I am looking for information on early photo studio's specifically in Liverpool between 1842 and 1846
I am researching a daguerreotype which from the subject, dress and location I have confirmed as being taken in 1846. The image is not a studio portrait but was taken in the garden of the subjects property. The image is hand tinted.
The subjects family were well connected and in fact moved in royal circles.
The subjects family had lived on the Wirral and was known to have made numerous visits to Liverpool around the years that the image was taken.
Other daguereotypes that I am researching involving the same family are contained in cases embossed with the double royal stamp of W E Kilburn and the studio setting is assumed to be that of Kilburn at 34 Regent Street
The image I am looking for information on is in a plain leather case and does not have any embossed stampings.
I am a aware of the studio of Beard and Foard set up at 34 Church Street Liverpool and which opened at the end of 1842 possibly the beginning of 1843.
Whilst it is likely that this was the studio used by the subject and her family I am looking for any information on any other Beard licensees who had set up in Liverpool between 1842 and 1846. The absence of any other studio's would make it much more certain that the image was taken by the studio of Beard and Foard
I look forward to your help
Geoff Rimmer
Replies
A postscript, the research below dates from 2012, I have just revisited it to try and more accurately ascertain when Thomas Spencer took over as manager and I have found a reference to him having taken over by May 1842. The advertisement in the Liverpool Albion stated that:
“PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAITS TAKEN BY THE REFLECTION OF LIGHT, IN LESS THAN A MINUTE, May now be had Daily, from Nine to Five o’Clock, at the Rooms, St. James’s-mount.”
The accompanying review said that “the process is so rapid that the sitter is not detained five minutes. We, therefore, recommend all our readers who wish to possess accurate likenesses of themselves to visit the Photographic Establishment, Mount Gardens, where Mr. Spencer, the manager, will “take them off in no time.””
So Thomas Spencer would have been, in all probablity, the operative who took Geoff's dag.
Geoff, might you be willing to show us the image and provide us with a bit more information about the family?
Regards,
Rob
Hi Geoff,
Actually you are a decade premature for Messrs. Beard and Foard's partnership in Liverpool (and later Manchester). Whilst Foard probably managed Richard Beard Jnr.'s studio from the outset, in 1849, their parnership came later. It was in existence by November 1852 when James Foard found himself in court and fined 5s. for repeatedly hitting George Keet with his walking stick, a dramatic conclusion to their disagreement aired in the local papers. Following the dissolution of their partnership Foard contined to run the Liverpool studio into the early 1860s.
As Michael said the Heathcotes' research is a good starting point. Liverpool is covered in Appendix C, p220ff, https://bromleyhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/A-Faithful-Like.... Whilst she covers the opening of the Mount Gardens studio in September 1841 in some detail, there are fewer references for the 1842 - 1846 period that you are focussing on, though that original studio was still operating and advertising during that period. She was searching hard copies of the papers, whereas you will find many more advertisements on BNA than listed in her appendix. However, these are mainly repetitive stock advertisements that photographic portraits continue to be taken at Mount Gardens. Adverts were also placed by the likes of Beard, Claudet and Kilburn trying to entice visitors from Liverpool to London to their studios there.
Having apparently originally paid £2500 for the licence for 'Liverpool and 10 miles around', any licence infringements would presumably have been litigated against by the Liverpool licensee.
As far as I am aware, competition did not arrive in Liverpool until October 1848 when an originally un-named photographer offered to take “Heliotype Portraits, An improved principle of Daguerreotype” at 28 Bold Street at half the price normally charged for daguerreotypes. Later advertisements named him as a Mr. Sweetman. According to Heathcote, Charles Thomas Sweetman had previously taken portraits in Leamington Spa and Worcester.
The following year, faced with the impending arrival of Richard Beard Junior opening a studio at 34 Church Street in April 1849. Thomas Spencer, who operated the Mount Gardens studio, announced that he was having a new studio erected at 49 Great George Street, it opened in July 1849. (Spenser subsequently put his house and studio up for sale in March 1852). Thus by summer 1849 Liverpool had 3 studios and a bit of a price war developed with Sweetman charging 12s 6d upwards and Beard 15 shillings and upwards for coloured daguerreotypes.
Given your timeframe, I suspect that your dag was taken at the Mount Gardens studio, St. James's Road. Frustratingly the photographer was not usually named in their adverts, though we know that John Relph was the original manager 1841 - 2., a Mr Gibson was named as Secretary in 1842, and Thomas Spencer was there by August 1845.
Hope this helps.
Dear Geoff
I have found the British Newspaper Archive very helpful. Primarily advertisments.... though you may already know all this!
Regards
Anthony Hamber
Hi, Geoff. The Heathcotes' excellent book A Faithfull Likeness is available freely online and has a list of dag studios be place. See: https://bromleyhouse.org/a-faithful-likeness-revisited/ and would be a good starting point