I am researching the several sons of Josiah Pumphrey (1783-1861). Most of them seem to have had some involvement with photography:
William P (1817-1905)
Charles P (1819-1901)
Josiah P (1823-1911)
Samuel Baker P (1826-1912)
Alfred P (1830-1913)
William seems to have been the earliest to engage in photography, being sufficiently proficient to open a photographic gallery in York in July 1849. While the business only operated for a few years, William apparently continued practicing photography and some of this may have been on a commercial basis. William retired from York to Bath in 1881 and subsequently became president of the Bath Photographic Society. I know no further details of this and would welcome any advice on William's participation in the Society and the years he was president. The Metropolitan Museum attributes a photograph to "William A. Pumphrey". What is the basis for this? It certainly appears to be in error. (William's birth register indicates no middle name.)
I am not sure if Charles was involved (formally) in commercial photography but he seems to have been an active photographer. He participated in the Birmingham Photographic Society (estd 1856). I would be very glad to know details of this, both his involvement (if any) in the establishment and running of the society, and the photographs he exhibited.
I am not sure at present whether Samuel was also a photographer.
Josiah and Alfred are linked together, sometimes as "J. & A. Pumphrey" and sometimes as "Pumphrey Brothers". They produced various formats of photograph including CDVs, stereos and lantern slides on a large scale. Apparently the stereos are not always formally identified as by Pumphrey Brothers but can be identified from the negative number in the print and correlation with listings on the back of stereos. Some websites (including Getty) refer to an Alfred Pumprey 1817-1894. I presume these dates are erroneous and that there was not a second Alfred Pumphrey operating the same line of business at the same time. This does raise the question of the scale of the business. Presumably Pumphrey Brothers/Alfred Pumphrey either employed a stable of photographers or purchased through commercial networks. Is much known about this aspect of the photographic business generally? Alfred was a manufacturer of lantern slide projectors and related equipment on a sbstantial basis.
Charles and Josiah both attended the Quaker school at Camp Hill, Birmingham, as did Francis Frith (1822-1898). Is there any evidence of a subsequent connection, commercial or otherwise, between Frith and any of the Pumphrey brothers?
William and Charles both had an interest in microscopy. Are there any know examples of microscope-related photographs associated with the Pumphreys? These might either be microphotographs (i.e. photographs, including photographs of paintings, engravings, printed text &c, mounted on a microscope slide for viewing through a microscope) or photomicrographs (i.e. photographs taken through a microscope of microscopic objects). This is the modern terminology but historically usage was inconsistent. Photographs of William or Charles with a microscope would be of particular interest. (There is an 1881 painted portrait of William with a microscope.)
I would welcome comments and elucidations on any of these points (or other relevant points I am yet to become aware of).
Replies
Hello, I've been researching the photographic industry of Birmingham, and the Pumphrey brothers do make a number of appearances in my research. The business of J & A in the 1870s onwards seems quite substantial ... they have an address each but in reality their premises were a corner building covering 2 roads. In terms of their photographs I actually think that both josiah and Alfred travelled the country taking photos themselves which they then converted into stereoviews, put into photo books, made into lantern slides etc. we know they both went to the top of wales tallest mountain to take photos (they signed the visitors book) and I have stereoviews and lantern slides which are the same image showing they used photos in a multitude of ways. Because they were only a part of my research I haven't delved too deeply but it's on my to do list! 🤣 I've got a number of lantern slides and stereoviews made by them as well as a family photograph album ,
james
Hello James, thank you for your response. I'm interested to hear of the lantern slides and stereoviews you have. Are there catalogue listings on the backs of any of the stereos? What is in the family photo album? Is the evidence of the signatures in the visitors' book in a published source? I take it the original is the Snowdon Visitors' Books in the National Library of Wales. If, for your own purposes, you have occasion to examine the records of the Birmingham Photographic Society (in the Birmingham Library) in the near future, I would appreciate your keeping an eye out for Pumphrey references. I have found a few passing mentions in printed sources and I haven't finished the newspaper and journal research yet.
Are you working towards publication of some kind? I will be happy to pass on to you any of my research that may be useful in due course.
Juian
Hi Julian
Many apologies for the late reply... unfortunately work gets in the way of the things I enjoy!
I have quite a number of Pumphrey lantern slides including the complete tour of north wales set, and also the Diogenes set which apparently was the first set of lantern slides made using life models. As far as stereoviews are concerned I used to buy any I saw but realised this could get out of hand quickly!! so only buy ones that are different or unusual, I have a few that have some listings on the back, but its usually the same 2 or 3 so I dont know if they didnt do many like that. The photo album is from a branch of the pumphrey family just outside the main one but there are a number of photographs of josiah, charles and alfred in there with children and other family members. The Snowdon book is the only place I believe the evidence is of their visit.
I have visited Birmingham Library and there are only scant references to Pumphrey Brothers unfortumately (I believe that they hold 4000 Pumphrey slides in their collection but getting to see them is another thing!) I also have a box of Pumphreys Lifting Film - the only item I have made by Pumphrey Brothers in connection to photography, and also some boxes of hooks and eyes used in clothing made by the family
I have written a book on Birmingham's Photographic Industry, and currently awaiting its publication, but am always trying to find additional information.
Ill see of I can attach any useful images etc here for you as a starting point, james
I forgot to mention, I don't think that the William Pumphrey in York is directly a part of the Birmingham Pumphrey family... Pumphrey was a well known Quaker name and I believe that William was a separate branch
Hi James
Thanks for following through, and thanks for the catalogue scans. Do you happen to have any examples of the "Studies of Foliage, &c"? I'd be interested to get some idea of what they are like.
I'm very interested to hear of the photo album you have, presumably a unique item. I haven't seen any pictures of Charles, Josiah or Alfred.
4000 Pumphrey slides! I suppose they are uncatalogued. Perhaps you will get to see them some day.
I don't know about Pumphey's Lifting Film. It sounds intriguing. Was it important?
Boxes of Pumphrey hooks and eyes. I wondered if there were surviving examples. A photograph is potentially something I could include in my article if that can be arranged.
As for William, he is definitely the oldest sibling in the family. Josiah Pumphrey married Rebecca Baker in Worcester in 1816. William and Charles were born in Worcester, James and Josiah jr in Claines, then the family moved to Birmingham where Rebecca B. was born in 1824 and subsequently Samuel B., Candia and Alfred. I can provide details for all this. It might be convenient if we could email directly. Is there a closed-message way to do this?
Regards, Julian