Cambridgeshire Photographers

Name: JM COLOUR STUDIO b: d:
Address: 13 The Square, Vicarage Farm Road, Peterborough
Working Dates: c.1990
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: manuscripts, fine art
References: Peterborough Yellow Pages 1990

Name: JOHNSON, Edward b:1822 Walsoken Norfolk d:1907
Address: 8 Ryan Street, Wisbech 1861 to March 21 1862; 21 Church Terrace Wisbech from 31 March 1862; 23 Lower Hill Place Wisbech, Lower Hill House, 1869-1893
Working Dates: c.1861-1893
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In his early years Edward Johnson worked as a boot closer and in 1851 was working as such, living with his wife Ann (b:1825 Wisbech), at Little South Street Wisbech. His name appears with artistic connections in the Cambridge Chronicle and Journal of Saturday 05 March 1853 p6, in a comprehensive report on the Wisbech Exhibition at the Public Hall. The reporter noted there were "some choice calotypes by Mr Craddock of Wisbech, and Mr. Worden of March." Also on display was an "extensive collection of conchological specimens and minerals, contributed Mr. S. Smith" and "several fine busts and statuettes under glass shades (Mr E.Johnson and others)". In his 'History of Wisbech During The Last Fifty Years, 1848 - 1898' p30, Frederick John Gardner wrote in 1898 (of Thomas Craddock) "During his residence in Wisbech, he was associated with the late Mr. Samuel Smith, and Mr. Edward Johnson, in utilising photography for the purpose of preserving the more conspicuous features of the town of that day. An excellent collection of these views, many from negatives in the possession of Mr. Robert Bennett, is preserved in the Museum Library, and testifies to the skill and industry of these early amateur photographers." This suggests that Johnson had probably taken up photography in the 1850s before the first census return which listed this as one of his occupations. However, the Cambridge Independent Press on Saturday 2 October 1858 p7 noted for Wisbech: " Photography.— We imagine that the Photographic Art is extensively patronised, as we find there are no less than four professionals practicing here at the present time, viz. Mr. G. Lilley, Professor Parker, Mr. Steele, and last, though not least, Mr. Mackintosh, of High Street who is producing some really excellent specimens. As the productions of all of them are so very good, it would b« individious to criticise, and the charges of each are so moderate that the poorest person may procure a striking and well-finished likeness, at a mere nominal sum" So, late in 1858 Edward Johnson had not yet become a professional photographer. But in 1861 Edward was at 8 Ryan Street, Wisbech, working as both a photographer and a boot closer, with his wife and son Ernest E. Johnson (b:1859). In the Wisbech Chronicle, General Advertiser and Lynn News - Saturday 19 April 1862 p2, Edward gave notice that he was removing to 21 Church Terrace, Wisbech, which was a larger property, formerly occupied by hairdresser Mr Sharp. From April 1862 Edward advertised: "Carte de visite pictures taken daily at E.Johnson's 21 Church Terrace".

By 1865 Edward's reputation as a photographer was growing. The Cambridge Independent Press of 17 June 1865 reported: "Views of Wisbech. Our respected townsman Mr E Johnson, photographic artist, is now publishing some very beautiful carte views of Wisbech which far excel anything of the kind we have previously seen". At around this point Edward Johnson, like his competitor, Enoch Steele, produced a series of cartes de visite bearing photographs of local political cartoons. In 1866 Edward exhibited at the Wisbech Industrial and Fine Art Exhibition, where he was awarded a medal. In 1871 Edward was a photographer at 23 Lower Hill Place Wisbech, his son Valentine E Johnson (b:1868) lived with him and his wife. Edward was well known in the Wisbech community and in 1871 he was one of four overseers of the poor for the town. (Norfolk News 15 April 1871 p8 - thanks to Garry Monger for this reference). The Cambridge Independent Press, Saturday 21 September 1867 p6, mentioned Johnson's new premises. "Photography. Our enterprising townsman, Mr E Johnson, has just opened a splendid photographic establishment on the premises formerly occupied by James Usill Esq adjoining the Grammar School and the same is quite an ornament to our town. The front of the building has been much improved and presents a very chaste appearance. Mr Johnson is now publishing a series of views of the churches in the neighbourhood and more beautiful specimens of the photographic art could scarcely be found. We sincerely wish Mr Johnson every possible success in his new and admirably adapted premises." In 1881 he had diversified somewhat, still living at 23 Lower Hill Place, and his occupation was "photographer and fancy repository". Living with him and his wife was his son Valentine E (b:1868), a visitor who was an apprentice photographer, Florence Buck (b:1868 Wisbech), two domestic servants and two widowed lodgers. In 1891 Edward was still a photographer at the same address. Edward's wife Ann was running the fancy business, son Valentine had become a private tutor and author. Hattie Bray (b:Wisbech 1881) lived in as a shop assistant for the fancy business. The family employed a housemaid and a cook. Edward remained listed as a photographer at 23 Lower Hill Street in the 1893 Balding's Directory of Wisbech. By 1901 Edward was no longer listed among the local photographers in the 1901 Balding's Directory and according to the 1901 census he had become a 'retired photographer' and was living at 16 Great Church Street Wisbech.

