Company Details
Notes on companies mentioned in the main text.
Lancaster & Son
Company Name:
| J. Lancaster & Son Ltd | 1904 - | |
| J. Lancaster & Son | 1835 - 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.Lawley
Company Name:
| Walter Lawley |
Company Address:
| 78 Farringdon St. London. EC | ||
| 8 Coventry St. London. EC | Short period in the mid 1880s |
The Lawley firm was established in 1780. Walter Lawley (b. 1851) was described as a pawnbroker and optician in the 1880s.
References:
BJA 1892, p. 501Levi, Joseph
Company Name:
| J. Levi & Co. | 1861 - | |
| Joseph Levi | 1858 - 1861 |
Company Address:
| 97 Hatton Gdn, London | 1895 - | |
| 40 Furnival St, London | Before 1888 - 1895 | |
| 2 Dyer's Buildings, London | Before 1888 - 1895 | |
| 40 Castle St, London | 1858 - |
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 There is a strong connection with S. J. Levi & Co.
Meyer Lewis Isaacs (d. 1907).
References:
BJA, 1908, p. 556.Levi, S.J
Company Name:
| Levi, Jones & Co. | 1898 - c.1904 | |
| S. J. Levi & Co. | c.1890 - 1898 |
Company Address:
| 29 Hoxton Square, London | 1898 - c.1904 | |
| 71 Farringdon Rd, London | c.1890 - 1898 | Also occupied by Newman & Guardia at this time |
There is a strong connection with J. Levi & Co.
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. Glasgow | Until after 1942 | |
| 101 Buchanan St. Glasgow | ||
| 263A Sauchiehall St. Glasgow | c.1923 - | |
| 6 Shandwick Place. Edinburgh | 1912 - | Until after 1942 |
| 13, 15 & 19 Shandwick Place. Edinburgh | 1908 - 1912 | Address sometimes given as 13 or 13 & 15 |
| 13 & 19 Shandwick Place. Edinburgh | 1899 - 1908 | |
| 2 & 4 Maitland St. Edinburgh | - 1899 | |
| 118 Union St. Aberdeen | 1932 - | Until after 1942 |
| 171 Union St. Aberdeen | 1902 - 1932 | |
| 28 Bridge St. Aberdeen | - 1902 | |
| 27 High St. Paisley | 1926 - | Until after 1942 |
| 1 Grange St. Paisley | 1923 - 1926 | |
| 1 Oldsmithhills. Paisley | 1912 - 1923 | |
| 46 West Blackhall St. Greenock | 1940 - | |
| 14 West Blackhall St. Greenock | 1913 - 1940 | |
| 12 Muir St. Motherwell | 1927 - | Until after 1942 |
| 110 Brandon St. Motherwell | 1914 - 1926 | |
| 8 Wellington Place. Belfast | 1899 - | Until after 1942 |
| 73 Victoria St. Belfast | - 1899 | |
| 71 Bold St. Liverpool | c.1903 - | Until after 1942 |
| 251 High Holborn. London | 1905 - 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.London Camera Exchange
Company Name:
| London Camera Exchange Co. Ltd | ||
| Robbins & Manistre & Co. Ltd | Earliest ref is 1920 |
Company Address:
| 20 Buckelsbury. Cheapside. EC4 | 1934 - | |
| 2 Poultry. Cheapside. EC4 | c.1920- 1934 | Also 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 Street.
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.
References:
YBP 1889, p. cxlvi.; YBP 1891, p. xciv.London Stereoscopic Co.
Company Name:
| London Stereoscopic Co. Ltd. | 1912 - 1922 | |
| London Stereoscopic & Photographic Co. Ltd. | 1885 - 1912 | 'Photographic' sometimes omitted |
| London Stereoscopic & Photographic Co. | 1863 - 1885 | |
| London Stereoscopic & Photographic Co. & Carte de Visite Institute | 1862 - 1863 | |
| London Stereoscopic Co. | 1856 - 1862 | |
| Artistic Repository & London Stereoscopic Co. | 1854 - 1856 |
Company Address:
| 3 Hanover Sq. London. W | 1912 - 1922 | W1 postal district from 1917 |
| 106 & 108 Regent St. London. W | 1889 - 1912 | 106 is on the corner of Glasshouse St |
| 110 & 108 Regent St. London. W | 1882 - 1889 | 108 & 110 are between Glasshouse St and Regent Place, before the Negretti building |
| 110, 108 & 106 Regent St. London. W | 1875 - 1882 | |
| 110 & 108 Regent St. London. W | 1864 - 1875 | |
| 110 Regent St. London. W | 1862 - 1864 | |
| 54 Cheapside. London. EC | 1866 - 1907 | Between Bread St and Bow Churchyard |
| 53 & 54 Cheapside. London. EC | 1863 - 1866 | |
| 54 Cheapside. London | 1856 - 1863 | EC postal district from 1857 |
| 313 Oxford St. London | 1854 - 1861 | W postal district from 1857 |
| 2 Bow Church Yard. London. EC | 1885 - 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 another 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). L.S.C. are a little untidy in the use of company names and addresses often simply calling themselves The Stereoscopic Co. They ceased trading in 1922. Arthur Gask was a manager at London Stereoscopic in their later years.
