Company Details

Notes on companies mentioned in the main text together with a few early manufacturers and dealers.

Lancaster & Son

Company Name

J. Lancaster & Son Ltd1904 -
J. Lancaster & Son1835 - 1904

Lancaster claims establishment in 1835.

W.J. Lancaster died on 18 September 1925 aged 80.

References:
BJA 1905, p. 466.; BJA 1926, p. 361.

Further Information:
Photographica World no. 77 has an article by Colin Munro on Lancaster.

Lane

Company Name

J.L. Lane & Sonsc.1885 -
J.L. Lane- c.1885Or James Lewis Lane

Company Address

Barnsbury Rd. London1883 -
7 Allen St. Cross St. London1879 - 1883
Little Cross St. Islington. London- 1879

In the 1881 census Lane (b.1813) is described as a cabinet maker employing seven men. He is living at the Allen St. address with his three sons.

Lawley

Company Name

Walter Lawley

Company Address

78 Farringdon St. London EC
8 Coventry St. London ECShort period in the mid 1880s

Lawley was established in 1780. Walter Lawley (b.1851) was described as a pawnbroker and optician in the 1880s. In 1881 William Lawley who, along with Walter formed the partnership of Walter Lawley, was made bankrupt.

References:
BJA 1892, p. 501.; Lon Gaz. 5/8/1881.

Levi, Joseph

Company Name

J. Levi & Co.1861 -
Joseph Levi1858 - 1861

Company Address

97 Hatton Gdn. London1895 -
40 Furnival St. LondonBefore 1888 - 1895
2 Dyer's Bldgs. LondonBefore 1888 - 1895
40 Castle St. London1858 -

Established in 1858. Merged into Houghtons Ltd in 1904 though the company name remained for some time. Patents issued to Levi & Co. were in the name of M.L. Isaacs, L.M. Isaacs and F.M. Isaacs. Levi used the Leviathan trade mark.

A note in the 1892 BJP suggests that M.L. Isaacs had been running the company since 1876 and that Joseph Levi had recently died, that would also tie in with a note from the same year concerning the firm of S.J. Levi.

Meyer Lewis Isaacs (d.1907).

References:
BJP 15/4/92. p. 256.; BJA, 1908, p. 556.

Levi, S.J.

Company Name

Levi, Jones & Co.1897 - c.1904
S.J. Levi & Co.c.1890 - 1897

Company Address

29 Hoxton Sq. London1898 - c.1904
71 Farringdon Rd. Londonc.1890 - 1898Also occupied by Newman & Guardia at this time
16 Woodbridge St. London

A.C. Jones joined the firm as partner in 1892. The change of name was around June 1897 when S.J. Levi was dissolved, Alexander James Jones then formed Levi, Jones. Samuel Joseph Levi was the son of Joseph Levi (see entry above). The entry in the BJP gives Jones's initials as A.C.

References:
BJP 8/4/1892, p. 240.; Lon. Gaz. 8/6/97.

Levy & Finsterer

Company Name

Levy & FinstererActive 1862Wholesale and export. Optical and phot. warehouse

Company Address

56 Houndsditch. London1862 -

Linhof

Company Name

Nikolaus Karpf KG. Präzisions-Kamera-Werke
Valentin Linhof

The company was founded in 1887.

Lizars

Company Name

J. Lizars

Company Address

101 & 107 Buchanan St. GlasgowUntil after 1942
101 Buchanan St. Glasgow
263A Sauchiehall St. Glasgowc.1923 -
6 Shandwick Place. Edinburgh1912 -Until after 1942
13, 15 & 19 Shandwick Place. Edinburgh1908 - 1912Address sometimes given as 13 or 13 & 15
13 & 19 Shandwick Place. Edinburgh1899 - 1908
2 & 4 Maitland St. Edinburgh- 1899
118 Union St. Aberdeen1932 -Until after 1942
171 Union St. Aberdeen1902 - 1932
28 Bridge St. Aberdeen- 1902
27 High St. Paisley1926 -Until after 1942
1 Grange St. Paisley1923 - 1926
1 Oldsmithhills. Paisley1912 - 1923
46 West Blackhall St. Greenock1940 -
14 West Blackhall St. Greenock1913 - 1940
12 Muir St. Motherwell1927 -Until after 1942
110 Brandon St. Motherwell1914 - 1926
8 Wellington Place. Belfast.1899 -Until after 1942
73 Victoria St. Belfast.- 1899
71 Bold St. Liverpoolc.1903 -Until after 1942
251 High Holborn. London1905 - 1910
20 High Holborn. London- 1905

Lizars was a well established opticians, Matthew Ballantine took over the running of the company in 1882. Expansion into photographic items probably date from this time. Manufacture of cameras probably started around 1896. The distinctive Lizars cameras of their own design ceased by the end of WW1, they continued to sell re-badged cameras.

A note in the AP of 1908 states that Robert Ballantine has retired from the Buchanan St. business and is to continue in business under his own name (he moved to 99 St. Vincent St. as an optician and photographic dealer). The Glasgow business of Lizars is to continue under the management of Matthew Ballantine junior and Arthur Ballantine, both sons of Matthew Ballantine senior. The Photographic News of 1896 mentions a new workshop that has opened in Craignestock, Glasgow. A proposed move to Cape Town did not take place but it is mentioned in some advertisements from around 1902 and even on camera name plaques.

References:
Photographic News, 1896, p. 493.; AP of 9/6/1908, p. 591.

Lloyd

Company Name

Fred. V.A. Lloyd

Company Address

15 Lord St. Liverpool1899 - Until at least 1927
3 & 5 South John St. Liverpoolc.1898 -

Retailer. Successor to H. Newton & Co. (est. 1851). Newton was at 5 South John St. from the late 1870s and previously at 16 Lord St.

References:
BJA 1899, p. 319.

London Camera Exchange

Company Name

London Camera Exchange Co. Ltd
Robbins & Manistre & Co. LtdEarliest ref is 1920

Company Address

20 Buckelsbury. Cheapside. London EC41934 -
2 Poultry. Cheapside. London EC4c.1920 - 1934Also given as Portugal House

Retailers, with a few items sold under their own, R&M, name. Originally 'London Camera Exchange' was a strap-line but was quickly adopted as the company name. Portugal House (2 Poultry) was on the corner of Poultry and Queen Victoria St.

An H.E Manistre was trading from 59 Queen's Rd. W2 in the mid 1920s and later at 113 Queen's Rd. He was distributor for the Duoflex. The British Camera Manufacturing Co., makers of the Duoflex, were also listed at 113 Queen's Rd.

