Victorian photographers


Oxford photographers

A large number of photographers had studios in Oxford during Victorian times, some of whom had several branches in other towns including Abingdon. There were far too many for us to document their studios, as we have tried with those in Abingdon, but we have included a brief introduction to a few below and have collected a representative selection of their work.

The 1841 census shows James Luff Wheeler living over his bookshop at 106 High Street with his wife Ann and their children. Upon his death in 1862 the business was joined by George P.Day becoming the partnership of Wheeler & Day and in 1863 they bought the photographic business of Edward Bracher. On 26th April 1866 they inserted an announcement in Jackson's Oxford Journal stating that they had moved it from 26 High Street to their own High Street premises. They began taking CDVs and produced several series of photographic views of Oxford for sale. A branch of Wheeler & Day also operated in Abingdon at one time. From 1872 William Henry Wheeler continued to operate the shop on his own account as a bookseller, stationer and photographer, living over the shop with his wife and three children until his death in 1918. In 1872, when the partnership of Wheeler & Day was dissolved, George P.Day started up his own studio at 95 High Street but he had moved from Oxford by 1877. Confusingly sharing the same name, but as far as we can tell unrelated, George Day was born in London in 1826 and moved to Oxford in 1851 opening his first studio in the small downstairs shop at 8 High Street. In 1871 he relocated to 26 Cornmarket Street, remaining there until his death in 1884.

A business worthy of note is that of Hills & Saunders who became one of the leading Victorian photographic firms. Robert Hills was a hairdresser and wigmaker with a shop at 16 Corn Market Street and in 1856 started to offer Talbotype (or Calotype) portaits. Within months he revamped his premises and renamed it 'The Oxford Photographic Gallery' with John Henry Saunders as his assistant. In June 1860 they entered into partnership to form Hills & Saunders, the hairdressing operation was relocated to 49 Corn Market Street (almost opposite) and Henry Saunders went on to marry Robert Hill's daughter. Appointed as photographers to Edward, Prince of Wales for their portraits of him while he was at Oxford University, Hills & Saunders opened a branch in Eton in 1863 and were appointed as photographers to members of the royal family and given a Royal Warrant in 1867 as photographers to Queen Victoria. Other branches were opened in Cambridge, Harrow, Rugby, Aldershot, Sandhurst, York and London, all operated by members of both families and whilst the partnership was dissolved in 1869 they continued to trade under the same name. The Oxford business was bought out by Gillman & Soame in 1931.

This latter business was formed when James Soame Jr. joined the photography studio Gillman & Co in 1930. Before that merger he had noted on the back of his CDV cards that he had been 'For many years with Messrs Hills & Saunders', and when G.Coles opened his studio in Cowley Road he too noted on the back of his CDV cards that he had been 'For many years with Hills & Saunders'. Similarly W.Forshaw, when operating his studio in Alfred Street, also highlighted the fact the he had been 'For many years with Hills & Saunders'. In late 1876, whilst still an operator with them, he visited Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) at Christ Church to assist when his negative developer failed. When these two photographers later joined forces in Alfred Street to form Forshaw & Coles they retained the same endorsement on their card back.

One well known Oxford photographer was Henry W.Taunt. In 1856, aged 14, he started working for Edward Bracher at 26 High Street and apparently took over as manager when that business was sold to Wheeler & Day in 1863. When it was relocated to 106 High Street he left and started his own business, first renting a shop in St. Bernard's Road (then named St. John's Road) but quickly deciding to operate from his home at 67 George Street. During 1869 he moved the business to 33 Corn Market Street and in 1874, with the business now named Henry W.Taunt & Co, leased 9-10 Broad Street which he greatly extended and improved before leaving the Corn Market shop a year or two later. Between about 1875 and 1890 he also operated a branch at 81 Easton Street High Wycombe. During 1895, with the lease on the Broad Street premises having come to an end, he opened at 40 High Street before moving in 1896 to 34 High Street, where the business operated until 1906. In 1889 Taunt leased a large house in Cowley Road, renamed it Rivera, and established photographic and printing workshops in its extensive grounds. The High Street premises were closed in 1906 and all future work was based at Rivera where Taunt died in 1922 aged 80.

Unconstrained by modern advertising standards Victorian and Edwardian businesses never held back when it came to promotional matters and photographers were no exception. Studying the backs of the cards below reveals phrases such as Photographers to the Oxford Architectural Society, Patronised by Her Majesty The Queen and Their Royal Highnesses the Prince & Princess of Wales, and by appointment to Her Majesty's Government. Medals awarded at various exhibitions are noted, and even the attendance at the 1873 Exhibition of all Fine Arts, Inventions & Industries in London was highlighted. The backs of the mount cards are fascinating and this page may provide the basis for somebody wishing to do more research into the subject.

We have developed a list showing known Oxford photographersClick or tap link to see the list
(pdf document format)
using data from trade directories and details on the back of CDVs in our collection, it will be updated should new information come to light. As with photographers based in Abingdon, several of those in Oxford started producing CDVs of local views and places of interest for general sale. This naturally led to the publication and sale of souvenir postcards, some examples of which are in our collection and can be seen in the 'Other postcards' pages under the 'MEMORABILIA/Postcard collection menu item.