Further Information:
A sliding box camera is in Christie's Cat. 18/8/83 lot 56.Mackenzie & Co
Company Name:
| Mackenzie & Co. |
Company Address:
| 210 Old Dumbarton St. Glasgow | 1909 - | Sometimes shown as 212. Listed here into 1940s |
| 53 Waterloo St. Glasgow | 1909 - 1914 | |
| 20 West Campbell St. Glasgow | 1913 | |
| 122 Wellington Rd. Glasgow | 1911 - 1913 | |
| 17 Douglas St. Glasgow | - 1909 |
References:
AP 13/7/09 p. 52.Marion
For later entries see APM.
Company Name:
| Marion & Co. Ltd. | 1901 - 1921 | |
| Marion & Co. | 1867 - 1901 | |
| Auguste Marion Son & Co. | 1863 - 1867 | Sometimes shown as A. Marion Son & Co. |
| Marion & Co. | 1848 - 1863 | Sometimes shown as A. Marion & Co. and Auguste Marion & Co. |
| Augustin Marion & Co. | c.1846 | |
| Augustin Marion | c.1842 - c.1846 |
Company Address:
| 3 Soho Square. London. W | 1913 - 1921 | South east corner of square |
| 22 & 23 Soho Square. London. W | c.1866 - 1913 | |
| 23 Soho Square. London. W | 1863 - c.1866 | |
| 32 Bread St. London | c.1848 | |
| 152 Regent St. London | c.1846 - c.1866 | W postal district from 1857 |
| 19 Mortimer St. London | 1842 - c.1846 |
From 1921 Marion formed part of APM and later APEM. The factory at Southgate dates from 1885.
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.
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.Mc Brides Store
Company Name:
| Mc Brides Store |
Company Address:
| 86 Fleet St. London. EC |
Retailer.
Meagher
Company Name:
| P. Meagher | 1866 - 1897 | |
| Patrick Meagher & Co. | 1859 - 1866 |
Company Address:
| 21 Southampton Row. Holborn. London | 1865 - 1897 | Sometimes styled High Holborn West side between High Holborn and Vernon Place |
| 1 Coppice Row, Farringdon Road. London | 1864 - 1865 | |
| 1a Coppice Row. London | 1859 - 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. 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.
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.
Milliken & Lawley
Company Name:
| Milliken & Lawley | c.1859 - | |
| Biggs & Milliken | c.1858 | |
| John Milliken & Co. | - 1856 - | |
| John Milliken | Before 1840 - |
Company Address:
| 165 Strand. London | Late 1880s - 1910 | |
| 168 Strand. London | - 1880 - | |
| 161A Strand. London | Late 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.
Murray & Heath
Company Name:
| R.C. Murray | 1883 - 1890, 1892 - | |
| Murray & Heath | 1856 - 1883 |
Company Address:
| 13 Garrick St. | - 1911 - | Not clear if trading from this address |
| 8 Garrick St. | 1892 - | Last ref. 1900 |
| 113 Pentonville Rd. | 1883 - 1890 | |
| 69 Jermyn St. | 1866 - 1883 | |
| 43 Piccadilly | 1856 - 1866 |
The firm was founded around 1856 by Murray and Robert Vernon Heath (b. around 1820 d. 1895). Heath 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 C. Murray (b. 1841) was manager of J.J. Griffin c.1890 - c.1892, in 1881 he was living at the Pentonville address.
References:
BJA 1892, p. 346.; Turner, G. L'E, Great Age of the Microscope, the Collection of the Royal Microscopical Society.Further Information:
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 Ltd. | 1948 - | |
| Negretti & Zambra | 1850 - 1948 | Formed on April 24 1850 |
| Henry Negretti | 1844 - 1850 | |
| Negretti & Co. | 1844 - 1850 | |
| Pizzi & Negretti | 1843 |
Company Address:
| 122 Regent St. London | 1861 - | Prior to this date occupied by J.F. Newman, optical instrument maker. East side between Glasshouse St & Regent Place. W1 postal district from 1917 |
| 45 Cornhill. London | 1872 - | Corner premises |
| 38 Holborn Viaduct. London. EC | 1869 - 1941 | Holborn 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. London | 1859 - 1872 | |
| 59 & 68 Cornhill. London. EC | 1857 - 1859 | |
| 2 Charterhouse St. London. EC | 1869 - 1885 | |
| 153 Fleet St. London. EC | 1864 - 1873 | |
| 107 Holborn Hill. London. EC | 1858 - 1861 | |
| 1 Hatton Garden. London | 1859 - 1869 | |
| 11 Hatton Garden. London | 1849 - 1859 | EC postal district from 1857 |
| 9 Hatton Garden. London | 1844 - 1847 | |
| 19 Leather Lane. London | 1843 - 1850 | Possibly 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.
