Victorian life (photographers)

[The Station Cat]

Am curious to know, how common photographers shops were in Victorian London. Where they pretty much on every street, like an internet cafe of today or would someone wishing to have their photograph taken have to travel to their nearest one?



I've been researching one such shop owned by an AJ Friedman at 48 Water Street Stratford. I have been unable to find anything out about this shop, but have found another owned by a H Friedman which in 1878 was just round the corner on The Grove, a relative perhaps. But what's particularly interesting is that all the A & H Friedman's on the 1881to1891 census all lived in or around Whitechapel. I wonder if they if are all the same family and used to travel from Whitechapel everyday to their shop(s) in Stratford?

[Pcdunn]

Hello, Station Cat.

An interesting topic. I tried an open web search and discovered many modern photographer shops now specialize in Victorian style photos. Interesting!

This site http://www.photolondon.org.uk/default.asp
indicates it has collected about 9,000 entries on businesses and persons involved in photography during the Victorian and Edwardian ages in London. This may be about the closest we can get to an answer for you.

Say, maybe they list the companies/ people you are looking for!

[The Station Cat]

Thanks Pat, searched their database and got no hits on Friedman, tried to email them with all the information I have, but only got an error message when I sent it, which is a shame.

[miss marple]

There were hundreds of Photographers in London, lots in the East End. After the invention of the collodian process, instead of Daguerreotype photos. It is possible to buy Victorian photos quite cheaply from London Antique markets, many with the studio name on the back, I have seen many London and East End ones. It was much easier to take photos as little skill was involved, materials were cheap and no licence was needed to open studios. Studios were also open in hairdressers shops, tabacconists and dentists. The poor could have their photo taken for sixpence. This process remained popular well into the 1880s.

Look on the census records and trade directories such as Kellys.

Miss Marple

[The Station Cat]

There were hundreds of Photographers in London, lots in the East End. After the invention of the collodian process, instead of Daguerreotype photos. It is possible to buy Victorian photos quite cheaply from London Antique markets, many with the studio name on the back, I have seen many London and East End ones. It was much easier to take photos as little skill was involved, materials were cheap and no licence was needed to open studios. Studios were also open in hairdressers shops, tabacconists and dentists. The poor could have their photo taken for sixpence. This process remained popular well into the 1880s.

Look on the census records and trade directories such as Kellys.

Miss Marple

Many thanks Miss Maple that answers my question perfectly!!!!