indication of the photographer's address anywhere on the mount. Difficult to date, but could be 1890s or 1900s. Below this is a cabinet photograph c.1895, reproduced with permission by the Cambridgeshire Collection (Cat c.65.5) On the face is printed "John Bishop Art Photographer Guilden Morden". The reverse is blank.

References: Cambridgeshire Collection’s Carte de Visite Collection c.65.5 has a photograph from John Bishop. Cambridge Independent Press 10/9/1943.

Photographer's caravan - Bishop

Cabinet photograph by John Bishop Reverse John Bishop cabinet photo

Detail - front of mount Detail from reverse of Bishop mount
Details from front and reverse of John Bishop mount

Cabinet photograph by Bishop

Cabinet photograph c.1895 from the Cambridgeshire Collection.

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: 09 February 2023, 17:16

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.