London & Paris Optic & Clock Company

Company Name

London & Paris Optic & Clock Company

The LPOC was owned or managed by J.S. Johnson and Walter H. Thompson and later by Thompson alone. They produced a number of cameras in their 'Royalty' range, the Countess camera is shown in the YBP 1893, p. cx and appears to be based on J.E. Brown's designs. The Duke is shown in PA 1891, p. clxi. The LPOC was wound up in 1910 but was probably not active by that time, the owners are shown as T.A. Reynolds, Alfred T. Reynolds and W. Horace Thompson.

References:
YBP 1889, p. cxlvi.; YBP 1891, p. xciv.; Lon. Gaz. 6/9/1910.

London Stereoscopic Co.

Company Name

London Stereoscopic Co. Ltd1912 - 1922
London Stereoscopic & Photographic Co. Ltd1885 - 1912'Photographic' sometimes omitted
London Stereoscopic & Photographic Co.1863 - 1885
London Stereoscopic & Photographic Co. & Carte de Visite Institute1862 - 1863
London Stereoscopic Co.1856 - 1862
Artistic Repository & London Stereoscopic Co.1854 - 1856

Company Address

3 Hanover Sq. London W1912 - 1922W1 postal district from 1917
106 & 108 Regent St. London1889 - 1912106 is on the corner of Glasshouse St
110 & 108 Regent St. London W1882 - 1889108 & 110 are between Glasshouse St. and Regent Place,
south of the Negretti building
110, 108 & 106 Regent St. London W1875 - 1882
110 & 108 Regent St. London W1864 - 1875
110 Regent St. London W1862 - 1864
54 Cheapside. London EC1866 - 1907Between Bread St. and Bow Churchyard
53 & 54 Cheapside. London EC1863 - 1866
54 Cheapside. London1856 - 1863EC postal district from 1857
313 Oxford St. London1854 - 1861W postal district from 1857
2 Bow Church Yard. London EC1885 - 1888

The company was founded in 1854 by George Swan Nottage (b.1822 d.1885), Howard John Kennard (b.1839 d.1896) with whom there was a family connection was the other director. Nottage was an Alderman of the City of London and its Lord Mayor in 1884. The manager in 1855 is shown in trade directories as being Frederick Jones. Later managed by J. Lillie Mitchell (d.1912). Arthur Gask was a manager in their later years. L.S.C. are a little untidy in the use of company names and addresses often simply calling themselves The Stereoscopic Co.

The London Stereoscopic & Photographic Co. Ltd went into voluntary liquidation in 1912 (wound up in 1913) prior to reforming as the London Stereoscopic Co. Ltd. This was wound up in 1922, at the time the chairman was R.W. Kennard.

References:
Lon. Gaz. 30/8/1912, 27/6/1913, 6/10/1922.

Further Information:
A sliding box camera is in Christie's Cat. 18/8/83 lot 56.

Lumière (London)

Company Name

Lumière, N.A. & Co. Ltd.1901 - 1912

Company Address

89 Gt. Russel St. London1907 - 1912Then occupied by T.K. Grant
4 Bloomsbury St. London1902 - 1907
78 Queen Victoria St. London EC1901 - 1902

After 1912 Lumière products were distributed by T.K. Grant. Around 1900 to 1901 the Lumière London agents were Gaumont and previously Fuerst Brothers.

The parent company - A. Lumière et ses Fils - was founded 1883 and became Lumière & Jougla in 1911. Antoine Lumière died in 1911.

References:
BJA 1912, p.539.

Mackenzie & Co

Company Name

Mackenzie & Co.

Company Address

210 Old Dumbarton St. Glasgow1909 -Sometimes shown as 212. Listed here into 1940s
53 Waterloo St. Glasgow1909 - 1914
20 West Campbell St. Glasgow1913
122 Wellington Rd. Glasgow1911 - 1913
17 Douglas St. Glasgow- 1909

References:
AP 13/7/1909 p. 52.

Marion

For later entries see APM.

Company Name

Marion & Co. Ltd1901 - 1921
Marion & Co.1867 - 1901
Auguste Marion Son & Co.1863 - 1867Sometimes shown as A. Marion Son & Co.
Marion & Co.1848 - 1863Sometimes shown as A. Marion & Co. and Auguste Marion & Co.
Augustin Marion & Co.c.1846
Augustin Marionc.1842 - c.1846

Company Address

3 Soho Sq. London W1913 - 1921South east corner of square
22 & 23 Soho Sq. London Wc.1866 - 1913
23 Soho Sq. London W1863 - c.1866
32 Bread St. Londonc.1848
152 Regent St. Londonc.1846 - c.1866W postal district from 1857
19 Mortimer St. London1842 - c.1846

From 1921 Marion formed part of APM and later APEM. The factory at Southgate dates from 1885.

In 1867 Claude Maines Augustin Marion left the partnership trading as A Marion, Son & Co. the remaining partners were Auguste Leon Marion, Henry Edward Grey and George Bishop. The partnership between Auguste Leon Marion, Henri Louis Guibout, George Bishop, Frank Bishop and John Pattinson Kirk, trading as Marion & Co. was dissolved in late 1901.

George Bishop (b.1834 d.1906) was for some time senior partner in the firm, on his retirement his brother Frank took over the role. Frank Bishop (d.1910) was managing director from 1901. In 1912 a resolution was passed to wind up and reform Marion & Co. Ltd, but nothing seems to have come of this, at the time Gerald M. Bishop was chairman.

Alexander Cowan (b.1836 d.1922) was at one time manager of the Southgate works and previously at Hills & Saunders.

References:
BJA 1907, p. 554.; BJA 1911, p.476.; BJA 1917, pp. 80, 81.; BJA 1923, p. 294.; Lon. Gaz. 31/8/1867, 29/10/1867, 29/11/1901, 27/7/1912.

Martin

Company Name

G.S. Martin1886 -

Company Address

2 Wigmore St. London1893 - 1894Opticians
16 Bream's Bldgs. Chancery Lane. London1886 - 1893Sometimes shown as Birkbeck Institution

In 1884 George Sallnow Martin's father, James, bought Horne & Thornthwaite which was to be managed by G.S. Martin, the arrangement could not have lasted long. An 1887 advertisement notes that he was for eight years with Ross. An 1893 advertisement notes that he was for seven years at the Birkbeck Institution, this would be 1886 when he set up at Bream's Buildings (then the location of the Birkbeck) but the relationship is not clear. Martin was later in partnership with George Spiller trading as Spiller & Martin at 3 Wigmore, the partnership was dissolved in 1897.

References:
BJA 1887.; BJA 1893.; Lon Gaz. 2/3/1897.

Mason

Company Name

Mason

Company Address

Buchanan St.
Sauchiehall St.
Union St.1870 -

George Mason FRPS (b.1839 d.1901) worked for John Spencer from 1863 becoming a partner in the firm from 1869 (this would be when John Spencer sen. retired). He started his own firm in 1870.

References:
BJA 1902, p. 690.