Edward's photographs of local churches were published in three volumes by Leach and Son Wisbech. See below for examples of Edward's cartes de visite. The first three shown are probably the earliest, the images are from the 1860s, the square cornered cream card mounts have no information on the face and on the reverse the photographer's details are in three rows of unadorned print. The first image of an unknown lady in a bonnet is mounted on a mount from a different batch to the next two - the first one being on cream cardstock a couple of millimeters wider than the next two. Also close examination of the typefaces shows that the type on the wider mount has been printed on a press where the pressure is set lower than was the case with the next two. There is no way of knowing which of these two batches of mounts came first. The second pair of cartes de visite have no text on the front of the mounts, on the rear is written "E Johnson 21 Church Terrace, Wisbeach". The two mounts are different sizes and printed with a different typeface. The larger mount is 4 and 1/8 inches x 2 and 1/2 inches, the smaller 4 x 2 and 1/4 inches, both have square corners and, from the address and style of clothing, these appear to date from the mid 1860s. The scrollwork containing the text on the rear of these appears to be a later embellishment and improvement on the previous unadorned text design. However, the contrary argument would be that, in the scroll design, the town name is spelled "Wisbeach" with an "a", rather than the present day version without the "a". "Wisbech" was in use in Statutes from at least the 1830s, but for many years both alternatives were in use as a matter of personal preference. It was around the date of these cartes that attempts were being made to standardise the spelling. In his 'History of Wisbech during the last Fifty years, 1848 - 1898', published in 1898, Frederick John Gardner stated that "Wisbech" had become the standard spelling from around 30 years earlier (i.e. around 1868) However discussions on the spelling to be used by the local school board and the Great Eastern Railway Company can be found nine years later in the Stamford Mercury and Cambridge Chronicle and Journal - Saturday 10 February 1877 p6 and Friday 08 June 1877 p4 respectively. The spelling used by Edward may well have wavered between the two versions and so this may not be as useful in sequencing the cartes as might have been thought. The next pair of cartes de visite appear slightly later and the reverse states "Prize Medal, Wisbech Industrial and Fine Art Exhibition May 1866 Edward Johnson, Photographer Lower Hill House, Wisbech, negatives kept". On the face the mounts have text "E Johnson Photo Wisbech". These obviously were produced in or after 1866. The left hand carte has probably had a couple of millimeters trimmed off the bottom to fit it into an album. Below these is another post 1866 carte de visite from Simon Shirley's collection of a middle aged woman in every-day clothes including bonnet, apron and holding a jug - an obvious attempt by Johnson to show the sitter in the context of her normal life or work. Next is a carte de visite portrait of a curly-haired young boy, probably from the 1880s. The mount is cream with square corners. On the face of the mount is written "E.Johnson Lower Hill House Wisbech". The reverse of the mount has an elaborate floral border and the text reads" E Johnson portrait and landscape photographer Lower Hill House Wisbech" . Next is a carte de visite on a mount produced by Frewer and Evans, London, with rounded corners and fancy scrollwork on the reverse. Interestingly the image features the same scroll ended prop as the previous carte. This example is probably from the 1880s. Edward Johnson was also employed on occasions to take photographs of prisoners in the Wisbech Prison in the 1870s. An example prisoner carte of a young female prisoner from 1873 is shown in "Wisbech 1800-1901" by Andrew C Ingram, Middleton Press. Other outside work is occasionally mentioned in the local press. For example in 1873 Edward took photographs of the entire choir at the Tydd St Mary Sunday School Festival, first in their Sunday best, then later in holiday attire (Lynn Advertiser 19 July 1873 p7 - thanks to Garry Monger for the reference).

