Cambridgeshire Photographers

Name: STICKYBACKS or STICKY BACKS
Address: Midgate Peterborough
Working Dates: some time between c.1903 - 1906
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: The photograph below is reproduced with permission from the excellent site www.peterboroughimages.co.uk, which contains many photographs of Peterborough through the ages. The photo is stated to be from around 1900 and shows premises on the North side of Midgate Peterborough adjacent to Broadway. An old shop is plastered with advertising (including one large graphic advertisement which, by today's standards, is outrageously racist) for the wares within - which are "sticky back" photographs. 'Stickyback' is the name by which small gummed-photographs, not much larger than a postage-stamp, are known." [Photo-era Magazine, Vol.28, 1912]. These inexpensive little photographs were a bit like the strips of images obtained today from photo-booths, although stickybacks were produced by hand, not by a machine. Many of the example prints surviving from various sticky-back studios contain an information strip with the name "Sticky Backs", the photographer's address and a negative number. This information has either been from a signboard above or below the subject which has been included within the image, or has been added in the printing process from a second negative. Stickyback photographs were usually produced in strips of four or six identical small images. Depending on how the owner cut up the strip, surviving examples either have the information strip at the top or bottom of the print. Stickyback photographs are one example of a genre of sub carte-de-visite size formats from around the 1890s to 1920s, about which there is more here: www.fadingimages.uk/subgenre.asp . The photographs were very inexpensive, often no more than 3 or 6 pence a dozen, opening up the market to the less well off. Stickyback photographers also generally offered some other, more expensive products, such as small photographs in larger, often embossed, mounts or postcard format prints for those sitters prepared to pay for a larger image.

It is not known at this stage who the Stickyback photographer was at this Midgate studio in Peterborough. The date of the photograph may be more recent than was supposed. The building in question protruded across the junction from Midgate, reducing the width of Broadway. In 1899 land East of Broadway from the junction with Midgate was acquired by Peterborough Corporation with the intention of eventually building a new Guildhall there. A property exchange with Mr Fitzwilliam made it possible for the Corporation to realign the junction between Long Causeway and Broadway by pulling down this building. Existing leases on properties affected expired on 25 March 1906 and the Corporation resolved to issue fortnightly leases thereafter until their improvement plan was implemented. In September 1906 the Corporation received permission from the Local Government Board to borrow £800 to undertake the works and it is believed that the improvement scheme was implemented soon after. To date however no direct evidence has been found of the exact date of demolition of this building. The same building was occupied in the 1901 census by David Henry Stott and his family. Stott b:1857 Peterborough, was a printer, bookbinder, stationer, bookseller and newsagent and photographs survive of the building with his signage. By the time the 1903 Kelly's Directory of Northampton was published in May 1903 Stott's businesses were operating in Long Causeway and Cross Street. When Kelly's Directory of Northamptonshire 1906 was published, Stott was living at 7 The Crescent, Thorpe Road Peterborough and his business premises were at 3 Westgate and Cross Street. The directory was published in Nov 1906, but both directories must have taken some months to prepare. It seems likely therefore that the photograph below of the Stickyback studio at Midgate was taken some time between 1903 and 1906. Probably the stickyback photographer took a short lease on the premises, making it more likely that he or she was there towards the end of this period.

The inventor of the sticky back photo is believed to be Spiridione Grossi and you can read extensive research on this by David Simkin at: http://photohistory-sussex.co.uk/BoultwoodStickyBacksStudio.htm. It is possible that the Peterborough Stickybacks studio in Midgate was a studio in a small chain. There were other Sticky Back and Sticky Back and Postcard studios in many uk towns and cities, including Manchester, Brighton, Sheerness, Portsmouth, Brixton, Woolwich, Dublin - these seem to have been in operation from around 1901. A little later a photographer called Sidney Boultwood set up a number of stickyback studios between 1911 and 1918, in Southend-on-Sea, Lowestoft, Ipswich, Reading, Kidderminster, Halifax, Bath, Derby, Worcester and Southampton.

