Langfier Skylit Studio, 343 Finchley Road, Hampstead, UK

[Simon Elsy]

I am researching my grandfather, Albert Edward Elsy, who managed the Langfier Finchley Road Studio from 1910 to his death in 1939. Little survives about the studio and his photographs, so anything would be great. He also established the Hampstead Art Gallery next door post WW1 which was a centre for emerging post war artists some who sat for him. Again anything would be great. 

[sean whitaker]

Hi Simon, alas no others, just this image among unrelated items. Nothing on the back. I'd assumed it was a London hospital in the Finchley Rd area. 

[Simon Elsy]

Hi Sean. Many thanks for your note and attachment. Certainly, this is the Langfier studio my Grandfather ran, and the framing is exactly identical to the few surviving ones I have. The image looks like a military hospital with recovering soldiers with voluntary nurses possibly, not sure where though. Maybe the image has something on the back? I know my Grandfather suffered from shell shock when in a military hospital in Northern France during WW1, and did take images of hospitals, could he have been there too, somewhere in the UK? It's a mystery, but very interesting, did you acquire this at car boot sale? Were there other images too? 

[sean whitaker]

Came across this at the local boot sale...

[sean whitaker]

1. 

[Simon Elsy]

This summarises my findings to date, and is freely available:
A Photographer in the Early 20th Century

[Simon Elsy]

Hi Helen.

Thanks for your prompt reply, yes you were correct, in that I did know of this article that my Aunt Mary Elsy wrote, although I have more illustrations of the studio not used by the publishers. I have compiled a biography, but there are many gaps which are difficult to fill as many pictures he took have been dispersed or lost, so far my findings are in a free ibook I have put together, https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/photographer-in-early-20th/id10288.... Any further information on photographs that he took who were the subjects I have found, and competitions, and explanations of some of his inventions and why they were developed (I'm not a technical photographer by any stretch) would assist in understanding his passion. I also have some WW1 shots he took of camps and people again whom are a mystery, but so far my UK contacts have not been able to enlighten me beyond what I have again included in the ebook.

[Helen Trompeteler]

Photo London cites the following article which may provide more information, but I imagine you've already seen this? Mary Elsy. The Langfier court photographers. The story of 343 Finchley Road. in Camden History Review No 15 1988 pp 27 - 28, illus.