References: Wisbech Chronicle, General Advertiser and Lynn News - Saturday 06 September 1862 P2, for an early advertisement "Carte de visite pictures taken daily at E.Johnson's 21 Church Terrace". (thanks to Garry Monger for pointing out this reference and the possible link to the printer of the Wisbech Chronicle and also for the 1862 notice of removal to Church Terrace and for the information about photographs of prisoners in Wisbech Prison.)
Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Kelly's Directories of Cambridgeshire 1864-92: 21 Church Terrace, Wisbech 1864 and 23 Lower Hill St, Wisbech 1869, 1875, 1879, 1883, 1888 and 1892.
Mike Petty, An Eye on the Past, Cambridge Weekly News 6/5/1992
Wisbech Chronicle, General Advertiser and Lynn News - Saturday 19 April 1862 p2 Notice of removal to the Church Terrace address.
(The Wisbech Chronicle, General Advertiser and Lynn News 1862 carried another advertisement in the name of E.Johnson - but with a different address. This was for "The Wisbech Tents" an organisation offering to hire out a 120 x 30 ft tent for flower shows, school festivities, cricket clubs etc. Terms were available from Mr E.Johnson, Secretary, 4 Bridge Street, Wisbech. This address, 4 Bridge Street Wisbech, was also the office address and place of printing of the Wisbech Chronicle in 1862 and its printer was one E.Johnson. Another 'E.Johnson' reference in the local press in the 1850s is for E.Johnson, bookseller, Wisbech, who was listed among the local agents for the Phoenix Insurance Co; Cambridge Chronicle and Journal Saturday 07 April 1855 p1, Cambridge Chronicle and Journal Saturday 22 December 1855 p2, Cambridge Chronicle and Journal - Saturday 27 September 1856 p3, Cambridge Chronicle and Journal - Saturday 03 October 1857 p3, Cambridge Chronicle and Journal - Saturday 26 December 1857 p2. Later E.Johnson, bookseller, was listed as the local agent for Standard Life Assurance, Cambridge Independent Press Saturday 06 April 1861 p1 . These may or may not be the same person and probably do not refer to Edward Johnson, photographer).

Three early cartes de visite by Johnson, Wisbech

Reverse of three cartes de visite by E.Johnson, Wisbech

Two cartes de visite, E Johnston, Wisbech

Reverse of two cartes de visite, E Johnson, Wisbech

Pair of cartes de visite E Johnson, Wisbech

Reverse of a pair of cartes de visite, E Johnson, Wisbech

Carte of middle aged woman in her normal dress by E.Johnson, Wisbech Reverse of E.Johnson, Wisbech carte post 1866

Carte de visite by E.Johnson, Wisbech Reverse of E.Johnson, Wisbech, carte de visite

Carte de visite by E.Johnson, Wisbech Reverse of E.Johnson, Wisbech carte de visite

JOHNSON, Harry and Nephew, Cambridge, Booksellers and Stationers, 3 St Andrews Street Cambridge. Agency for a walking pictures Sunfilms business in Cambridge in the 1930s. See our page on Walking Pictures in Cambridgeshire for more details. The level of involvement of the firm in the photographic business is not currently known.