The images below are arranged in, as close as we can interpret, date order within alphabetical order of studio or photographer.

~~ Click or tap on any thumbnail below to see a much enlarged image of the card back ~~


A.Allcorn 148, Cowley Road Oxford
cabinet size photograph

A.Allcorn 186, Cowley Road Oxford
cabinet size photograph

A.Allcorn
186 Cowley Road Oxford

A.Allcorn
186 Cowley Road Oxford

W.Blackall
9 Magdalen St. Oxford

W.Blackall
9, Magdalen St. Oxford

W.Blackall
33. Cornmarket St. Oxford

W.Blackall
Oxford

The Oxford School of Photography & Coloring
57, St. Giles St. Oxford

Starling & Booty, 57, Giles Street Oxford
The Oxford School of Photography & Miniature Painting

Starling & Booty, The Oxford School of Photography
57 St.Giles Street Oxford

Abbott Booty, The Oxford School of Photography
57, St.Giles Street Oxford

Abbott Booty
St.Giles & Alfred St. Oxford

Booty St.Giles St and Alfred St.
Opposite St. John's College, Oxford

Abbott Booty
Alfred St. St.Giles Oxford

Abbott Booty
Alfred St. S.Giles Oxford

Abbott Booty
10, Alfred St. S.Giles' Oxford

Abbott Booty
Oxford

E.Bracher
26, High Street Oxford

E.Bracher
26, High Street Oxford

Walter Carter, Alveston House, 141, Walton Street, Oxford
cabinet size photograph

H.P.Clifford
11 Woodstock Rd., Oxford

H.P.Clifford
11 Woodstock Rd., Oxford

G.Coles 161 Cowley Road Oxford
For many years with Hills & Saunders

G.Coles
110, St. Aldates, Oxford

Martin Coles
33, Corn Market Street Oxford

T.Collinson
36a Cornmarket St. Oxford

T.Collinson
36a Cornmarket Street, Oxford

T.Collinson
40, St. Ebbe Street, Oxford

T.Collinson, Photo, Oxford
cabinet size photograph

W. Forshaw 10 Alfred Street St.Giles' Oxford
For many years with Hills & Saunders

Forshaw & Coles 10 Alfred Street, St. Giles' Oxford
For many years with Hills & Saunders

W.Forshaw
10 Alfred St. St.Giles Oxford

W.Forshaw
57, St. Giles & 10, Alfred Street Oxford

W.Forshaw
57 St.Giles Oxford

W.Forshaw
57. St.Giles Oxford

W.Forshaw, 57 St.Giles Oxford
cabinet size photograph

Gillman & Masslin
Victoria Studio, 9 Magdalen St. Oxford

Gillman & Masslin
9 Magdalen St,Oxford

Gillman & Masslin
9, Magdalen St. Oxford

Gillman & Masslin
9, Magdalen St. Oxford

Gillman & Masslin
9, Magdalen St. and 18, Market St. Oxford

Gillman & Masslin 9, Magdalen St. Oxford
Branch studio 18, Market St.

Gillman & Masslin 9 Magdalen St. Oxford
Copying & Enlarging Department 18 Market St.

Gillman & Co.
Victoria Photographic Studio, 9 Magdalen St. Oxford

Gillman & Co.
Artists Etc. Oxford

Gillman & Co.
Artists Etc. Oxford

Gillman & Co.
Artists Etc. Oxford

Gillman & Co. 107, St. Aldate's, Oxford
cabinet size photograph

Gillman & Co. BY SPECIAL APPOINTMENT, Oxford
cabinet size photograph

Gillman & Co. BY SPECIAL APPOINTMENT, Oxford
cabinet size photograph

Gillman & Co. Ltd. St. Aldates, Oxford
University Art Galleries - cabinet size photograph

Chas.Gillman
107, St. Aldates, Oxford

Chas.Gillman
107, St. Aldate's Oxford

Chas.Gillman
107 St. Aldate's Oxford

Chas.Gillman
107, St. Aldate's Oxford

J.Guggenheim
56, High Street Oxford

J.Guggenheim
56, High St., Oxford

J.Guggenheim
56 ,High Street, Oxford

J.Guggenheim
56, High St. & Cowley Road, Oxford

J.N.Guggenheim


J.N.Guggenheim
56, High St. , Oxford

E.C.Hall
5 The Plain St. Clement's Oxford

E.C.Hall
5 The Plain St. Clement's Oxford

E.C.Hall
5 The Plain & 57 St. Giles Oxford

Ernest Hall 57 St. Giles & 5 The Plain, Oxford
cabinet size photograph

C.F.Hall & Co.
Isis Gallery 110, St. Aldates, Oxford

C.F.Hall & Co.
110, St. Aldates, Oxford

C.F.Hall & Co.
Isis Gallery 110, St. Aldates, Oxford

Hills & Saunders
Oxford

Hills & Saunders
Oxford

Hills & Saunders
16, Corn Market St., 11, Worcester Place Oxford and Eton

Hills & Saunders
Oxford and Eton

Hills & Saunders Eton & Oxford
Prince Alfred dated on skirting board - April 19th, 1864

