Either Sanders or Crowhurst or both had previously worked for Watson & Sons. Sanders & Crowhurst also became Watson's West End Agent. In 1910 Sanders was taken over by J.A. Sinclair, in July of that year a clearance sale was held at Shaftesbury Avenue. Harold Armytage Sanders FRPS joined Sinclair at this time. Address information indicates that he may not have stayed with Sinclair for very long and by 1913 was working at Adams in Charing Cross Rd. He was elected a member of the RPS in 1902.

The partnership between Sanders and Harry Arthur Crowhurst was dissolved in 1908. Crowhurst continued business at the Hove address, Sanders at the London address. In 1910 bankruptcy proceedings were started against Sanders from which he was later released.

From around 1905 the 55 Western Road address is listed, the address was previously occupied by James Williamson the early film maker who had a chemist shop there from 1898.

Founded in 1874, trading at least to the late 1950s at Bedford St. Patents issued in the 1880s were in the names of C. Sands, H.C. Sands and John James Hunter. The BJA 1922 shows an illustration of the Bedford St. building.

The company was bought by J.J. Foster (d.1923) in 1890 and traded under the Sands, Hunter name, the manager at the time is given as S. Bicknell. A. Oglesby took over as manager from H. Carter at the start if 1912.

S&H were distributors of Drem products until September 1928 when Drem Products Ltd. took over.

The firm was founded by E. Sanger-Shepherd, they specialised in colour equipment, filters, sensitometry and scientific areas of photography. Following his death the company was wound up, some of its interests were carried on by E.S.S. Colour Filter Co. at 1 Montague Street and from around 1936 Chalfont. A related company was M.S.S. Press Ltd (at the Red Lion address), they specialised in reproducing Autochromes on paper.

Sanger-Shepherd FRPS (d.1927) was a prominent photographer of the time specialising in colour processes, he regularly exhibited at the RPS (elected a member in 1887), an advertisement mentions an RPS medal awarded in 1896.

The original partners of the firm were Edward Sanger-Shepherd, William Saville Kent (? the marine biologist) and Robert Lincoln Cocks, Kent left after a only a short while and the firm was renamed in January 1900. Arnold Frank Hills must then have joined the partnership as he is recorded leaving in 1903. The firm was wound up in January 1928.

The proprietress of E.S.S. is shown as Geraldine Geoghegan.

Stereoscope maker, patented a folding design in 1855 (BP 1842/1855).

The change of name to Shepherd & Co occurred early in 1859 if advertisements can be trusted. But they may have used both forms at the same time. Shepherd & Co and Charles Shepherd & Co. would have been used without much distinction. A note in the LPOD for 1864 states that Squire are the sole manufacturers of Shepherd lenses, Shepherd is no longer listed by that time.

Myddleton Street, Berkely Ct. and St James's Walk are all close together in an area then known as Spafields. 97 Farringdon Street was 1 door from Fleet Street.

Shew claims establishment in 1849, the earliest reference found is for 1851. The years up to 1873 are straightforward, advertisements show them to be retailers of photographic equipment. Around 1873 the name of the firm changes to J.J. Shew at the same address, this would be when J.F. Shew died. In 1877 or 78 J.J. continues in business from a different address (Wardour St.) and the J.F. name returns, this time as J.F. Shew & Co, still at the old address. In 1881 J.J. vacates his premises in Wardour Street and moves to his home address in Camberwell, the Wardour street shop is then run by J.F. Shew & Co. The nature of the company changes rapidly in the mid 1880s when Shew embark on large scale manufacture of cameras. In 1915 Shew merged with Staley, this seems to have lasted to only 1919, from then until 1922 the J.F. Shew company name was revived (Ltd. from 1920), when they were at 21 Bartlett's Buildings, the nature of the business is not known.

James Fludger Shew (b.1810, d.1873) advertised in the Photographic News of 1858 as a supplier of photographic supplies at 30 Oxford St. He was adjudged bankrupt in 1869 and agreed a schedule to pay his creditors.

James John Shew (b.1840, France, d.1922) was living at 132 Camberwell Rd in 1881 and described as a Photographic Apparatus Manufacturer, later he would be making picture frames. He had sons James C. Shew (b.1872) and Albert (b.1874), these two sons were later listed as picture frame makers at the same address.

Living at 89 Newman St. in 1881 were Harriett Parsons (b.1851), described as a dealer in photographic materials, Leo Shew (b.1860), described as lodger and assistant photographic dealer and Fox Shew (b.1854) also described as a lodger and mount cutter. Patents taken out in the 1890s are in the name of F.Shew. A James Fox Shew was elected a member of the RPS in 1883, presumably this is the Fox Shew born in 1854.

An advertisement in the BJA of 1916 for H T Ball & Co. notes that he was with J.F. Shew for 17 years.

See PA 1891 or BJA 1899, for a drawing of the Newman St. premises.

The partnership of Frank Lindsay-Simpson (see Newman & Simpson) and Henry Hill was started around April 1892 and dissolved around August of the same year.