Name: JOLLY, Sidney Wilson b: 1900 d:
Address: 7 Eden Street, Cambridge
Working Dates: 1921
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1921 Census Sidney was living with his widowed mother and three siblings at 7 Eden Street. He was an unemployed photographer, previously employed by Turners in Trinity Street, Cambridge.
References: 1921 Census

Name: JONES, Brian R. ABIPP, Photographer b: d:
Address: The Studio, 12 The Broadway St Ives
Working Dates: 1986 - a number of directory sites suggest the business is still in operation from Needingworth in 2016
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: weddings, portraits etc
References: Peterborough Yellow Pages 1986, 1990, 1999. In the Norris Museum collection are two photographs of the front entrance to the St Ives Corn Exchange taken in 1996 by Brian Jones: PH/S.IVE/CornEx/18a and b. Also, photographs in Noel Hudson’s “St Ives, Slepe by the River Ouse” pub in 1989 are by Brian Jones: PH/S.IVE/Fr.Chur/29

Name: JONES, Charles Henry b: 11/3/1888 Cardiff, Glamorganshire, Wales d:1955
Address: 4 Parliament Street, Peterborough 1927, 52 Elmsfield Road Peterborough by 1939
Working Dates: 1927-39
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1921 census Charles was boarding at 38 Cromwell Road, Peterborough, He was a photographer employed by Miss May Bone at her studio in the Market Square, Peterborough. There is one local directory entry for C.H. Jones photographer for 1927. In the 1939 Register Charles H Jones b:1888 was shown as as a "photographer commercial view" at 52 Elmsfield Road Peterborough, living with his wife Caroline Jones (Née Blood) b:1889 and his in-laws. Nothing further known at this stage
References: The Peterborough Directory 1927, 1939 Register, 1921 Census.

Name: JONES, Elise M. b: 1903, March, Cambridgeshire, d:
Address: 46 Gt Eastern Street, Cambridge
Working Dates: c.1921
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1921 census Elise was living with her parents with three other family members visiting, at 46 Gt Eastern Street, Cambridge. She was employed as a photographic shop assistant with Turners in Trinity Street, Cambridge.
References: 1921 Census

Name: JR PHOTOGRAPHY
Address: 14 Orchard Way, Ramsey (also at Holbeach)
Working Dates: c.1986
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Weddings, portraits
References: Peterborough Yellow Pages 1986

Name: JUDGE, Frederick b:1872 Wakefield d:
Address: Out of County - Hastings
Working Dates: 1902-
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Postcard producer from Hastings, where he took over a business in 1902. Frederick traveled extensively taking photographs for his postcards – including many Cambridge and Cambridgeshire subjects.
References: Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Mike Petty, An Eye on the Past, Cambridge Weekly News, 11/12/1991 (2)
www.judges.co.uk/about/

Name: JULIANS PHOTOGRAPHY, Julian EDWARDS - Past member of the SWPP and BPPA
Address: 38 The Grove, Linton
Working Dates: c. 1990 – at least 2000. A number of online directories suggest the business is still operating in 2016.
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: weddings, portraits
References: Cambridge Yellow Pages 1990, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000

Name: JULYAN, George Langham Jun. b: Peterborough 1873 d:1949
Address: 17 Cromwell Road Peterborough (1901-11) 48 Cowgate, Peterborough (1921)
Working Dates: c.1889 - ?
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: George Langham Julyan Jun was born in Peterborough in 1873, son of George L Julyan, an outfitter. In 1901 George and his wife Emily Julyan (née Furnis b: Peterborough 1877) were living at 17 Cromwell Road, Peterborough. George was then employed as an outfitter's assistant. In 1911 the family were in the same house, with a 5 year old son, Frank Furnis Julyan. George was then a self employed bicycle mechanic working on his own account. In 1921 George, his wife and son and his brother were living at 48 Cowgate, Peterborough. George was a cycle and motor agent and an employer

The cabinet photograph below (Simon Shirley Collection) of a grave, has the photographer's name on the face, "GL Julyan Jun Peterborough" and the reverse is blank. However, in manuscript on the reverse is written "Annie Julyan's grave in Peterborough Cemetery". Annie Lavinia Julyan, b:1877 was George's sister, who died in 1889.

References: Census returns 1881, 1901, 1911, 1921. No trace has been found of George as a photographer in any of the Peterborough trade directories. Photography was probably a secondary occupation for George.

Cabinet photograph of a grave by GL Julyan

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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: 25 February 2023, 15:30

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