Mawson & Swan

Company Name

Mawson & Swan

Company Address

Established in 1860 by Joseph Wilson Swan (b.1828 d.1914) and John Mawson (d.1867). Swan gelatin dry plates were introduced in 1877. John Buxton Payne (d.1926) was managing director for many years.

References:
BJA 1915, p. 420.; BJA 1927, p. 365.

Further Information:
Early cameras are in: Christie's Cat. 25/11/93 lot 392. Bellows wet-plate.; Christie's Cat 8/7/93 lot 487. Sliding, folding box by Ottewill with a Mawson label.; Christie's Cat. 23/6/76 lot 129. Stereo front focus where the rear standard moves and clamps to the bed.

May, Roberts

Company Name

May, Roberts & Co.

Company Address

9 & 11 Clerkenwell Green London

Sold cameras under the Sandringham brand in the 1900s. Earlier partnership between Samuel Roberts and F. Sykes trading as chemists was ended in 1888.

References:
AP 13/8/1907.; Lon Gaz. 10/1/1888, p. 320.

Mc Brides Store

Company Name

Mc Brides StoreRetailer

Company Address

86 Fleet St. London EC

McKellen

Company Name

S.D. McKellen Ltd.1899 -
S.D. McKellen & Co.1898Or McKellen & Co.
S.D. McKellen- c.1893

Company Address

24 Market Pl. Manchester
Mill St. (off 165) Long Mill Gate. Manchester1899 -
4 Bull's Head Yard. Market Pl. Manchester- 1899
Marriott's Court. Spring Gdns. Manchesterc.1887 -
3 Chapman St. Manchesterc.1886 -Works
18 Brown St. Manchester- c.1887

Samuel Dunseith McKellen (b. 1836 Antrim, d.1906) was, prior to his involvement with photographic apparatus, a watchmaker and jeweller. His career is slightly complicated but can be summarised as follows;

  • Prior to 1884. McKellen was a jeweller and a watchmaker. A partnership with Frederick Appleby (trading as S.D. McKellen & Co. at 95 Market St. and elsewhere) was dissolved in 1876.
  • From 1884 to c.1891. The 'Double Pinion, Treble Patent' camera was announced in 1884 shortly after this McKellen started to produce cameras. The first cameras were made by Billcliff, in the BJA of 1886 McKellen states that the camera is now made 'at his own place and under his direct supervision'. The roll-film holder is also advertised. McKellen is at the Brown St address. The MS Detector was advertised by McKellen and Marion from 1890.
  • From c.1891 - 1893. During this period it appears that McKellen no longer had control of the patents to his camera or the distribution rights. In the 1891 Photography Annual T.E. Moult is distributing the camera at a discount price which might indicate that he was clearing stock, or had the cameras made more cheaply. Both the field and MS Detector were advertised. Moult was at 9 Clarance St. Albert Sq.
  • From 1893 - 1896. McKellen is now shown as manager of Thompson & Co. who are advertising the field camera, the Infallible and the Heywood finder. Thompson's address (from the 1894 BJA) is given as 5 Spring Gdns. McKellens address is given as Duchy Chambers, 2 Clarence St. Albert Sq.
  • From 1896 - 1898. In September 1896 the firm of Thompson & Co. (then owned by William Thompson) was transferred to John Dunseith McKellen, Samuel's son. The address is shown as 4 Bull's Head Yard. Market Pl.
  • From 1898. Around 1898 the company name is changed from Thompson to McKellen & Co. and in 1899 it becomes a limited company with share capital of £6000. S.D. McKellen was managing director.

A visit to the factory is described in the BJP of 1887, it notes that there are about 35 workmen at the factory.

References:
BJP 1/7/1887, p. 408.; BJP 20/1/1899, p. 42.; BJA 1908, p. 553.; Lon. Gaz. 16/5/1876, p. 3010.; Lon. Gaz. 2/10/1896, p. 5453.

Further Information:
A very good article by John McKellen, a relation of S.D., was published in the British Journal of Photography and reproduced in Photographica World (some differences to what is shown above).; The Manchester Camera Makers 1853-1940 by David Davies, pub. The Photographist 1986. Contains a lot of information.

McMillan

Company Name

Daniel McMillanActive 1848 - 1868Phot. dealer. Previously dressing case maker

Company Address

132 Fleet St. London1848 -

Meagher

Company Name

P. Meagher1866 - 1897
Patrick Meagher & Co.1859 - 1866

Company Address

21 Southampton Row. Holborn. London1865 - 1897Sometimes styled High Holborn
West side between High Holborn and Vernon Place
1 Coppice Row, Farringdon Rd. London1864 - 1865
1a Coppice Row. London1859 - 1864

Meagher was established in 1859 or late 1858, in the Kelly directory for 1859 there is a reference to Meagher but wrongly categorised as a Photographer. In 1861 he employed three men and two boys. Previously he had worked with Ottewill. Patrick Meagher (b. Ireland 1829, d. 8 May 1897) was living in Hammersmith in 1881. His nephew William Chamberlain, a photographer, was at the same address. By 1891 Meagher was living at 106 London Rd Cheam.

Coppice Row formed 44 - 49 of the new Farringdon Road created in 1863, Victoria St. was also absorbed at the same time. The Coppice Row name remained for a stretch of road near Clerkenwell Green. By 1901 the 21 Southampton Row premises were occupied by A. Rosenberg, model makers, electrical engineers and suppliers of X-ray equipment.

Cameras with the Coppice Row address are relatively rare.

References:
BJA 1898, p. 640.; BJA 1912.

Middlemiss

Company Name

William Middlemiss

William Middlemiss (b.1851), described in the census of 1881 as a photographic apparatus manufacturer employing 1 man and 4 boys. Living at 44 Priestman Terrace, Bradford.

Midland Camera Co.

Company Name

Midland Camera Co. Ltd.
Midland Camera Co.

Company Address

64 Slaney St. Birmingham

In 1902 one of the three partners - Frank James Smith - left M.C.C. Charles Howell and George Lloyd Moore remained. M.C.C. Ltd was wound up in 1912, its trade mark and possibly the remaining business passing to Thornton-Pickard.

References:
Lon. Gaz. 17/6/1902.; Lon. Gaz. 10/9/1912.

Miller

Company Name

T. Miller & Son- 1902 -
T. Miller- 1896 -

Company Address

27,29 Blackfriars St. Manchester- 1902 -
29 Blackfriars St. Manchester- 1896/97 -
141 Broughton Rd. Manchester- 1891 -

The partnership between Tom Miller, senior, and Tom Miller, junior, was dissolved in 1907.

References:
Lon. Gaz. 15/3/1907, p. 1874.

