Looking for 1892 Liverpool photos by Barraund and J. W. Walmsley - suggested leads? - Forum

Hello!

My name is Kyra and I came across an August 6, 1892 Liverpool Mercury article the other day while at the Library of Congress in Washington DC.

I'm am writing about Martha Ann Ricks, a former US slave who emigrated to Liberia. In 1892, she had an audience with Queen Victoria and presented the queen with a quilt.I have been researching this visit for 5+ years.

The Liverpool Mercury article revealed new facts to me. I knew Mrs Ricks was honored at a reception hosted by Sir Alfred Lewis Jones, who owned the shipping line between the UK and West Africa. Based on other articles a couple hundred folks were at this reception at Sir Alfred's home in Liverpool. Here's the new bit of information from the article:

"... Messrs. Barraund (Bold-street) and Mr. J. W. Walmsley (Queen's road) took several photographs of Mrs. Ricks alone and engrouped with other guests. Collinson's band was in attendance, imparting a festive character to the occasion. Among those present - all of whom were accompanied by ladies - were Messrs. T. Stanley Rogerson, T. Harrison, W. J. Davey, Alexander Sinclair, F. Holden, Ellis Edwards, W. Dodd, T. E. Tomlinson, T. H. Barker, R. Bulman, J. Pinnock, O.H. Williams, V. Hammond, C. Dore, F. Dore, Zochonis, Fairley (Manchester), R. Baker, Cooper, Hughes, Allen Edwards, and F. Radcliffe, and Captain Davies (the commandore captain of the African steamships). Aunt Martha leaves Liverpool for West Africa to day (Saturday) in the steamer Dahmoney."

I could sure use your assistance on ideas or leads! I'd LOVE to see any of these photos if still around, thought it's likely a long shot!

Where might I find any photos of people of color by Barraund or Walmsley?
Is there a collection or library with their collection of photos?
Is there anyone with special interest in Liverpool 19th century photography, photographers I can speak with?

Thank you very much for any insights or leads you might provide!

I can't answer your specific questions I'm afraid. However, I think one of the photographers you mention must be Barraud rather than Barraund. "Mr Barraud" had a studio at 92 Bold Street, Liverpool. Whether in 1892 this would have been the well-known studio portraitist Herbert Rose Barraud or his brother Philip George Joseph Barraud I don't know.

Audrey Linkman, who I think is a member of this blog, wrote the Royal Photographic Society booklet on Professional Liverpool photographers (which I have not seen). Perhaps you might message her directly, in case she has not seen your query?

Both Barrauds registered a selection of their photographs for copyright. The record of these registrations is now in the National Archives, London. They include copies of the photographs in question. I did a quick search but cannot find anything relating to Martha Ricks. However, I am not sure if all the collection is catalogued at the item level yet. It may be worth checking with them. If not Aunt Martha, it is possible these collections may include portraits of other men and women of colour. They have the Colonial Office collections as well, but I suspect these are not the sort of portraits you seek.

If you have access to the British Library digital collections of 19th century British newspapers, you might also find more references to Mrs Ricks, circa 1892. Her portrait was reproduced in the Illustrated London News, for example, but from the Elliott and Fry example.

Regards, Giles Hudson

Replies

Kyra E. Hicks March 16, 2013 16:09

Giles - Thank you! I appreciate the starting point link! Best, Kyra
Giles Hudson March 16, 2013 15:10

I would have expected a portrait that was published / widely circulated to be registered for copyright by the photographer. But again, I can't see that the Elliott and Fry example of Mrs Ricks was (even though it appeared in the Illustrated London news). In England during the 1890s, as far as I remember, photographs had to be registered at the Stationers' Office in order to qualify for copyright protection at all. Sometimes registrations of portraits of interesting people were also noted in the back of the British Journal of Photography in this period.

This link may give you a starting point to the Copyright Registers at the National Archives - I don't find it the easiest database to navigate, to be honest. But it is possible the portrait may have been registered under a non-obvious title.

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C326157?cU...

Regards

Giles
Kyra E. Hicks March 16, 2013 14:51

Mr. Hudson,

Thank you very much for your comments. I'll have to learn more about British copyright and what it means to have registered. (I'm in the US). It would be absolutely amazing if any of the party photographs were copyrighted. I do know the photo of Mrs. Ricks (copy at the National Portrait Gallery) was a popular one and sold. Does that mean if it was copyrighted, it would also be at the National Archives?

Thank you also for the insight into Mr Barraud. I'll see if I can locate the booklet by Audrey Linkman.

I really appreciate your insights! Kyra
Giles Hudson March 16, 2013 14:35

I can't answer your specific questions I'm afraid. However, I think one of the photographers you mention must be Barraud rather than Barraund. "Mr Barraud" had a studio at 92 Bold Street, Liverpool. Whether in 1892 this would have been the well-known studio portraitist Herbert Rose Barraud or his brother Philip George Joseph Barraud I don't know.

Audrey Linkman, who I think is a member of this blog, wrote the Royal Photographic Society booklet on Professional Liverpool photographers (which I have not seen). Perhaps you might message her directly, in case she has not seen your query?

Both Barrauds registered a selection of their photographs for copyright. The record of these registrations is now in the National Archives, London. They include copies of the photographs in question. I did a quick search but cannot find anything relating to Martha Ricks. However, I am not sure if all the collection is catalogued at the item level yet. It may be worth checking with them. If not Aunt Martha, it is possible these collections may include portraits of other men and women of colour. They have the Colonial Office collections as well, but I suspect these are not the sort of portraits you seek.

If you have access to the British Library digital collections of 19th century British newspapers, you might also find more references to Mrs Ricks, circa 1892. Her portrait was reproduced in the Illustrated London News, for example, but from the Elliott and Fry example.

Regards, Giles Hudson

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