On January 1st 1931 Charing Cross became part of Whitehall. The move from Haymarket to Charing Cross was around December 1925 to January 1926. In 1910 Sinclair took over Sanders & Co. makers of the Birdland Reflex. The BJA of 1927 gives an illustration of the building.

James Arthur Sinclair (d.1940) was previously manager of the West End branch of Adams & Co (he was with Adams at least as early as 1893). After leaving Adams he may have spent a short time at Ross (he gives his address for 1900 as 31 Cockspur St). He was a member of the Liverpool Amateur Photographic Association, elected a member of the RPS in 1892, and a prominent user of the bromoil process. In the 1900s he was living in Wiltshire Rd Brixton.

Formed from APM Ltd in 1929. This was the sales and distribution outlet for Kershaw. Around 1946 it was listed as Kershaw-Soho (Sales). From around 1947 it became part of the Rank Organisation.

Listed as camera makers after 1854, previously dealer and optician, agent for Grubb lenses in the early 1860s. Liquidation proceedings were started in 1878 but the company was trading after this date.

Lewis Hiram Spicer was at 6 Garnault Place, Spafields, London from around 1853 listed as a cabinet maker and Daguerreotype manufacturer. Later, William Spicer (b.1831) was at the same address, in 1881 he is described as a cabinet maker employing 2 men. It is not clear if the Spicer Brothers, listed as photographic mount makers, at New Bridge Street in the 1880s are related.

Merged into Houghtons Ltd in 1904. In 1893 the firm comprised Henry James S. Alfred Sidney S. and George Albert S. of Tudor Works, Tudor Road Hackney.

Importers and manufacturers. A note in the LPOD for 1864 says they are the sole manufacturers of Shepherd lenses. Bankruptcy proceedings were started in 1867.

Alfred Edward Staley (d.1913) was elected a member of the RPS in 1899. In 1915 Staley amalgamated with J.F. Shew and operated from the Shew address in Newman St.

William Ford Stanley (b.1829 Islington, d.1909 Croydon) is best known as the maker of drawing instruments and related equipment. His advertisements for cameras stress that they are machine produced, he patented camera designs in the 1880s. According to Hambly, Stanley was established in 1853 at the Turnstile address. He does not appear in the BJA after 1900.

The use of studs to attach the front standard (BP 2811/1886) has also appeared on a camera by Sands & Hunter.

At one time Swift worked for Andrew Ross. Photographic lens production probably started in the late 1880s and lasted until the early 1890s.

Taylor Hobson was founded in 1887, Thomas S. Taylor, one of the founders died in 1938, his brother W. Taylor died the previous year. H.W. Hobson retired from the firm in 1896. Later part of the Rank Organisation. Kingslake states that T.T.H. was part owned by Bell and Howell from the early 1930s and that these shares were acquired by Rank in 1946. The Competition Commission Report (1969) states that T.T.H. was part of Gaumont British taken over by Rank in 1941.

The move of the head office to 8 & 10 Charing Cross Road was in April 1896.

Their first camera (a magazine camera for films) was based on two patents by A.L. Adams. The camera was introduced in the summer of 1898, Adams passed the patents to the Tella Camera Co. Ltd when it was formed in 1899 and acquired a major shareholding in the company. The limited company was wound up in early 1901, Adams left the firm and had no further financial interest in it. Tella's early address (Shaftesbury Av) was shared with the firm of A.W. Dunmore, Wm. E. Dunmore exhibited the Tella at several photographic Societies in 1899. From 1904 the owners are given as Wm. E. Dunmore and Herbert George Chessher, Chessher patented a reflex camera and shutter under the Tella Camera Co name in 1909. After 1915 the company is listed at 1 Southampton Row but was probably dormant by then.

Thomas patented and produced a dark tent in 1864. Mr Sandell (d.1907) worked for R W Thomas and introduced the Sandell double-film plates. Later he founded the Sandell Dry Plates and Films Co. where he introduced the Cristoid brand.

The company was founded in 1886 by John Edward Thornton who patented improvements to field cameras, shutters and other photographic equipment. The cameras at this time were manufactured by Billcliff, production facilities probably followed the move to St Mary's St. Advertisements for his earliest camera - the Jubilee - show it to have Billcliff's patented revolving back, a year later cameras are fitted with Thornton's revolving back. This may indicate that Thornton was now making or assembling cameras. In 1888 Edgar Pickard joined the company forming Thornton-Pickard. Edgar Pickard died in 1897 and was succeeded as a director by his brother George Arthur Pickard (b.1850 d.1919). From 1921 APM were the leading shareholders in the company which continued to trade under its own name until c.1940.

Around 1913 T-P acquired the business of the Midland Camera Co. Ltd. (M.C.C.) and continued to produce M.C.C. enlargers.

The Photographic News of 3/1/1896 reports on a visit to the factory, it was claimed that T-P made 500 shutters a week.

Makers of the Beaufort Reflex, Nichols' patent.

Originally a manufacturer of dark slides, accessories and dark room equipment, they later manufactured cameras including the Tit-Bit. William Tylar died in 1930.

