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John Templeton Croal

 

Edinburgh

Professional Photographer

John Templeton Croal was a professional photographer with a studio at 80 George Street, Edinburgh from 1863 until 1866.

8th PSS Exhibition, Feb 1864

He exhibited a frame of 12 cartes de visite in the 8th PSS Exhibition in Feb 1864.  My records show that these were sent from 86 George Street, but the address may well have been 80 George Street. 

The Edinburgh & Leith trade directories in the 1860s and the backs of Croal's cartes de visite both leave no doubt that the address of his studio was 80 George Street.

Thank you also to Kevin Smith for e-mailing me in December 2005.  George wrote: "I have a photo of JT Croal's father, George Croal, on card embossed with the Croal logo and the address 80 George St Edinburgh.

Kevin Smith is great grandson of George Croal, born 1840, elder brother of John Templeton Croal born 1843.

Here is one of John T Croal's cartes de visite dated 1863:

Front

    The front of a carte de visite of a lady by John T Croal ©

Back

    The back of a carte de visite of a lady by John T Croal ©

Back (detail)

    Enlargement of detail on the back of a carte de visite of a lady by John T Croal ©

George Croal

Here is another carte de visite from John T Croal's studio.  The sitter here is George Croal, father of John T Croal.

 Please click on the thumbnail below to enlarge it and read about it.

Front

    John T Croall - Professional Photographer - A carte de visite of his father, George Croal ©

Back

    John T Croall - Professional Photographer - The back of a carte de visite of his father, George Croal ©

 

London

Professional Photographer

Question

There was also John T Croal, professional photographer, in London in 1888.  Was this the same man?

Answer

Yes probably, see below.   Thank you to Kevin Smith for the following reply.

Family Photos

I have:

- a carte de visite of a Croal ancestor, produced from the studio of J T Croal at 80 George Street, Edinburgh.

- two cabinet  photos taken by WD Downey, one from  Ebury St,  London and one from 9 Eldon Square Newcastle.

These three photos have come down to my family through George Croal, elder brother of John T Croal.  They are probably photographs of George Croal and his family, dressed in highland regalia.

London Addresses

The Downey brothers were working from Ebury St, London from around 1872 until 1908. There was a John T Croal recorded as working in London  at Harrington Road in 1888.

This was in the same  area of London as Downey's studios. [The addresses are about a mile apart.] I am therefore leaping to the conclusion that the London John T Croal is the same man as the Edinburgh chap and that he and his brother George knew the Downey brothers.

Hence the descent of these three Croal family photos taken by Downey and by JT Croal. 

Censuses

I believe that John Templeton Croal moved to London before 1871. He is recorded as living in St Pancras at the time of the 1871 Census and in Islington at the 1891 Census.

Kevin Smith:  February 16, 2006

 

 

Family

Thank you to David Croal, Gibson's Landing, British Columbia, Canada, who has been doing some family research into the Croal side of his family. 

David writes:

John T Croal

I have been working on a family tree for my family the "Croals".   I have a John Templeton Croal, born 16 March 1843, and died 1918. 

Parents

John T Croal's parents were George Croal born 1811 and Anne Smart born 1809.

Brothers and Sisters

John Templeton Croal I have discovered had a brother George Croal born 17th September 1840 and a brother David Alexander Croal born  12 Aug 1853.

He also had two sisters Margaret Croal and Mary Croal

Marriage and Children

John T Croal  married Margaret Pentland Smith on June 16th 1865. 

From what I can determine or from the records I have he did not have any children.

Any information you can shed would be appreciated

David Croal:  February 9, 2006

 

Thank you to Kevin Smith, London,  for replying:

John T Croal

The 'John Templeton Croal'  that David Croal mentions above is the same person as the early Edinburgh photographer whose work is recorded on the EdinPhoto web site.

Parents

John T Croal's father was George Croal.

I have a carte de visite from JT's studio, which has descended through my family and which is probably  a portrait of John T's father, George Croal, or maybe his grandfather.

Brothers and Sisters

John Templeton Croal His older brother George was born 1840 and was my great grandfather.

Marriage and Children

John Templeton Croal married Margaret Pentland Smith in 1865. I don't think they had children. 

Kevin Smith, London:  February 16, 2006

 

 

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