Milliken & Lawley

Company Name

Milliken & Lawleyc.1859 -
Biggs & Millikenc.1858
John Milliken & Co.- 1856 -
John MillikenBefore 1840 -

Company Address

165 Strand. LondonLate 1880s - 1910
168 Strand. London- 1880 -
161A Strand. LondonLate 1840s - c.1860
301 Strand. London- 1840 -

Milliken & Lawley was founded around 1859 at 161A Strand. Prior to this the premises were occupied by John Milliken suppliers of surgical equipment. After 1859 John Milliken moved to Borough, the firm of Milliken & Lawley continued to supply surgical apparatus as well as lantern slides and other goods.

Moorse

Company Name

Henry Moorse1866 - 1909

Company Address

154 High Holborn. London1866 - 1909

Henry Moorse (b.1832 Norwich) is described as a cabinet maker in the 1881 census, he is living at the High Holborn address.

Morley

Company Name

Morley & Cooper1890 -
Wm. Henry Morley1848 - 1890Also music seller and piano maker

Company Address

70 Upper St. London1857 -
3 Oddy's Row. Islington.1849 - 1857
6 Clark's Pl. Islington.1848 - 1849

Mottershead

Company Name

Mottershead & Co.

Company Address

1 Market Pl. Manchester- 1862 -
19 St Mary's Gate. Manchester- 1862 -

Muller

Company Name

William Muller1846 - 1858Artists colorman
Listed as phot. apparatus maker for a short time in mid 1850s

Company Address

62 High Holborn. London1846 - 1858

Murray & Heath

Company Name

R.C. Murray1883 - 1890, 1892 -
Murray & Heath1856 - 1883

Company Address

13 Garrick St. London- 1911 -Not clear if trading from this address
8 Garrick St. London1892 -Last ref. 1900
113 Pentonville Rd. London1883 - 1890North London Photographic and Optical Co.
69 Jermyn St. London1866 - 1883Moved here around March or April
43 Piccadilly. London1856 - 1866

The firm was founded around 1856 by Robert Murray (probably b.1799, Ireland) and Robert Vernon Heath (b. around 1821 d.1895). Murray & Heath supplied a large range of scientific and philosophical instruments including cameras and stereoscopes for which they registered designs. Heath later set up as a photographer with premises at 43 Piccadilly in 1862. According to G L'E Turner Charles Heisch FRMS was the sole proprietor of the company by 1867 (this would tie in with the move to Jermyn St. and Heath remaining at Piccadilly, Murray may have died by this time). Robert Charles Murray (b.1841) was the owner of the firm when it was wound up in 1883, he was later manager at J.J. Griffin c.1890 - c.1892. In 1881 he was living at the Pentonville address.

The artistic side of the partnership does not seem to have prospered. Robert Vernon Heath was declared bankrupt in 1865. Vernon Heath & Co. Ltd (then at 43 Piccadilly and still owned by Heath) was voluntarily wound up in 1885 due to debts. Vernon Heath & Co. (at 37 Piccadilly from 1886 and owned by Eliza Rosina Swindon (b.1846), formerly manageress for Heath) was listed as photographers in the late 1880s but in financial difficulty.

References:
BJA 1892, p. 346.; Turner, G. L'E, Great Age of the Microscope, the Collection of the Royal Microscopical Society.; Lon Gaz. 3/2/1865, 30/1/1883. 4/8/1885.

Further Information:
See 'The Correspondence of William Henry Fox Talbot' (foxtalbot.dmu.ac.uk) for letters from Murray & Heath to Talbot. A sliding box stereo is shown in Christie's cat. 17/10/96, 225. The single-lens camera slides within a tray on a box to give image separation.

Negretti & Zambra

Company Name

Negretti & Zambra Ltd1948 -
Negretti & Zambra1850 - 1948Formed on April 24 1850
Henry Negretti1844 - 1850
Negretti & Co.1844 - 1850
Pizzi & Negretti1843

Company Address

122 Regent St. London1861 -Prior to this date occupied by J.F. Newman, optical instrument maker and
William Rawles photographer. Other photographers are also recorded here.
East side between Glasshouse St. & Regent Place.
W1 postal district from 1917
Later the photographer Hammond is registered here, shared occupancy?
45 Cornhill. London1872 -Corner premises
38 Holborn Viaduct. London EC1869 - 1941Holborn Viaduct was finished in 1869,
construction had started a couple of years earlier,
demolition of the area started as early as 1863.
The N&Z building was destroyed by bombing in late 1940
Corner of Holborn Viaduct and St. Andrew St.
EC1 postal district from 1917
59 Cornhill. London1859 - 1872
59 & 68 Cornhill. London EC1857 - 1859
2 Charterhouse St. London EC1869 - 1885
153 Fleet St. London EC1864 - 1873
107 Holborn Hill. London EC1858 - 1861
1 Hatton Gdn. London1859 - 1869
11 Hatton Gdn. London1849 - 1859EC postal district from 1857
9 Hatton Gdn. London1844 - 1847
19 Leather Lane. London1843 - 1850Possibly shared occupancy as other barometer makers
are known at this address

Henry (Enrico Angelo Ludovico) Negretti (b.1818 d.1879) and Joseph Warren Zambra (b.1822 d.1897) founded Negretti & Zambra in 1850 specialising in metrological instruments. Negretti had previously been a barometer maker. During the 1850s and 60s they were leading retailers of stereoscopic equipment. In 1918 the firm dropped their interest in optical instruments to concentrate on industrial and aeronautical equipment.

Prior to Pizzi & Negretti, Henry Negretti was working for Jane Pizzi, widow of Valentine Pizzi, from around 1840. He may have previously have been at 20 Greville St. as a glass blower.

In the 1880s, and probably before, the manager of the Holborn shop was R. Willats possibly connected with T & R Willats. J.W. Zambra left the partnership in 1892.

References:
N&Z, Centenary.; www.negrettiandzambra.co.uk

Newgass

Company Name

Henry NewgassActive 1855 - 1859Importer and apparatus manu. Bankruptcy proceedings started in 1857

Company Address

67 Newgate St. London1857 - 1859
21 Wood St. London1855 - 1857

References:
Lon. Gaz. 13/11/1857.; Lon. Gaz. 4/2/1859.

Newman & Guardia

See also Newman & Simpson and Newman & Sinclair.
Diagram showing relationship between the Newman, Adams and Sinclair companies.

Company Name

Newman & Guardia Ltd1896 - c.1971Ltd from July 1896
Newman & Guardia1891 - 1896

Company Address

60 Berners St. London1949 - c.1959Later at Harlow
19 - 23 Wells St. London1938 - 1949
63 Newman St. London W11929 - 1938
17 & 18 Rathbone Place. Oxford St. London W1909 - 1929Or late 1908. W1 postal district from 1917
90 & 92 Shaftesbury Av. London W1897 - 1909
92 Shaftesbury Av. London W1893 - 1897Opened Oct/1893
71 Farringdon Rd. London W1891 - 1893
Pine Grove. Tollington Park. London1902 - 1909Factory
106-110 Kentish Town Rd. London NW- 1902Factory

Founded by J. Guardia (d.1906) and Arthur Samuel Newman (b.1860 d.1943).