References:
N&Z, Centenary.; www.negrettiandzambra.co.ukNewman & Guardia
Company Name:
| Newman & Guardia Ltd. | 1896 - | Ltd from July 1896 |
| Newman & Guardia | 1891 - 1896 |
Company Address:
| 60 Berners Street. London | 1949 - c.1959 | Later at Harlow |
| 19 - 23 Wells St. London | 1938 - 1949 | |
| 63 Newman Street. London. W1 | 1929 - 1938 | |
| 17 & 18 Rathbone Place. Oxford St. London. W | 1909 - 1929 | Or late 1908. W1 postal district from 1917 |
| 90 & 92 Shaftesbury Avenue. London. W | 1897 - 1909 | |
| 92 Shaftesbury Avenue. London. W | 1893 - 1897 | |
| 71 Farringdon Road. London. W | 1891 - 1893 | |
| Pine Grove. Tollington Park. London | 1902 - 1909 | Factory |
| 106-110 Kentish Town Road. London. NW | - 1902 | Factory |
Founded by J. Guardia (d. 1906) and Arthur Samuel Newman (b. 1860 d. 1943).
Prior to Newman & Guardia, Arthur Newman was part of Newman & Simpson working out of 71 Farringdon Rd (c.1890 - 1891) and 11 Albermarle St. Clerkenwell (c.1888 - c.1890). S.J. Levi & Co. were also at the 71 Farringdon address around 1890.
Newman left the company in 1908 and was later in partnership with J.A. Sinclair.
The Farringdon St. address is on the west side between Charles St. and Clerkenwell, near Cross St.
References:
Photographic News 1896.; BJA 1907, p. 627Newman & Sinclair
Company Name:
| Newman & Sinclair Ltd. | c.1910 - |
Company Address:
| 2 Salisbury Rd. Highgate Hill. Highgate. London. N | Whittington Works |
Newton
Company Name:
| Newton & Co. | 1857 - | |
| Frederick Newton & Co. | 1857 - | at Fleet St |
| William Edward & Frederick Newton | 1852 - 1857 | Opticians and Globe Makers at Fleet St |
| William & Frederick Newton | 1851 - 1852 | Opticians 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 & Berry | 1831 - 1841 | |
| J & W Newton | - 1831 | |
| John Newton | - 1780 - |
Company Address:
| 72 Wigmore Street. London | 1913 - | Also occupied by F.C. Hart makers of arc lamps |
| 37 King Street. Covent Garden. London | 1913 - 1920 | |
| 3 Fleet Street. London | 1851 - | |
| 66 Chancery Lane | ||
| 97 Chancery Lane | c.1780 - |
The Newtons were an old established family working in 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 Street 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.
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.
Ottewill
Company Name:
| Ottewill Collis & Co. | 1863 - | |
| Thomas Ottewill & Co. | 1856 - 1863 | Or Ottewill & Co. |
| Ottewill & Morgan | 1854 - 1856 | |
| Thomas Ottewill | c.1851 - 1854 |
Company Address:
| 23 & 24 Charlotte Terrace, Copenhagen St. London | 1855 - | |
| 24 Charlotte Terrace, Copenhagen St. London | c.1851 - 1855 | Sometimes 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.
References:
Advertisement in Sutton, 'Calotype Process', 1856.; BJA 1867, p. xlii.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.Paget
Company Name:
| Paget Prize Plate Co. Ltd. | 1901 - 1921 | |
| Paget Prize Plate Co. | 1881 - 1901 | At 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; this indicated 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:
| 1 Orchard Buildings, Acton street, Kingsland Road, London. E |
Predominantly wholesale manufacturers but some cameras carry their own name plate. 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.Perken Son & Rayment
Company Name:
| Perken Son & Co. | 1900 - | To after 1940 |
| Perken Son & Rayment | 1887 - 1900 | |
| Lejeune & Perken | - 1887 | Earliest ref. is 1854 |
Company Address:
| 94 Hatton Garden. London. EC1 | 1920 - | |
| 99 Hatton Garden. London. EC | 1886 - 1920 | EC1 postal district from 1917 |
| 101 Hatton Garden. London. EC | - 1886 | |
| 112 & 113 Great Saffron Hill. London. EC | - 1887 | |
| 141 Oxford St. London. EC | 1892 - 1896 | Then '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.
