Early East London Photographers

[Robert Gray]

I am researching early photographers in Leyton, Leytonstone, Walthamstow and Chingford in East London. If anyone has any info / links or wants to share information. please let me know.

[Michael Wong]

Not sure if these are of any use to you, or you may have perhaps already come across them yourself. But there is an East End archive mentioned in this blog here, and another resource here. Good luck with your research!

[Pippa Jane Wielgos]

I

[Peter David Houghton]

My great great grandfather was in business with Antoine Claudet (Claudet & Houghton) in the 1840s and after Claudet died in the 1860s when the company became Houghton's Ltd. To cut a long story short, by the end of that century, around 1900, Houghton's evolved into the Ensign Camera Co with a factory in Walthamstow, employing around 700 work force.

I have one photo of my ancestor taken in 1848 and another which I believe is Antoine Claudet. At present I cannot upload the photos onto my computer - I don't have the know how!

For more information, the museum in Walthamstow has an extensive portfolio relating Houghton's and Ensign. You may be able to find something useful there.

Best wishes

David Houghton