According W.B. Ferguson writing in the Photographic Journal (Sept. 1936) Newman was working for the microscope maker F & C Robins of Aldersgate St. from 1877. In 1880 he moved to H & E.J. Dale (electricians in Little Britain), when Dale bought out the business of F.J. Cox he transferred to their photographic workshop, this was the period when Jimmy Hare (son of George) was working at Cox.

Newman must have left Dale around 1886 when his newly developed shutter was marketed. In an 1888 advertisement the French firm of A. Laverne & Co. claim to possess the sole rights of the shutter but it was also sold by other companies (including Hinton and Abraham/Adams) so possibly Laverne were wholesalers. From around 1889 Laverne also sold a Newman shutter for detective cameras. Around 1888 Frank Lindsay-Simpson joined Newman to form Newman & Simpson, at this time they were general scientific manufacturers specialising in photographic work. One of their customers was the firm of Robert Abraham (later Adams & Co). The partnership did not last long, Simpson left in 1891 along with, according to Ferguson, their 20 workmen to work for Adams. This was probably the formation of the short lived firm of Simpson & Hill who were supplying Adams.

Until late 1891 Newman & Simpson were major suppliers to Adams, Newman shutters were mentioned by name in Adams advertisements and Newman and Adams worked jointly on patents. From 1892 the range of Adams products, in particular their cameras, increased significantly. One explanation for the Newman and Adams split is that increased work for Adams would have tied up resources and prevented Newman from developing his own range of cameras and pursuing other routes to market.

Newman then formed Newman & Guardia in 1891. Newman left the company in 1908 due to business difficulties arising from the death of Guardia and was later in partnership with J.A. Sinclair.

Newman & Guardia Ltd was wound up in the early 1970s, there was also a Newman & Guardia A-V Sales Ltd that was also wound up around this time.

An article in the 1892 BJP notes that there are 40 people working for N&G. Articles in the BJP for 1893 list their range of cameras and show the early Nydia.

The Farringdon St. address is on the west side between Charles St. and Clerkenwell, near Cross St.

References:
Photographic News 1896.; BJA 1907, p. 627.; BJP 14/10/1892, p. 664.; BJP Sup, 5/5/1893, p. 63.; BJP Sup, 1/12/1893, p. 116.; PJ, Sept. 1936, p. 514.; BJA 1888, pp. 625, 655. Shutters.; BJA 1890, pp. 185, 847. Shutters. Lon. Gaz. 26/1/1971, 19/4/73.

Further Information:
According to Ferguson, Gilmer, then at Laverne &, agreed to sell the shutter if Newman were to manufacture it. Around 1891 Laverne became Clement & Gilmer. See also an article in Photographica World no. 133 by A. Manthos on the early Newman cameras and the Newman/Adams relationship.

Newman, James

Company Name

James Newman1833 - after 1900Artist's materials supplier, phot. colors etc. from late 1850s

Company Address

24 Soho Sq. London1834 -

Newman & Simpson

See also Simpson & Hill.

Company Name

Newman & Simpsonc.1888 - 1891

Company Address

71 Farringdon Rd. Londonc.1890 - 1891
11 Albermarle St. Clerkenwell. Londonc.1888 - c.1890
14 St John's Sq. London

The partnership between Arthur Samuel Newman and Frank Lindsay-Simpson was dissolved around Nov. 1891.

S.J. Levi & Co. were also at the 71 Farringdon address around 1890.

References:
Lon. Gaz. 4/12/1891.; BJP 26/4/1889, p. 289.; BJP 8/2/1889, p. 89.

Further Information:
The Newman Detective camera was shown at the North London Photographic society in 1889. In 1889 a patent application for an iris diaphragm was started by Newman and Simpson (BP 1736), it must have been abandoned at an early stage.

Newman & Sinclair

Company Name

Newman & Sinclair Ltdc.1910 -

Company Address

2 Salisbury Rd. Highgate Hill. Highgate. London NWhittington Works

Newton

Company Name

Newton & Co.1857 -
Frederick Newton & Co.1857 -At Fleet St
William Edward & Frederick Newton1852 - 1857Opticians and Globe Makers at Fleet St
William & Frederick Newton1851 - 1852Opticians at Fleet St
William Edward Newton, Son- 1849 -Civil Engineer at Chancery Lane
William Edward Newton & Son- 1849 -Patent Agents at Chancery Lane
William Edward Newton & Son- 1849 -Globe Manufacturers at Chancery Lane
Newton, Son & Berry1831 - 1841
J & W Newton- 1831
John Newton- 1780 -

Company Address

72 Wigmore St. London1913 -Also occupied by F.C. Hart makers of arc lamps
37 King St. Covent Gdn. London1913 - 1920
3 Fleet St. London1851 -
66 Chancery Lane. London
97 Chancery Lane. Londonc.1780 -

The Newtons were an old established family working in the diverse areas of globe making, patent agents and civil engineers. Advertisements claim establishment in 1704. John Newton (b.1759 d.1844) worked from 97 Chancery Lane from c.1780, John's son William (b.1786 d.1861) joined the firm forming J & W Newton. Miles Berry joined the firm in 1831 forming Newton, Son & Berry which lasted to 1841. Berry was the patent agent for Daguerre and was issued the first Photographic patent in England. William's son, William Edward (b.1818 d.1879) was part of the Fleet St branch.

The firm were important suppliers of lantern slides and equipment they also sold cameras and equipment during the wet-plate and early dry-plate periods. In 1920 the two partners in the firm, Herbert Charles Newton and Russell Stuart Wright separated, Newton continued at the King St. address selling lantern slides and Wright at the Wigmore St. address selling optical instruments, both firms continued to use the Newton & Co name.

Newton was part of, or associated with, Metroplitan-Vickers from around the late 1940s. M-V and British Thomson-Houston (BTH) were both part of AEI.

References:
Lon. Gaz. 14/8/1920

Ottewill

Company Name

Ottewill, Collis & Co.1863 -
Thomas Ottewill & Co.1855 - 1863Or Ottewill & Co.
Ottewill & Morgan1854 - 1855
Thomas Ottewillc.1851 - 1854

Company Address

23 & 24 Charlotte Terrace, Copenhagen St. London1855 -
24 Charlotte Terrace, Copenhagen St. Londonc.1851 - 1855Sometimes includes Caledonian Rd. in address

Established around 1851, probably ceased trading in the late 1860s. In an 1867 advertisement they note that they have been manufacturing for Ross for 15 years and that Mr Collis was previously working for Ross for 13 years.

