Johnston & Hoffmann studio.

[John Toohey]

I have a query regarding the studio Johnston and Hoffman, recognized as an important studio in India (Calcutta specifically) at the turn of last century. This is an English postcard I have credited to Johnston & Hoffmann. Did the studio open a branch in London? If not, how can we explain these theatrical photos credited to the company?

[Brett Payne]

According to the Wikipedia article about Lily Brayton, she and her husband toured Australia in 1909-1910. To get there, and back, perhaps they sailed on the route through the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean and stopped in Calcutta.  On a later tour to Autralia (1912-1913) they apparently returned via South Africa.

[Brett Payne]

A search of Ancestry reveals that Mr & Mrs Oscar Asche (i.e. Lily Brayton and her husband) arrived back in London in October 1910 aboard the Otway, which travelled from Sydney via Melbourne, Fremantle, Colombo, Port Said, Naples and Marseilles.

Brett Payne said:

According to the Wikipedia article about Lily Brayton, she and her husband toured Australia in 1909-1910. To get there, and back, perhaps they sailed on the route through the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean and stopped in Calcutta.  On a later tour to Autralia (1912-1913) they apparently returned via South Africa.

[John Toohey]

Thanks Brett. There are quite a few photos by this studio of other theatre performers. It could be that they photographed the actors when they traveled to India but right now t looks like they had a studio somewhere else.