References:
BJA 1912, p. 239.; PN 2/10/1896.Photographic Artist's Co-operative Supply Association
Company Name:
| Photographic Artist's Co-operative Supply Association |
Company Address:
| 43 Charterhouse Sq. London | 1877 - 1890 | South side of Square, nearer to Aldersgate |
| 251 Goswell Rd. London | 1878 - 1881 | |
| 91 Gracechurch St. London | 1889 to 1890 |
The Kelly directories list the PACSA as at the Charterhouse address from 1877 to 1890 (though for three years they are not listed), 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.
PACSA stated that they either manufactured items or purchased from the manufacturers for retail to their customers. They operated somewhat like a 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.Piggott
Company Name:
| John Piggott Ltd. | 1902 - | Last ref. 1910 |
| John Piggott | - 1902 | Earliest ref. 1891 |
Company Address:
| 117 & 118 Cheapside. London | c.1895 - | |
| 117 Cheapside. London | - c.1895 | Earliest ref. 1891 |
| 1 & 2 Milk St. London | - c.1902 | Milk St. is a road off of Cheapside |
Retailer.
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.
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. Ltd | c.1911 - | Until after 1920 |
| H. J. Redding & Co. | c.1901 - c.1911 | |
| Redding & Gyles | 1896 - c.1901 | Or H.J. Redding & Gyles |
| H.J. Redding & Gyles | 1896 - c.1901 | Or Redding & Gyles |
Company Address:
| 3 Argyll Place. London. W | c.1897 - | Until after 1920 |
| 13 Air Street. Regent Street. London. W | 1896 |
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 & Co. (Singapore)
Company Name:
| Robinson & Co. |
Retailer.
Robinson & Sons
See also Redding.
Company Name:
| J. Robinson & Sons |
Company Address:
| 172a Regent St. London. W | 1887 - | |
| 172 Regent St. London. W | ||
| 65 Grafton St. Dublin |
Further Information:
An early folding box wet-plate camera signed J. Robinson (Grafton St. address) is in the Oxford Science Museum collection.Ross
For later entries see Ross Ensign.
Company Name:
| Ross Ltd. | 1897 - 1948 | |
| Ross & Co. | 1873 - 1897 | |
| Thomas Ross & Co. | 1872 - 1873 | |
| Thomas Ross | 1859 - 1872 | |
| Andrew Ross | 1841 - 1859 | |
| Andrew Ross & Co. | c.1837 - 1841 | During this period Ross was in partnership with J.J. Lister |
| Andrew Ross | 1830 - c.1837 |
Company Address:
| 3 North Side Clapham Common London | 1890 - | SW4 postal district from 1917 |
| 111 New Bond St. London. W | 1892 - 1918 | W1 postal district from 1917 |
| 112 New Bond St. London. W | 1881 - 1892 | |
| 164 New Bond St. London. W | 1875 - 1881 | Or 1876. Corner of Grafton St |
| 7 Wigmore Street. London. W | 1869 - 1877 | |
| 53 Wigmore Street. London. W | 1867 - 1869 | |
| 2 & 3 Featherstone Buildings. London | 1853 - 1867 | WC postal district from 1857 |
| 2 Featherstone Buildings. London | 1847 - 1853 | Also used in conjunction with later address |
| 21 Featherstone Buildings. London | 1842 - 1847 | |
| 33 Regents Circus Piccadilly. London | 1838 - 1842 | |
| 15 St. John's Sq. Clerkenwell. London | Early 1830s | |
| 3 Albermarle Street. St. John's Sq. London | 1830 - | |
| 26 Conduit St. London. W1 | 1936 - c.1945 | |
| 13/14 Great Castle St, Oxford Circus. London. W1 | 1918 - 1936 | Opened on 25 march 1918 |
| 31 Cockspur St. Charing Cross. London. SW | 1898 - 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.
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.Further Information:
An early folding wet-plate box camera is in the Oxford Science Museum.Ross Ensign
Company Name:
| Ross Ensign | 1954 - | |
| Barnet Ensign Ross Ltd | 1948 - 1954 | |
| Barnet-Ensign Ltd | 1945 - 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 Road, Catford. London | c.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 & Rouch | c.1854 - 1863 | |
| Henry Burfield | 1837 - c.1854 |
Company Address:
| 161 Strand. London. WC | c.1894 - 1919 | WC2 postal district from 1917 |
| 180 Strand. London | 1837 - c.1894 | This is the east corner where Norfolk St. joins the Strand. WC postal district from 1857 |
| 43 Norfolk St. London | - c.1894 | Earliest 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.