The partnership with William Morgan was dissolved in April 1855. In 1862 Ottewill was discharged from bankruptcy but proceedings were renewed in 1864 and 1865.

Thomas Ottewill b.1821, Maidstone Kent. In 1861 he was living at the Charlotte Terrace address. he was no longer there by 1865.

References:
Advertisement in Sutton, 'Calotype Process', 1856.; BJA 1867, p. xlii.; Lon. Gaz. 21/5/1858, 17/4/1855, 3/1/1862, 18/3/1862, 4/11/1864, 3/3/1865.

Further Information:
Early cameras are in: Sotheby Cat. 20/3/81 lot 192. Single lens stereo using a rail for separation.; Christie's Cat. 1/1/01 lot 348. Two-lens stereo.; Christie's Cat. 14/5/92 lot 39. Sliding box model.

Pacifico

Company Name

Jacob PacificoActive 1857 - 1864Phot. dealer and artist. Declared bankrupt 1864

Company Address

45 Cannon St. London1863 - 1864
93 Whitechapel Rd. London1859 - 1863
255 Whitechapel Rd. London1857 - 1859

References:
Lon. Gaz. 19/2/1864.

Paget

Company Name

Paget Prize Plate Co. Ltd1901 - 1921
Paget Prize Plate Co.1881 - 1901At Ealing to c.1889 then Watford

Founded in 1881 by W.J. Wilson (b.1842 d.1917) and T.C. Whitfield. 'Prize' comes from a prize offered by Joseph Paget in 1880 for the best dry plate process which was won by Wilson. Their first plates were called: XV, XXX and XXXXX; indicating 15, 30 and 50 times wet-plate speeds. In 1921 they became part of APM, later APEM and then Ilford.

References:
BJA 1884, clxxxiv.; BJA 1890, p. 887; BJA 1918, p. 258.

Park

Company Name

Henry Park

Company Address

5 Station Bldgs. Acton St. Kingsland Rd. London E1890 - Until 1907 or later
1 Orchard Bldgs. Acton St. Kingsland Rd. LondonE- 1890Here before 1883

Predominantly wholesale manufacturers but some cameras carry their own name plaque. An advertisement from 1884 says that Park was with Meagher for 7 years and 8 years with Hare. Another advertisement says that customers are able to choose the particular plank of wood that was to be used to make the camera. In the census of 1881 Henry Park (b.1848) describes himself as a photographic apparatus manufacturer.

References:
BJA 1884, p. cxxii.

Pascal

Company Name

Frederick Pascal & Co.Active 1862 - 1864Phot. dealer, photographer

Company Address

7 Windmill Pl. Camberwell Rd. London1863 - 1864
25 Crown Row. Walworth Rd. London1862 - 1863

Payne

Company Name

J.B. Payne1874 - 1879
Payne & Chapman- 1874

Company Address

63 Piccadilly. Manchester- 1879

John Buxton Payne (d.1926) was in partnership with J.T. Chapman until 1874, he was later manager at Mawson & Swan.

References:
Lon. Gaz. 3/4/1874, p. 1994.; Lon. Gaz. 28/11/1879, p. 7121.; BJA 1927, p. 365.

Peele

Company Name

Thomas Peele

Company Address

13 Bedford St. Manchester- 1871 -Possibly same address as Oxford St
13A Oxford St. Manchester- 1861 -

Thomas Peele (b.Durham 1814) is listed as a Daguerreotype artist in 1851 and as a photographic apparatus manufacturer from 1861 to after 1873.

Perken Son & Rayment

Company Name

Perken Son & Co.1900 -To after 1940
Perken Son & Rayment1887 - 1900
Lejeune & Perken- 1887Earliest ref. is 1854

Company Address

94 Hatton Gdn. London EC11920 -
99 Hatton Gdn. London EC1886 - 1920EC1 postal district from 1917
101 Hatton Gdn. London EC- 1886
112 & 113 Gt. Saffron Hill. London EC- 1887
141 Oxford St. London EC1892 - 1896Then 'West End Photographic Stores'
126 Chancery Lane. London- 1854 -

Advertisements claim establishment in 1852, in 1854 they were described as importers of foreign goods. They are known to have made cameras and lenses for other companies; one camera exists with the label "Lejeune & Perken made for J.T. Chapman" and lenses were supplied to M.W. Dunscombe.

Perken Son & Rayment was dissolved at the end of 1899 when Arthur Rayment left the partnership, the business was continued as Perken, Son & Co from 1/1/1900 by Frederick Louis Perken and Edgar Theodore Perken.

References:
BJA 1912, p. 239.; PN 2/10/1896.; Lon Gaz. 12/1/1900.

Perry

Company Name

Frederick Perry & Co.Active 1859 -Phot. warehouse

Company Address

11 Bloomsbury Mkt. London1859 -

Petschler

Company Name

The Manchester Photographic Co. (Limited)- 1868
H. Petschler & Co.

Company Address

84 Market St. Manchester- 1868

The partnership between Petschler and Benjamin Consterdine, trading as H. Petschler & Co, was dissolved in 1862. The business continued under the same name and later under the name of The Manchester Photographic Co. (Ltd). Helmuth Louis Friedrich Martin Petschler was made bankrupt in 1866. The Manchester Photographic Co. (Ltd) was wound up in 1868.

References:
Lon. Gaz. 10/6/1862, p. 3007.; Lon. Gaz. 23/11/1866, p. 6457.; Lon. Gaz. 7/4/1868, p. 2125.

Further Information:
A stereo camera by Petschler is shown in Christie's Cat. 26/1/84, lot 219.

Photo Ltd

Company Name

Photo Ltd

The nature of this company is not clear, they were issued two patents in conjunction with Albert John Eves Hill one for a camera the other for embossing prints. They also sold equipment under their own name, e.g. the Kalos shutter (which was also sold under the Adams & Co name). Their address is given as 72 & 74 Gray's Inn.

A.J.E. Hill is sometimes described as manager of Cresco-fylma Co. of Kingston.

References:
BP 19817/1899.; BP 11/1898.; Hill was issued patents between 1894 and 1904.

Photographic Artist's Co-operative Supply Association

Company Name

Photographic Artist's Co-operative Supply Association

Company Address

43 Charterhouse Sq. London1877 - 1890Except for the years 1884 - 1885
South side of Square, nearer to Aldersgate
251 Goswell Rd. London1878 - 1881
91 Gracechurch St. London1889 to 1890

The Kelly directories list the PACSA as at the Charterhouse address from 1877 to 1890, they are also listed at 251 Goswell Rd (which is close to Charterhouse Square) from 1878 to 1881. In 1879 the secretary is shown as Capt. H. Kerr later as E. Huntley and by 1889 as T.V. Nolan with W. Whittingham as M.D.

