An urban explorer has documented a rare survival, a former photographic studio in Preston. The studio opened in 1879 and was named the Grand Imperial Studio, occupied by J. Monk, photographic artist. The building was still in use as a studio into the early 1960s and appears to have been unused since then.
David - known as Scrappy NW - first visited in 2019 and recently made a return visit. The premises are part of a series of rundown buildings on Church Street in Preston. In his words 'The main points of interest are on the top floor of the building which housed the dark rooms, portrait studio and changing areas. There is not too much left inside but just enough to show that the building was used as photographic studios long ago. Reels of film were lay on the floors covered in dust, the dark room had photographic materials left inside and the studio lights were still in situ in the portrait room. Additionally, several bottles were left behind; vitreous stone bottles made by J. BOURNE & SON. Denby & Codnor Park Potteries, In the portrait studio.'
See: https://www.aworldinruins.co.uk/grand-imperial-photography-studios- and follow up visit https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/grand-imperial-studio-of-j-monk-preston-june-19.122239/#post-1267939
Image left: The premises today / Google street view.
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Herewith a short biography of the man:
John Monk was born in Whittle le Woods c.1838. In the 1861 Census his occupation was given as a “Hair Dresser & Coffin Maker”. Newly married, John aged 23 was living at 147 Moor Lane Preston, he remained at that address for the next decade.
John started his photography career c. 1865, for a time in partnership with James Lamb, from premises in Albion Yard, 25 Church Street, Preston. That is where they were listed as photographers in the 1866 Mannex Directory, as well as being listed as picture frame makers at their home addresses. In the 1869 Gillett’s Directory they were both only listed, separately, as photographers, their partnership seems to have ended.
In 1875 John also acquired the Fishergate studio of Isaac Bradley, and in so doing he also acquired “the whole of” Bradley’s negatives and those of Bradley’s predecessor Samuel Oglesby.
In October 1879 John announced the opening of his ‘Grand Imperial Photographic studios’, just across the street at 135 Church Street, which he puffed as “the finest in the provinces”.
The 1881 Census describes him as a ‘Master Photographer, employing 2 men, 1 boy and 3 girls, one of his assistants was his 19 year old nephew Aloysius.
By the end of 1883, his now branch studio at 81a Fishergate was in the way of street widening works, probably the construction of Corporation Street, so it was “taken down”. John confirmed that in future all business would be carried out at the Church Street studio, and that copies of the negatives that had been taken at the Fishergate studio could be obtained there.
Whilst Monk owned the whole building at 135, he let the two shops, he let 135b as a house and shop, the other as a lock up shop; Monk also invested some of the profits in residential property to let. It seems that he had particular requirements for staff, for example, in 1888 he advertised “Strong Girl about 15 years of age Wanted, must have good eyes.”
That summer, possibly to drum up trade, he advertised that “Until further notice. One cabinet and one dozen cartes for Five Shillings”, the promotion ran on into October.
A description of the north facing daylight studio, c. 1889, said that accommodation was spread over three floors, the reception room, show room and office on one, whilst the floor above contained five workrooms. The upper floor was “entirely occupied by three dressing rooms, a large and well arranged and most efficiently lighted portrait gallery, and the necessary dark rooms.” The upper floors were accessed by a central stairwell.
John continued to run the business until 1907, when Henry Melling “who has been with Arthur Winter for over twenty-two years” announced “that he has taken over the business of Mr. Monk, Church Street, Preston, where he will offer all styles of work at reasonable charges. Wedding groups a speciality”.
John had remarried c.1904 and retired to Park Road, St Annes, along with his wife Grace, her occupation was given in the 1911 Census as a ‘retired photographic assistant’. John died in 1916, aged 78, at his home, the aptly named, Winckley Villa, Park Road, St. Annes and was interred at St. Annes Church.
Henry continued to run the studio until his death in 1945, although the business continued for some years after that, retaining his name.
Monk’s early studio portraits were on a par with those of Bradley, Oglesby or Pateson. However, his later surviving CDVs are more collectable today for the printed designs on the mount, rather than their variable image quality and developing & fixing defects.
A couple of questions spring to mind: What happened to the negatives? Does anyone know when the top floor studio fell out of use? I’m currently making enquiries locally seeking answers.
I believe that it was glazed, you can see the vertical glazing bars running top to bottom, above the vertical windows, whilst the artist has drawn the adjacent, probably slate, roof with horizontal lines. Below are a couple of CDV backs from my collection which may make that clearer.
The Marion & Co one dates from c.1880.
Comment by PetworthPenthouse 2 hours agoDelete Comment
Great to see those photos, Rob - just in the nick of time it seems.
Looking again at the drawing of the building on the cdv back, it is not entirely clear whether the sloping roof of the studio was glazed or just tiled. However the existence of the fence-like barrier on the north-west side of the roof would suggest that it was glazed roof, requiring shading from direct sunlight in late afternoon.
The County Council's Red Rose Collection has a view of the rear in 1938, taken just before the building on the right was demolished and rebuilt. It looks like the fenestration on the first floor was subsequently altered https://redrosecollections.lancashire.gov.uk/media.php?i=213819&...
Herewith a couple of photos of the front and rear elevations.
Apologies, perspective distorted on latter owing to the small light well at the rear, I had only taken my phone with me, as I had not expected to gain access.
As to a date when the studio finally fell out of use, I understand from a quick online search that the Kodak Bromesko paper, shown in one of the 2019 photos was manufactured until c.1972. Elsewhere it says 'Kodak (U.K.) discontinued making Cream base paper in 1967'. I was told by the workmen that the newspaper shown in another of the 2019 photos was from 1973; one photo of the paper shows some £ & p prices (Decimal Day was 15th February1971).
There is an interesting, c.1980, photo of the front elevation on Flicker: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rpsmithbarney/5413854343/
Thanks for the update, Rob. As you say it seems a fair outcome all things considered.
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