Hills & Saunders
Eton & Oxford

Hills & Saunders Oxford & Cambridge
16 Cornmarket Street Oxford

Hills & Saunders
Oxford & Cambridge

Hills & Saunders
Oxford

Hills & Saunders
Oxford & Rugby

Hills & Saunders Photos., Oxford
cabinet size photograph

Hills & Saunders Royal Photographers, Oxford
cabinet size photograph

H.T.Jackson
139 Cowley Road Oxford

John Jamblin
17, Park End St. Oxford

John Jamblin 17, Park End St. Oxford
& Penmaenmawr nr. Conway, Nth. Wales

Edward Leach
31, Clarendon Street St. Giles Oxford

Edward Leach 31, Clarendon Street St. Giles Oxford
postcard size photograph dated 1910

E.L.Leach, Clarendon Street St. Giles, Oxford
cabinet size photograph

E.L.Leach, Clarendon St., St. Giles
& at Banbury Rd. Somertown, Oxford

E.L.Leach, 29 Clarendon St., Oxford
postcard size photograph

E.L.Leach, 29 Clarendon, Oxford
postcard size photograph

Wm.Melvin
58 Cowley Road, Oxford

J.G.Miller
94, High Street, Oxford

F.W.Morley. Oxford
cabinet size photograph

Mowbray
2, Corn Market Street, Oxford

Mowbray
2, Corn Market Street, Oxford

Mowbray
2 Corn Market Street, Oxford

W.H.Payne
Bishop King's Palace, Oxford

W.H.Payne, Bishop King's Palace, Oxford
cabinet size photograph

W.H.Payne
Bishop King's Palace, St.Aldate's, Oxford

E.T.Shelton
11, Woodstock Road St. Giles Oxford

E.T.Shelton
11, Woodstock Road Oxford

T & G Shrimpton
23 & 24 Broad Street Oxford

T & G Shrimpton
23 & 24 Broad Street Oxford

T & G Shrimpton
23 & 24 Broad Street Oxford

T & G Shrimpton
Gallery of Art 23 & 24, Broad Street Oxford

Thos. Shrimpton & Son
23 & 24 Broad Street Oxford

J.Simmonds
London Portait Gallery 36, Corn Market Street, Oxford

J Simmonds
London Portait Gallery 36 Corn Market Street, Oxford

Smith & Hall
Art Photographers 110, St. Aldate's, Oxford

Smith & Hall
Isis Gallery 110 St. Aldates Oxford

Smith, Hall & Mathews
Isis Gallery 110, St. Aldates Oxford

Smith, Forshaw & Co.
110 St. Aldates Oxford

Jas Soame Jr. 56a, High Street Oxford
For many years with Hills &Saunders

J.Soame The Photographic Studio 101 High Street Oxford
cabinet size photograph

Soame.
Oxford.

Speakman & Co., 66, Blackfiars Rd. Oxford
cabinet size photograph

Stilliard & Banbury
9, Magdalen Street Oxford

Stilliard & Banbury
9, Magdalen Street Oxford

Stilliard & Co.
9, Magdalen Street, Oxford

Stilliard & Co
Oxford

Jabez Sumner 29 Kingston Road Oxford
cabinet size photograph dated June/85

J.Sumner
110, St. Aldates Oxford

J.Sumner
110 St. Aldates Oxford

J.Sumner, 110 St. Aldates Oxford.
cabinet size photograph

Sumner
110, St. Aldates Oxford

Henry W.Taunt
33, Corn Market St. Oxford

Henry W.Taunt
33, Corn Market St. Oxford

Henry W.Taunt
33, Corn Market Street Oxford

Henry W.Taunt
10, Broad Strt. & 33, Corn Market Strt. Oxford

Henry W.Taunt & Co.
9 & 10, Broad Street & 33, Corn Market Street, Oxford

Henry W.Taunt & Co.
9 & 10, Broad Street, Oxford

Henry W.Taunt & Co. 9 & 10, Broad Street Oxford
and 81, Easton Street High Wycombe

Norman Taylor East Oxford Studio, 186 Cowley Road, Oxford
cabinet size photograph

Norman Taylor Carfax House & Cowley Rd., Oxford
postcard size photograph

Norman Taylor 107 High Streeet & 74 Cowley Road Oxford
postcard size photograph dated Feb 1920

Wheeler & Day 106, High Street Oxford
Late E.Bracher 26, High Street, Oxford

Wheeler & Day
106, High Street Oxford

Wheeler & Day
106, High Street Oxford

W.H.Wheeler 106, High Street Oxford
Late Wheeler & Day

Wheeler
106 High Street Oxford

W.H.Wheeler
106, High Street Oxford