A winding up order was issued in 1884 stating that the assets of the company were to be sold including the factory at 43 Charterhouse. This corresponds to a period when they are not listed in the Kelly Directory. Following that period they re-surface at the same address.

PACSA stated that they either manufactured items or purchased from the manufacturers for retail to their customers. They operated somewhat like a co-operative, people would buy an entrance ticket (5 shillings) and at the end of the year excess profits were distributed amongst ticket holders who had purchased goods to a total value of £20 or more. PACSA was a limited company with a paid up capital of £8,500, which is a very large amount. Since a dividend of 5% was paid to the shareholders there may not have been much to distribute to the ticket holders.

References:
PJ 1879, p. xi.; Lon Gaz. 11/4/1884.

Photographic Artist's Supply Association

Company Name

Photographic Artist's Supply Association Ltd.

Company Address

43 Charterhouse Sq. London- 1890 -
91 Gracechurch St. London- 1890 -

Also known as W.B. Whittingham & Co. The company name and address are very similar to the previous entry with which Whittingham was also associated.

References:
Optical Magic Lantern Journal 1/6/1890, p. vi.

Piggott, John

Company Name

John Piggott Ltd1902 -Last ref. 1910
John Piggott- 1902Earliest ref. 1891

Company Address

117 & 118 Cheapside. Londonc.1895 -
117 Cheapside. London- c.1895Earliest ref. 1891
1 & 2 Milk St. London- c.1902Milk St. is a road off of Cheapside

Retailer.

Piggott, Wm.

Company Name

Wm. P. Piggott & Co.1850 - 1864Opticians, instrument makers
Piggott, Weare & Co.1849
Piggott & Boddy1847 - 1849
Wm. Peter Piggott1838 - 1847

Company Address

523 Oxford St. London1847 - 1864
11 Wardrobe Pl. Doctors Commons. London1839 - 1847Doctors Commons was between
Upper Thames Street and Gt. Knightrider St.
Demolished in 1867
13 Arnold Pl. London1838 - 1839
3 Gt. Carter Lane. Doctors Commons. London1847 - 1849Sited at corner of Wardrobe Pl. Probably same building
16 Argyle St. Regent St. London1859 - 1861Possibly a private address

The partnership between Richard Weare, Wm. P. Piggott and Thomas Weare, watch makers, opticians and mathematical instrument makers of Birkenhead and Oxford St. London, was dissolved in 1849. The partnership between Wm. P. Piggott and Thomas Body, opticians and mathematical instrument makers of Wardrobe Place and Oxford St. was dissolved in 1849.

References:
Lon. Gaz. 6/3/1849.; Lon. Gaz. 20/11/1849.

Price

Company Name

Price & Co.1891 -
Price, Talbot & Co.1890 - 1891Also styled Ludgate Lantern & Photo Stores

Company Address

26 Ludgate Hill. London EC1890 -

Price, Talbot, described as camera manufacturers, took over the 26 Ludgate Hill premises of H. Dale & Co. Price, Talbot was wound up in July 1891. Either the winding up took a long time or the company was reconstituted as another winding up meeting was held in 1896 this time at 4 Berry St, the premises of Price, Hill & Co. The Scientific Appliance Manufacturing Co Ltd trading from the same address may have been connected.

References:
Lon. Gaz. 26/11/1889, 6/11/1891, 15/9/1896.

Price, Hill & Co.

Company Name

Price, Hill & Co.

Company Address

4 Berry St. Clerkenwell Rd. London

Formed around 1897 by Edwin Gladstone Price and Henry Hill, a patent was granted to the firm in that year.

There would seem to be a connection between 'Price, Hill' and 'Price, Talbot'. Henry Hill is possibly the same as collaborated with A.L. Adams.

Prince

Company Name

Wm. Banks PrinceActive 1863 - 1865Phot. dealer

Company Address

3 Skinner St. London1863 - 1865

Purma Cameras

Company Name

Purma Cameras Ltd

Company Address

Queen St. Mayfair. London
Kirby St. London
Sutton
Glamorgan

Purma Cameras Ltd head offices were in Queen St. Mayfair; Kirby St. then Sutton and later Glamorgan. Joseph Terrett, named on some Purma patents, had an address in Kirby St. William Barton Wood, a patentee of a Purma camera which was not put into production, had an address in Sutton.

Pyne

Company Name

J.J. Pyne

Company Address

63 Piccadilly Manchester

Joseph John Pyne (b. 1829). In Slater's directory of 1863 he is described as a pharmaceutical and dispensing chemist and manufacturer and importer of photographic apparatus, the 1859 Photographic News has an advertisement by Pyne.

Further Information:
A bellows camera on a carrying case (Ross lens 8380, 8391) is shown in Sotheby Cat. 2/3/79, lot 212.

Quin

Company Name

Quin & Co.
Moran & QuinPhot. dealer. Case maker

Company Address

65A Poland St. LondonOr 65

Richard Quin (trading as Moran & Quin) patented an improved case for photographs and improvements to stereoscopes in 1857 (BP 168/1857), M&Q were then at 65 Poland St. Richard Quin was at 5 Rodney St. M&Q are known until 1877, in 1880 a Quin & Co. is listed, still at 65 Poland St.

References:
Lon Gaz. 16/10/1857.

Quta Co

Company Name

Quta Co.

Quta Co. is not in the BJA address lists. The Quta Photo Machine Co. is listed as being in Wimbledon until c.1908.

Rank Organisation

See also entry for Taylor, Taylor & Hobson.

From the 1940s Rank started to consolidate several British optical and engineering companies, originally these had a connection with the film industry. These included: Gaumont British (taken over in 1941), GB-Kalee (part of Gaumont British), British Acoustic Films (a subsidiary of Gaumont British), Taylor, Taylor & Hobson (a subsidiary of British Acoustic Films), A. Kershaw & Sons (1947), Pullin (1964), Hilger & Watts (1968) and Aldis. Wray optical was already part of Hilger & Watts. GB Equipment was also listed in the 1940s, this may have been established by Rank or a subsidiary of Gaumont British. The companies were organised into British Optical and Precision Engineers Ltd. a subsidiary of Rank.

References:
Competition Commission Report on proposed takeover of De La Rue.; Barty-King, Eyes Right, p. 160.; Wade, Wrayflex Story.

Redding

See also Robinson & Sons.

Company Name

H.J. Redding & Co. Ltdc.1911 -Until after 1920
H.J. Redding & Co.c.1901 - c.1911
Redding & Gyles1896 - c.1901Or H.J. Redding & Gyles

Company Address

3 Argyll Place. London Wc.1897 -Until after 1920
13 Air St. Regent St. London W1896

Established in 1896 when Henry Joseph Redding and E.T. Gyles left J. Robinson & Son. By the mid 1900s the photographic side of the business must have been trailing off in favour of other interests, by 1920 they specialised in spectacles. At one time they list themselves as makers of models, electrical instruments and optical toys.