Another Peterborough image has opened up even more questions. The photograph below has been reproduced with the permission of its owner, Carol Petchey, and with the permission of the Chatteris site of the Cambridgeshire Community Archive Network, where it has been posted. The photograph shows Mary Bishop, aged 20, who was born & lived at Beezlings Farm, Chatteris, the daughter of Emily Maltman Bishop (nee Jackson) & Fred Bishop. This appears to be a "Stickybacks" portrait having a text bar at the bottom of the image. The text states "Narrow St PBoro" with a photo number in the left hand corner which appears to be "552". The owner of the image dates this at around 1916. Mary is shown in the 1911 census as being born in 1897, dating the photograph to 1916/17. The large hat suggests a date after 1910, so is consistent with this dating. So this suggests there was a stickybacks photographer in Narrow Street Peterborough around 1916, up to some 10 years after the demolition of the Midgate building. Was the Stickyback photograph of Mary Bishop taken by one of the photographers already listed on this site with premises in Narrow Street, or by another, as yet unidentified, photographer? A number of different photographers operated from Narrow Street over the years (Ball and Co at No 13 until 1907 and Squire Phillips at No 16 in 1924). The closest date we have for 1916 is the Rapid Photo Co at 24 Narrow Street in 1914. Was the Narrow St stickyback operator connected with the Midgate one, and if so how? The Rapid Photo Company would appear to have been in the hands of John Borrill Etches when he contracted to dispose of its stock in trade and goodwill to Hunstanton photographer May Bone in April 1916. This was a transaction which Etches had agreed to, but failed to carry out, resulting in May Bone successfully taking him to court in 1921 and winning damages.

WE WOULD WELCOME ANY FURTHER INFORMATION AND SUGGESTIONS ABOUT THESE TWO STICKYBACK SHOPS IN PETERBOROUGH OR EXAMPLES OF THEIR WORK.

We have more material on the origins of Stickybacks photographs and the Stickybacks name on our other site:

Links to Stickybacks and related pages on our other site: www.stickybacks.uk:

References:
www.peterboroughimages.co.uk;
http://photohistory-sussex.co.uk/BTNStickyBacks54%20NorthSt.htm has a very detailed account of the Brighton Sticky Back Studio.
This site has details of Sidney Boultwood and his studios http://photohistory-sussex.co.uk/BoultwoodStickyBacksStudio.htm
Examples of Stickyback photos can be found here: http://photohistory-sussex.co.uk/BoultwoodStickyBacksStudio.htm and in the Trott family album here: http://photohistory-sussex.co.uk/StickyBackTrottAlbum.htm.
Chatteris site for the Cambridgeshire Community Archive Network
Peterborough Advertiser 8 Feb 1899 p2, 25 October 1899, 15 January 1902, Stamford Mercury 22 January 1904 p6, 3 March 1905, 14 April 1905, 19 May 1905 p4, 7 July 1905 p2, 1 December 1905 p4, 6 June 1906, 7 September 1906.

Stickybacks studio, Midgate, Peterborough

Stickybacks photo from Narrow Street, Peterborough c.1916

Name: STICKYBACKS or STICKY BACKS
Address: Narrow Street, Peterborough
Working Dates: c.1916
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: See above entry for STICKYBACKS Midgate Peterborough and accompanying image.
References:

Name: STILLS (Alan DAVIDSON ABIPP) b: 1958 d:
Address: The Old Horse Yard, Comberton Road, Toft
Working Dates: c.1980 – still in business in 2016
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: STILLS described as digital photography for advertising, working from studios in Cambridge and Norwich and location photography throughout the UK. Reported in 1990 to be Toft based and doubling size of studio, taking on an extra 500 sq ft. Specialised in photographing top of the range motorcycles. The firm was founded by Alan Davidson who had previously been with Reeve Photography, Cambridge, since 1980.
References: Yellow Pages 1990, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, http://www.stills-photography.co.uk/index.php BW 20.9.1990. Cambridge Daily News 21 Nov 1986, Cambridge Evening News 19 Jan 1988.

