Professional  Photographers

Connections with Edinburgh but studios elsewhere

Spence Families

Dalkeith, Musselburgh, Edinburgh

Addresses and Dates

Below are lists of the addresses and dates that I have found, so far, for photographers in the Spence family.

Peter Stubbs:  March 16, 2010

James Spence

Photographer and Picture Frame Maker

1888

123, High Street, Dalkeith

1889-1890

Old Edinburgh Road, Dalkeith

1889-1894

1 Mitchell Street, Dalkeith

1891-1900

1 West Glebe, Dalkeith

Source:  Photographers in Edinburgh and the Lothians to 1914:  D Richard Torrance

John Spence

Photographer and Picture Frame Maker

1880-1914 or later

13 Bridge Street, Fisherrow, Musselburgh

1881 Census

Photographer, aged 36.

Born:  Unst, Shetland

Resident:  18 Hercus Loan, Musselburgh

Wife:  Agnes S

Children (all born Musselburgh):

-  Thomas, aged 5

-  Catherine, aged 2

-  Agnes aged 10 months. 

1889

43 Bridge Street and Hercus Loan, Musselburgh

Source:  Photographers in Edinburgh and the Lothians to 1914:  D Richard Torrance

Note:  Many of James Spence's cartes de visite have survived.

Charles Spence

Photographer

1874-75

Corner of Union Bank
127 Commercial Street, Lerwick, Shetland

1878r

Commercial Street, Lerwick, Shetland

1881 census

Photographer, aged 34
Born:  Uist, Shetland
Resident:  Navy Lane, Lerwick & Gulberwick
Wife:  Mary Ann S
Children, all born Lerwick:

1.  Charles T, aged 3
2.  Samuel G, aged 2
3.  James J, aged 1.

1882-86

Union Bank Lane, Lerwick, Shetland

1884-97

6 Hillhead, Lerwick, Shetland

Source:  Photographers in Northern Scotland to 1914:  D Richard Torrance

1895

Station Road, Dunbar

1896-1914 or later

Railway Road, Dunbar

Source:  Photographers in Edinburgh and the Lothians to 1914:  D Richard Torrance

Marion Spence

Photographer and Picture Frame Maker

1881 Census

Apprentice Photographer, aged 17.

Born:  Carstairs, Lanarkshire

Daughter of Hugh S (railway guard) and Margaret S

Resident: 9 Downfield Place, Edinburgh

Source:  Photographers in Edinburgh and the Lothians to 1914:  D Richard Torrance

Family History Message

1.

David Spence

Austin, Texas, USA

Thank you to David Spence Edinburgh who wrote about John and Charles Spence and descendants.

David wrote:

Question

"Can you help me to find the name of an Edinburgh photographer who, in about 1860, employed as apprentices two brothers, John I. Spence and Charles Spence?"

There were several photographers in Leith during this period (and many more in Edinburgh but none in Musselburgh.)  I don't know which of them John and Charles might have worked for.           Peter Stubbs

Arrival in Leith

"John is my great, great grandfather.  With his brother, he emigrated to Edinburgh from Unst, Shetland after his father was lost at sea.

I was told that they arrived at Leith and found work as photographers' apprentices."

Later Generations

"In any case, both John and Charles became photographers, as did John's son.  ***

John's grandson also became a photographer and his great grandson (my father) worked for Eastman Kodak in the U.S."

*** John's son may well be John Spence listed above with a studio at Musselburgh, about six miles to the east of Edinburgh.       Peter Stubbs

David Spence, Austin, Texas, USA:  October 25, 2005

Family History Message

2.

Addison Graham

Kingussie, Highland, Scotland

Addison Graham wrote:

Dunbar

"I am related to the Spence family on my mother's side.  My great grandfather also had a photography business in Dunbar which I am interested in finding out about."

I assume that your great grandfather was Charles Spence.  I've now added him to the lists of 'Spence Photographers'' above.

Peter Stubbs:  March 16, 2010

Addison added:

Musselburgh and Shetland

"My mother remembers the shop in Musselburgh being pointed out to her as a child.  The brother came down from Shetland and worked at first at  a studio/shop at the Caledonian station.  She does not think they were in Leith.

My great grandfather then went back to Lerwick and set up a business there. He then left Shetland, due to ill health, and set up a business in Dunbar (Abbeylands?).

After a period in Bournemouth, his daughter, Maryann, carried on the business in Dunbar."

I've now also added details of Charles Spence's photography business in Shetland to the lists of 'Spence Photographers' above.

Peter Stubbs:  March 16 + 22, 2010

Addison Graham:  Kingussie, Highland, Scotland:  March 12 +16, + 22,  2010

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