The dates of a few cartes de visite and cabinet prints by Brown Barnes & Bell

Cartes de visite

Brown Barnes & Bell

Use of Addresses on Cabinet Prints and Cartes de Visite
to determine when a photograph was taken

Only one studio in London is listed on the carte de visite below. (The first two London studios opened in 1880 and 1881.) So approx date is:

1880

Card A: carte de visite

Two London studios are listed on the carte de visite below. (second opened 1881). So is Bootle (closed 1882) . So approx date is:

1881-82

Card B: carte de visit

Details are similar to Card B, but with some differences in addresses However the two London addresses (second studio opened 1881) and Bootle address (closed 1882) give an approx date of:

1881-82

Card C: cabinet print

Bootle (closed 1882) is no longer listed. Bradford (closed1883) is listed. So, approx date is:

1883

Card D: carte de visite

The Manchester studio has a new address, but otherwise the card is similar to D. In particular, Bootle (closed1882) is no longer listed, but Bradford (closed1883) still listed. So this gave me an approx date of 1884.

However, I've now revised this date after receiving an email from David Jenkin.

See below ***

1878 or 1879

Card E: carte de visite

*** Thank you to David Jenkin for telling me he believes that the date I estimated for this photo (1884) is too late. David has a carte de visite of his grandfather, which has an identical back. He believes that the photo would have been taken in 1878 or 1879. David also points out that this card is out of sequence, because it does not have the Royal Coat of Arms.

Acknowledgement: David Jenkin, April 28, 2012

A London studios is listed at 12 Baker Street (opened 1886). Edinburgh (closed 1886) is still listed. So approx. date is:

1886

Card F: cabinet print

Here is an interesting back, with labels showing some connection with a cruise. Did Brown, Barnes & Bell have any special arrangement for photography on board cruises from Liverpool?

Only the Liverpool and Manchester studios are listed here. Does that imply that the photo dates from 1877-78, before studios in other towns and cities were open, or was it decided to omit any reference to these on the card?

Brown Barnes & Bell opened 3 studios in Liverpool in 1877 but there is only mention of one of them on the card. Can anything be learnt about the date of this photo from the Royal Coat of Arms and the wording around it? Please click here to enlarge the top of this card.

Date not known

but see 'Update' below

Card G: cabinet print

Update

Card G: cabinet print

Thank you to Marjorie Hayes for sending me this message about cabinet print G, above.

Marjorie wrote:

"I noticed that a Cabinet print G, above, was listed 'date unknown'.

I have a photograph of my grandparents taken at 31 Bold Street which matches Card G.

My grandmother is wearing a wedding ring. They were married on 8th June 1892."

Marjorie Hayes: January 23, 2009