Name: STIMPSON, Edith Mary, b: 1903 Ely, Cambridgeshire. d:
Address: Church Lane, Ely
Working Dates: c.1921
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1921 census Edith was living with her parents at Church Lane Ely. She was a photographer's assistant working for Starr and Rignall, High Street, Ely.
References: 1921 Census

Name: ST IVES PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO or ST IVES STUDIO b: d:
Address: 49 Taman Close, St Ives
Working Dates: c.1999 - 2000
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: weddings, portraits, dance, boudoir
References: Cambridge Yellow Pages 2000, Peterborough Yellow Pages 1999

Name: ST IVES STUDIO
Address: Station Road, St Ives
Working Dates: 1962 - 1968
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information:
References: County Directory of Huntingdon 1962-63. D.A.Yales Directory of Huntingdon and Peterborough 1967/1968

Name: STOCKING, Margaret b: d:
Address: 13 Cyprus Road, Cambridge
Working Dates: c.1974
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information:The Cambridge Evening News 23 August 1974 reported that Margaret Stocking had an exhibition of her photographs in the coffee bar at the Arts Theatre Cambridge. Margaret had trained at Bournemouth College of Art and had been working as a photographer for the Telegraph and freelance for around 4 years. she had been in Cambridge for about a year, having come from Stratford on Avon.
References: Cambridge Evening News 23 August 1974

Name: STRINGER, T b: d:
Address: St Ives
Working Dates: c.1900
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: We are grateful for permission to include the carte de visite portrait below of an unknown young man by Stringer from the Huntingdonshire Archives. The reverse of the white mount has a number of hand stamped designs, including the legend: "Photographed by T Stringer St Ives Hunts". No trace of this photographer has yet been found in local trade directories or census returns.
References: Huntingdonshire Archives Accession No 4741.

Carte de visite portrait by T Stringer

Name: STUDIO MARGARET
Address: 1950s 5 Silver Street, Wisbech, by 1960 at 22 Victoria Road, Wisbech
Working Dates: 1946 - c1992

Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Weddings, Commercial, portraiture, also photographic printing for customers. We do not currently know the origin of the name of this studio, but the people behind the firm were husband and wife Derrick C Plume (b:1924 Wisbech) and Mavis M. Plume (b: 1925 Nee Titman). Derrick served in the army during WW2. While in the Forces, a friend and colleague suggested to Derrick that he should take up photography, and bought him a book on the subject. This started his 44 year photographic career. Derrick's final military posting was to the Royal Armoured Corps Publications Section where he photographed the first Centurion Tank and exhibits for the Tank Museum at Bovington. In the darkroom he printed hundreds of photographs. As his interest in photography broadened, Derrick was influenced by American photographer William Mortensen and Austrian Fritz Henle. He also had some practical instruction at Bovington from Moordown photographer Ken Evans.

Leaving the armed forces in 1946 and returning to Wisbech, Derrick looked for a post as a photographer and applied to Roland Ream, who had taken over his mother’s practice. Derrick refused Roland's offer of 30/- a week as he would have been unable to live on such a wage. Instead he found work in the building trade at Miller and Sons (Wisbech) Ltd, first as an accounts clerk, later as a salesman. A year later, in March 1948, he moved to C.C. Coleman, builders and millwrights, initially as their Office Manager and 2 years later as their Company Secretary. He stayed with Coleman’s until 1964.

But Derrick continued to develop his photographic interests, freelancing where he could get work photographing weddings or with the occasional commercial job. It was at this point that his wife to be, Mavis, asked Derrick’s advice about how best to photograph children at a Sunday School Christmas play where she was a helper – he offered to take the photographs and this started their mutual involvement in photography and lead to their courtship and marriage.