Makers of Magic Lanterns, slides and accessories. In 1894 Tyler purchased the lease of 94 Waterloo Rd, the show rooms remained at numbers 48 - 50. Walter Tyler (b.1847 d.1909).

Primarily retailers but also marketed re-badged products under their brand name of Zodel.

The company, founded in 1839, originated in Sheffield. Prior to WW1 Wallace Heaton took over an existing retailer, Watsons (from where the 1839 date comes from). In October 1918 they became a limited company with a capitalisation of £10000. In 1919 they opened the first branch in London In 1925 the Sheffield part of the business was separated to become Wallace Heaton (Sheffield) Ltd. In 1927 the previous manager William McIntosh took over the Sheffield operation running it under his own name. In Sheffield shops were at 19 Change Alley, 84 High St. and Norfolk St. The address of 17-29 Change Alley is also mentioned. A further outlet was in Rotherham.

The manufacture of the early Standard meter was by R. Field & Co in Birmingham. In 1900 production was taken over by the Watkins Meter Co. William McKaig was works manager prior to running the company in 1931. McKaig assisted Watkins with his book 'The Old Straight Track'. Alfred Watkins (b.1855, d.1935) was elected a member of the RPS in 1894.

The establishment date is given as 1837, the earliest definite reference is for 1861 when William Watson is a curiosity dealer at 313 High Holborn, this is probably the same Watson who was previously at City Road. In 1868 William was joined by one of his sons and the firm moved into gun making, optics and, later, photographic supplies. Camera making started in the early/mid 1880s, an advertisement of 1886 says that they now have a larger factory. 313 High Holborn is on the south side between Chancery Lane and Southampton Bldgs.

Charles Henry Watson (b.1866 d.1938) son of William joined the firm in 1883, he was elected a member of the RPS in 1900. Other sons were George F. Watson (b.1858), Thomas William Watson (b.1848) and Thomas Parsons Watson (b. c.1856). William Watson, the founder, died on 9 January 1881, the firm then passed to T.P. Watson, on his death, in the early 1900s, the firm was run by C.H. Watson and Frederick William Watson Baker. In the 1880s the Watson family were living at the 313 premises. There was also a Watson & Peacock gun makers at 308 High Holborn which was connected with the family.

From 1888 parts for Watson cameras were made to standard sizes making lost or damaged parts easier to replace, these cameras had serial numbers above 6000. Patents were issued to T.P. Watson. See the BJA 1892 for an illustration of the premises.

Advertised as manufacturers in the 1887 YBP and in the early 1890s.

Founded by J.B.B. Wellington (d.1939) around 1895. In July 1922 it acquired Leto Photo materials (1905) Ltd, in 1930 it became part of the Ilford Group. Wellington previously worked for Elliott & Son and Kodak at Wealdstone.

John Werge (b.1825) describes himself in the 1881 census as 'Dealer In Photographic Materials Employs One Boy'. He was living at the Berners St. address at this time. Werge was previously manager for Jabez Hughes, Hughes moved here from Oxford Street but shortly afterwards the business was under the Werge name.

Werge was manager or owner of the Monteith Rooms studio in Glasgow from 1855. Earlier that year, shortly after he arrived from America, he was working for Jabez Hughes at the Glasgow studio.

For a short while around 1874 the 11a Berners St. address was listed as Berners Portrait Co. with Werge as manager. The premises were later occupied by other photographers.

Established in 1903.

Opticians and manufacturers of photographic apparatus.

At one time Wood employed 15 men , making this a relatively large concern. Described as an optician in the 1881 census living at 74 Cheapside. In 1880 a book by A.A. Wood on Magic Lanterns was being sold by the company. Edward George Wood (b.1811 d.1896).

Wratten & Wainwright was founded in 1877 by F.C.L. Wratten (b.1840 d.1926) and Henry Wainwright. In 1912 it was bought by Eastman, production was moved to Wealdstone and the Croydon plant closed. Frederick Percy Wratten, son of F.C.L. Wratten, died in 1900. A photograph of F.C.L. Wratten is in the BJA 1926.

Formed in 1850. From the 1940s Wray was part owned by Dollond & Aitchison, they sold their stake in the company to Hilger & Watts in 1962. Subsequently (1968) along with H&W they became part of the Rank Organisation.

In the 1881 census Wright (b.1819) is described as a cabinet maker and living at the Studd St. address.

Benjamin Wyles were photographers and Miniature Painters. An address label on a camera has printed on it: 'Prize Medal 1875', this may refer to the RPS exhibition of that year where Wyles exhibited several photographs.

Zeiss had an office in London at 29 Margaret St. from the mid/late 1890s. In 1910 they set up a subsidiary company, Carl Zeiss (London) at Gt Castle St. In 1912 a factory at Bittacy Hill, near Mill Hill, was established. The company traded until 1916 but was wound-up at the start of 1917 under the Trading with the Enemy Act. The assets were taken over by Ross Ltd. who moved their London office to Gt. Castle St.