As well as the Luzo Redding made tailboard cameras and a folding roll-film camera similar to the Sanderson finished in polished mahogany.

Robinson & Sons

See also Redding.

Company Name

J. Robinson & Sons

Company Address

172a Regent St. London WRecorded here as a photographer from 1883
172 Regent St. London W
65 Grafton St. Dublin

The London Gazette for 1898 records that a final dividend is to be paid to creditors by John Bolton Robinson. The Grafton St. address was still advertising as 'J. Robinson' in 1898.

References:
Lon. Gaz. 30/8/1898.

Further Information:
An early folding box wet-plate camera signed J. Robinson (Grafton St. address) is in the Oxford Science Museum collection. In 1898 Robinson was living at 50 Louisville Rd, Balham.

Rogers

Company Name

John RogersActive 1858 - 1860Phot. apparatus manu.

Company Address

4 Connaught Terrace. Edgware Rd. London1858 - 1860

Rogerson

Company Name

John Rogerson

Company Address

20 Albion St. Manchester

Shown at the above address during the 1860s and 1870s, firstly as a general mechanic and then as photographic instrument maker employing 16 hands, not in Slater's directory for 1853. John Rogerson b. Manchester 1814.

Ross

For later entries see Ross Ensign.

Company Name

Ross Ltd1897 - 1948
Ross & Co.1873 - 1897
Thomas Ross & Co.1872 - 1873
Thomas Ross1859 - 1872
Andrew Ross1841 - 1859
Andrew Ross & Co.c.1837 - 1841During this period Ross was in partnership
with J.J. Lister
Andrew Ross1830 - c.1837

Company Address

3 North Side Clapham Common. London1890 -SW4 postal district from 1917
111 New Bond St. London W1892 - 1918W1 postal district from 1917
112 New Bond St. London W1881 - 1892
164 New Bond St. London W1875 - 1881Or 1876. Corner of Grafton St
7 Wigmore St. London W1869 - 1877
53 Wigmore St. London W1867 - 1869
2 & 3 Featherstone Bldgs. London1853 - 1867WC postal district from 1857
2 Featherstone Bldgs. London1847 - 1853Also used in conjunction with later address
21 Featherstone Bldgs. London1842 - 1847
33 Regents Circus Piccadilly. London1838 - 1842
15 St John's Sq. Clerkenwell. LondonEarly 1830s
3 Albermarle St. St John's Sq. London1830 -
26 Conduit St. London W11936 - c.1945
13/14 Gt. Castle St, Oxford Circus. London W11918 - 1936Opened on 25/03/1918. Previously Carl Zeiss
31 Cockspur St. Charing Cross. London SW1898 - 1913

Ross was established in 1830 by Andrew Ross (b.1798 d.1859) the business was continued by his son, Thomas (d.1870). Sir Charles Parsons acquired a controlling interest in the firm from 1 January 1921 and took over as chairman. Part of Barnet Ensign Ross Ltd from 1948.

Featherstone Buildings was a small street on the north side of High Holborn opposite Gt. Turnstile Street, the area was extensively remodelled by the Luftwaffe. The BJA 1892 shows illustrations of 112 Bond St. and Clapham Common.

In an 1891 advertisement they state that 'cabinet-maker's workshops' have been erected at the Clapham factory and that a stock of old mahogany has been secured, this would indicate that previously they were not actually making cameras.

In 1917 Ross took over the assets of Carl Zeiss (London) Ltd. The London offices were moved to the old Zeiss building in Gt. Castle St and the factory near Mill Hill was utilised, for a time lenses produced at the new factory were engraved Ross (Mill Hill).

References:
BJA 1890, p. 50.; BJA 1892, p. 35.; BJA 1922, p. 314.; Turner, G. L'E, Great Age of the Microscope, the Collection of the Royal Microscopical Society, p. 154.; See 'The Correspondence of William Henry Fox Talbot' (foxtalbot.dmu.ac.uk) for letters from Andrew Ross to Talbot.; Ministry of Munitions Records, MUN 4/4084.

Further Information:
An early folding wet-plate box camera is in the Oxford Science Museum.

Ross Ensign

Company Name

Ross Ensign1954 -
Barnet Ensign Ross Ltd1948 - 1954
Barnet-Ensign Ltd1945 - 1948

Formed by the amalgamation of Houghton-Butcher Manufacturing Co. and the sales division of Elliott & Son Ltd, (Barnet plates etc). Later joined by Ross Ltd.

Roth

Company Name

A.O. Roth

Company Address

85 Ringstead Rd, Catford. Londonc.1923 - 1939

Primarily distributors for Meyer and Mentor, Roth also produced some cameras of their own fitted with Meyer lenses.

Rouch

Company Name

W.W. Rouch & Co.1863 -
Burfield & Rouchc.1854 - 1863
Henry Burfield1837 - c.1854

Company Address

161 Strand. London WCc.1894 - 1919WC2 postal district from 1917
180 Strand. London1837 - c.1894This is the east corner where Norfolk St. joins the Strand.
WC postal district from 1857
43 Norfolk St. London- c.1894Earliest ref. is for 1864
Building is next to the 180 Strand premises

Henry Burfield was a chemist and druggist, sometime in the mid 1850s he was joined by William White Rouch, from then they probably started to retail stereo viewers etc. The establishment date of 1854 is shown in later Rouch advertisements. Burfield & Rouch were adverting in the 1858 Photographic News.

Samuel W. Rouch (b.1835 at St Agnes, Cornwall d.1898) was the patentee of the Eureka camera. There was also a W.A. Rouch who ran the company in the 1900s, he was a photographer specialising in sports photography.

Further Information:
Early equipment is in: Oxford Science Museum. Triple extension, front focus, stereo sliding box camera.; Sotheby Cat. 18/9/81 lot 286. Sliding box camera.; Christie's Cat. 15/5/92 lot 301, 26/6/86 lot 413. Sliding box cameras.; Christie's Cat. 3/5/84 lot 184. Cosmorama stereo viewer signed Burfield & Rouch (Regd Sep 15 1854).; Christie's Cat. 19/9/91 lot 69. Stereoscope signed H. Burfield.

Routledge

Company Name

A. Routledge & Co.1858 - 1862Phot. apparatus manu. Cabinet maker

Company Address

14A John's Mews Bedford Row. London1860 - 1862
14 John's Mews Bedford Row. London1858 - 1860
6 New Ormand St. Queen Sq. London1858 - 1861

Alfred William Routledge was later described as a builder when made bankrupt in 1868. At that time he was at 2 Millman St, Bedford Row and 12 Hand Ct. Holborn, probably a private address.

Company:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M

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