Derrick and Mavis were married in 1950. They moved into 5 Silver Street, Wisbech, where they started their studio in the middle bedroom. They had a Voigtlander Brilliant camera, a hand-made enlarger and lots of enthusiasm. Studio Margaret was born, specialising in wedding, portrait and commercial photography. The first public event photographed by Studio Margaret was the Wisbech Pageant held in June 1949 and the Studio returned with black and white proofs the next day for performers to see and place orders. Their first clients for commercial photography were Tidnams Ltd, Wisbech concrete manufacturers. In July 1951 Studio Margaret visited Tidnam's works at Burdett Rd and photographed every one of their range of pre-cast concrete products for a catalogue as well as the newly erected concrete fence posts and rails along North Brink for inclusion in a Chamber of Commerce book about Wisbech.

In 1951 Derrick was recalled briefly to the army as a reservist. Mavis continued to run the Studio on her own.

Garry Monger has unearthed an item in the Daily Mirror 10 July 1954 where Derrick C Plume won £5 with his entry to the newspaper's “Summer Snap Photo Competition” with a photo of Mavis in the surf in a bathing costume.

In 1955 Studio Margaret had its first exhibition stand at the Wisbech Borough Show.

In the early years of business Derrick and Mavis went to weddings and events carrying their gear by bicycle. In 1957 they bought their first van, GNG9, a Ford Martin Walter conversion, seating seven, signwritten with the firm’s details. Later Mavis also bought a moped and used this to carry her equipment when they had booked more than one wedding on a Saturday.

Wedding bookings were slow until the Studio started to develop a reputation for quality. Derrick stated that they became noted for a modern style of work and clients visited them for what looked like outdoor portraits taken in the studio against a cloud background.

Studio Margaret was not without competitors. Derek particularly mentioned the firm of T.E.Mears, 1 Market Place Wisbech. “We had just started wedding photography when this business opened; Mrs Mears, a former Wisbechian, had been an apprentice at the Reams. The Mears started a new innovation by proofing wedding photographs back to the reception in a few hours. In order to compete we revolutionised our darkroom to process films quickly and produce fast prints so that we could also proof back to one, two or even three weddings. We survived, but some rivals did not.”.

Derrick and Mavis moved to 22 Victoria Rd Wisbech around 1960. They built a 12 ft x 24 ft studio as soon as they moved in. With a new address they got a quote from printer Bill Wright’s son, Barry, for letterheads, invoices, business cards and order books. The price was too high for them the have everything at once and Barry jokingly suggested that they should buy a press and print their own paperwork. The idea appealed and they bought from Barry a 1908 Golding Jobber No 6 press with two cases of type for £35. They quickly printed their own stationery, then printed time sheets for Coleman's. Business expanded rapidly for builders, then other trades, shops, sports and charities. Turnover increased to such an extent that they needed a faster and more economical method of printing and in 1964 they bought a Heidelberg litho press. 8 years later they bought a second one, which speeded production to 4000 items an hour including numbering and perforating. The printing side of the business was named "The Victorberg Press" and as demand for portraiture declined so the studio became the print shop. Mavis developed artistic skills and designed posters, cards and invitations. Derrick and Mavis also designed and published “Where to go, where to buy in Wisbech” which ran to 214 issues printed over 18 years.

In 1963 Derrick and Mavis were also experimenting with cine photography. A 10 minute silent film they made on scouting in Wisbech, "Carry on Scouting", preserved by the East Anglian Film Archive, can be viewed on the BFI Player. https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-carry-on-scouting-1963-online (Thanks to Garry Monger for this link).

In 1964 Derrick left Coleman’s to work full time with Mavis in the photography and printing businesses. Derrick wrote “No sooner had I left Coleman’s to work full time on photography with Mavis than we heard that David Fairbrother had diversified into the same profession. Mac Cotterell left The Advertiser about this time, so with Reams and Ralph Hurst there were five professionals photographing weddings. David’s work was good and with a shop window he secured many bookings. We had the advantage of going back to receptions with black and white proofs, but when colour became the normal film to use we had to compete against the others on equal grounds. Mavis and I looked at as much work as possible of other photographers, especially when we were on holiday to give us ideas that would attract brides. In a Horsham shop window we saw brides and bridesmaids seated and were the first to introduce these pictures into a wedding album. We succeeded in getting our share of the market and many girls said when collecting their wedding albums that they are the best they had ever seen”.

