John McKean

McKean's Studios

John McKean was a landscape and portrait photographer. He was listed in the 1881 census as a Photogrpaher.

He appeared in the Edinburgh Trade Directories as a professional photographer from 1882 to 1903.

Between 1882 and 1900, John McKean's address was often given as Junction Bridge Studio, 1,3 Ferry Road, Leith, though many variations were used, both in the trade directories and on the back of his photographs.

I have seen all these variations on his cartes de visite and cabinet prints. I believe that they all refer to the same studio:

- Junction Bridge, Leith

- Junction Bridge Studio, Leith

- Junction Bridge, 1 Ferry Road, Leith

- Ferry Road, Leith

- 1 Ferry Road, Leith

- 3 Ferry Road, Leith

- 3 Ferry Road, Junction Bridge, Leith

- 1, 3 & 5, Ferry Road (Junction Bridge), Leith

- 1, 3 & 5, Ferry Road, Junction Bridge, Leith

Between 1900 and 1903, John McKean appears to have moved a short distance along Ferry Road to No 15, and to have opened a studio at 47 Promenade, Portobello.

John McKean's home address, as listed in the trade directories, changed in 1899 from 6a Summerside Street (close to his Ferry Road studio) to Stranton Lodge, Wellington Street (close to his Portobello studio).

John McKean also had a picture framing business at 5 Ferry Road, and a second studio at 53 Newington Road, Edinburgh, described in 1890:

"The firm also has a studio at 53 Newington Road, named The Newington Studio in gigantic gold letters along the railings outside the house.

“A bell is rung … and by-and-bye a smiling gentleman appears and the visitor is ushered into the studio with its dazzling maze of cameras, screens, folds, backgrounds, foliage, casts, statuettes, cabinets,...as becomes such a spot.” [ST]