From 1948 onwards many wedding photographs from the Studio were published in local newspapers. Derrick kept count and 1457 appeared in the Wisbech Standard; 1044 in the Wisbech Telegraph and other Fenland Newspapers.

In 1978 Derrick was elected as the President of the Wisbech Chamber of Trade. In November 1988 Derrick and Mavis had an exhibition of photography and printing at the Wisbech and Fenland Museum.

Mavis had an unusual collecting passion. When Derrick asked her to pose beside a vintage car on a day out at Hunstanton early in their marriage, she joked that she should be wearing a swimming costume from the same period as the car. From this developed a lifelong interest in collecting period swimwear. In the Norwood News on Friday 22 July 1955 p12 is a light hearted article about "swimming, now and then", illustrated with two photographs of ladies in bathing outfits from 1955 and 1890, both photos by Studio Margaret. The firm ran an unusual advertisement in The Stage 22 December 1955 "For Hire, ladies old fashioned bathing dresses, singles or in sets; amateurs supplied. Studio Margaret, Wisbech". Mavis’ collection grew to over 300 costumes, which were loaned or hired out for all sorts of special events, theatrical performances and film work. Mavis bought a number of wax figures for her costumes from a local ladies outfitters when it closed down. In local directories in the 1980s Studio Margaret are listed as "Theatrical Costumiers" and "Aquatic Costumiers" and in one instance with a business name "Aquatogs". The costume collection is now housed at Southend Central Museum and The Daily Mail, 31 July 2010 reported on an exhibition there that year of Mavis' swimwear through the ages.

Studio Margaret advertised for models in the local press: Peterborough Advertiser - Friday 31 October 1958 p15, "Photographic models wanted, evenings or weekends, good fees and expences, send photo, and details, Studio Margaret, Silver Street, Wisbech." Garry Monger remembers that his sister in law modelled for the studio in the late 1950s.

Over the years Studio Margaret produced a few real photo postcards These included:

1958 – image of the Memorial at St Peter’s Church for Raphael Tuck postcards.
Views of Guyhirn for Stewart Cousins
Views of Welney for Jack Griggs
Views of Upwell for the local postmaster.
1991 produced number of postcards of views of Wisbech.

In 1987 Derrick Plume was awarded a Licentiatship of the Royal Photographic Society (Fenland Citizen 2 December 1987 p2)

Derrick and Mavis retired in 1992 (Fenland Citizen 16 Sept 1992 p 6 - thanks to Garry Monger for this reference)

References:
Derrick was the author of "Ramblings of a Wisbechian : 60 years of events in Wisbech of a local family from approximately 1924 to 1983", published by Mavis and Derrick Plume, Wisbech, 1993. The above biographical details have mainly been extracted from this book. This has been a difficult task as Derrick’s text is divided into a series of entries associated with individual business addresses.
Eastern Counties of England Trade Directory 1966/1967.
Peterborough Yellow Pages 1971, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1986, 1990.
According to the electoral registers, Derrick C Plume was living at Barnack Rd, Stamford, Lincs in 2003.

Name: STUDIO POLAROID
Address: At Thakral’s Chemists 9-10 Stanisland Way, Werrington, Peterborough and Peters Photo 10 Great Whyte, Ramsey
Working Dates: c.1990
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: – instant passport photos - some sort of franchise arrangement perhaps?
References: Peterborough Yellow Pages 1999 block ad for both addresses.

Name: STURTON & SONS (Joseph and Richard Sturton)
Address: Cambridge
Working Dates: c.1869
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Joseph Sturton b:1815 Sleaford Lincs, was a chemist and druggist at 119 Fitzroy Street Cambridge in the 1861 census. He was assisted by his wife Elizabeth b:1824 Cambridge. Their children, all born in Cambridge, were: Anne Ainsworth b:1842, Miriam b:1847, Martha Hooper b:1848, Susanna b:1853, Richard b:1855, Joseph Ashworth b:1857 and Mary Elizabeth b:1858. In 1862 Mr Sturton chemist and druggist of Fitzroy Street Cambridge was mentioned in the Cambridge Independent Press (12/4/1862) in the case of a suicide who had taken a fatal dose of Laudanum purchased from his chemist's shop. In 1871 the family was living at 1 Park Terrace Cambridge. Joseph was a "chemist and landowner", assisted by his wife and daughter Susanna and his son Richard was an apprentice chemist. The family had two servants. By 1881 Joseph had changed his occupation and was described as a farmer. In 1881 Richard Sturton was living at 28 New Square Cambridge, a chemist and oil merchant employing 12 men and 6 boys. He was living with his wife, Mary Emma b:1861 Peterborough. In 1881 Joseph Ashworth Sturton was living at 6 Warkworth Street Cambridge and was an oil merchant. In 1891 Richard, still a chemist, had moved to 6 Park Terrace Cambridge. His children were: David Allan b:1883, Elizabeth b:1884, Joseph b:1885 and Phillip Leslie b:1888. Joseph Sturton was by this time describing himself as a retired chemist and Joseph Ashworth Sturton was living at Trumpington Cambridge and was described as a provision merchant and farmer. In 1895 Richard was nominated as a County Councillor for Cambridgeshire. In 1901 Joseph Ashworth Sturton was living in Hills Road Cambridge and was a grocer. In 1910 Joseph Sturton died. By 1911 Richard was a retired Chemist; he died in 1924. Joseph Ashworth Sturton died in 1929.

Described in one local trade directory as "wholesale druggists, pharmaceutical dealers and photographic dealer". Were any of the Sturtons also photographers or did they simply provide photographic chemicals / equipment? In 1902 when a Committee of local photographers was formed to deal with a Photographic Convention visiting Cambridge, one Committee Member was R.Sturton.
References: Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992. Kellys Directory of Cambridgeshire 1869

Name: SUCKLING, Arthur Herbert b:1865 Linton Cambs d:1951
Address: Hope Cottage, Horne Lane, Linton 1904, Oak Cottage, Horne Lane, Linton in 1908
Working Dates: 1904-16
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Arthur was the son of Samuel Suckling b:1819 Steeple Bumpstead, the local chemist and druggist in Linton High Street. In 1881 Arthur, aged 16, was also described as a chemist. In 1891 Arthur was a cabinet maker. He was a carpenter and picture frame maker in 1901 and foreman joiner in 1911. In 1921 he was a fitter and sheet metal worker, working for Chivers at Histon. Presumably photography was a secondary occupation.
References: Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Kellys Directory of Cambridgeshire lists him as a photographer between 1904-16.

Name: SULLIVAN, Les b: d:
Address: The Old Magistrates Court, 1-5 Cross Lane, Melbourn
Working Dates: c.1997
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: group photography
References: Cambridge Yellow Pages 1997

Name: SUMMERS, Richard b: d:
Address: Fenstanton
Working Dates: c.1859
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: The Cambridge Chronicle of Saturday 10th September 1859 reported from the St Ives petty sessions that William Mandefield of St Ives was committed for a month in default of paying £1 19s 6d for having on 4th July wilfully and maliciously damaged a tent by cutting the same, the property of Richard Summers of Fenstanton, photographic artist". Summers could have been a travelling photographer - local press reports suggest that at this time there might easily be three or four photographers' booths at local fairs. No other trace found at this stage of this photographer
References: Cambridge Chronicle 10/9/1859. CB Chronicle 14/4/1860 reported five photographic artists at that month's Godmanchester Fair.

SUNFILMS - London based firm which franchised, equipped and supported walking pictures photographers - had at least one franchisee in Cambridge in the 1930s. See our page on Walking Pictures in Cambridgeshire

Name: SUTHERLAND, Mary b: 1900 Lincoln d:
Address: 19 West Street, Newtown, Huntingdon
Working Dates: c.1921
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1921 census Mary was living with her widower father, a sister and sister in law at his wife and daughter at 19 West Street, Newtown, Huntingdon. She was an unemployed photographer's assistant.
References: 1921 Census

Name: SWAINE (SWAIN, SWAME sic), George, b: Wisbech 1828 d:1912
Address: 39 Little South Street Wisbech, Canal Row Wisbech in 1871 then from 1875, 20 Norfolk Street East, Wisbech
Working Dates: 1864-1896
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In 1861, George Swaine was a painter, living in 36 Little South Street, Wisbech with wife Sarah E Swaine b. Leeds Yorkshire 1832, and children George H aged 6 and Laura aged 1, both born in Wisbech. In October 1864 there was a fire at the premises of Mr Swaine, photographer, of Little South Street Wisbech. He was unpacking glass from a crate and the straw packing caught fire - but for prompt assistance the whole house would have caught fire. In 1871 George was listed as a photographer living in Canal Row, Wisbech. In 1881 George was listed in the census as a painter and photographer living at 20 Norfolk St East with his wife Elizabeth, a milliner and bonnet maker, b. Leeds 1832 and their 7 children aged between 21 and 6 years. In 1892 and 1896 he was listed as a photographer and plumber. In 1891 George was living in Norfolk Street East, Wisbech and was a house painter and photographer. In the 1901 Census George was living in Wisbech and described as a painter and photographer. In 1911 he was living in St Peters Road Wisbech and occupation was shown as house painter. The carte de visite below is of the Ely Place Baptists Church Wisbech, by George Swaine. The reverse of the carte has the information "George Swaine, Photographic Artist, 39 Little South Street Wisbeach". Also on the reverse is a design incorporating a simple box camera on a tripod, artist's palette, brushes, artist's mahl stick, ruler and drape. From the address, this appears to be from 1864-1871. The face of the carte appears to be a photograph of a painting or drawing of the church, rather than a photograph of the church itself. The church was re-built on this site in 1873, so this carte could have been produced around 1871-1873. We are most grateful to the Wisbech and Fenland Museum for permission to use this photograph from their carte de visite collection.
References: Cambridge Independent Press 8th October 1864 (fire), Stamford Mercury 7 October 1865 p4 (fire - surname shown as Swain)
Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Kellys Directory of Cambridgeshire 1864
PO Directory of the Counties of Cambridge, Norfolk and Suffolk, Kelly and Co London Sept 1865 (Swame)
PO Directory of the Counties of Cambridge, Norfolk and Suffolk, Kelly and Co London Aug 1869 (Swaine) Little South Street, Wisbech
20 Norfolk Street East, Wisbech PO Directory of the Counties of Cambridge, Norfolk and Suffolk, Kelly and Co London Nov 1875
PO Directory of the Counties of Cambridge, Norfolk and Suffolk, Kelly and Co London Nov 1879
Kellys Directory of Cambridgeshire 1883 listed as a photographer 20 Norfolk St East.
Kellys Directory of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, Kelly and Co London April 1888
Kelly's Directory of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, Kelly and Co London Aug 1892 listed as a photographer and plumber.
Photographer and plumber, Kelly's Directory of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, Kelly and Co London Sept 1896.

Name: SWANN, Phyllis b: 1903 March Cambs d:
Address: 37 The Avenue, March, Cambridgeshire.
Working Dates: c.1921
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1921 census Phyllis was a 16 year old photographer's pupil working for March photographer Alice Askew at Broad Street March. Phyllis was living with her parents and three siblings at 37 The Avenue, March.
References: 1921 Census

Name: SWIFT PHOTO SERVICES
Address: 87 Eastfield Road, Peterborough
Working Dates: c.1990
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: industrial, commercial, domestic, weddings, portraits
References: Peterborough Yellow Pages 1990

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 March 2023, 13:02

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.