D & W Prophet

Family and Business

David Prophet and his Sons

The photographer, David Prophet (born c.1828) and his sons established a photography business at 59 Wellgate in 1880.

The business appears to have passed to the two sons, David (born c.1856) and William (born c.1863) in 1886

David & William added a second studio at 23 High Street, Dundee, 8 years later.

The next generation

William Prophet died in 1932 and the business was carried on by James Prophet until the 1960's. James Prophet died in 1970.

School Photographs

D&W Prophet to have taken a large number of photographs of school classes around Scotland, probably from around the late-19th century until the 1960s.

Unfortunately, many of these photos that I have seen do not identify the school, the class or the year that the photograph was taken.

The names printed on the mounts of my D&W Prophet photos of school classes are:

- D&W Prophet – Edinburgh & Dundee
Edinburgh classes, various dates.

- D&W Prophet – Dundee
Edinburgh class, dated 1961.

Source for dates of birth: 1881 census

Source for continuation of business by James: Local History Dept., Dundee Central Library

Source for business details: Photographers in NE Scotland to 1914 [D Richard Torrance]

Update

Thank you to Gordon Allan for telling me that he has a D&W Prophet photo, giving this address:

- D&W Prophet – 487 Shields Road, Glasgow
Falkirk class, 1958

Studios in Dundee, Perth and Edinburgh

D&W Prophet were listed in the Edinburgh trade directories only from 1906 until 1910, though they continued to take photographs, particularly of school classes until at least the 1960s.

Here are the other addresses that I have for their studios up to 1914.

Studios in Dundee

1878	John R Prophet	58 + 59 Wellgate, Dundee
1878	John R Prophet	Described on carte de visite as 58 1/2 + 59 Wellgate, Dundee
1880-1886	David Prophet & Sons	59 Wellgate, Dundee
1886-1914+	David & William Prophet	59 Wellgate, Dundee
1884-1914+	David & William Prophet	23, High Street, Dundee

[DR Torrance]

Studios in Perth

1882-1885

Messrs Prophet

30 George Street, Perth

[DR Torrance]

Studios in Edinburgh

1906-1910	D&W Prophet	9 South St Andrew Street
1908-1910	D&W Prophet	11 South St Andrew Street

Thank you to Alana Lawrence who wrote:

Perth and Dundee

"I have a photo from Messrs Prophet giving studio addresses in both the Perth and Dundee - 30 George Street and 58 + 59 Wellgate"

John Reid Prophet

"There was another son, John Reid Prophet. In 1871 and lived with his grandmother in Dundee.

He died aged 27 years 7 months. by drowning in 1878. He tragically drowned while bathing in the sea. His death record says that he was in the water 3 quarters of an hour and died opposite the Golf Club house Carnoustie.

His Last Will and Testament is on 'Scotland's People' website, but I didn't look at it. It would have cost me £5.

He was a photographer who must have been older then the other sons (also photographers). I would say that he was running the business in Dundee at 58 1/2 - 59 Wellgate, maybe as an extension of the Perth family Business."

Alana Lawrence, Australia: May 22 + 23, 2007

'Old Man Prophet'

Thank you to Lesley Fiedler, Tasmania, Australia, for the following message:

Lesley wrote:

The Photograph

"You know what? My Dad used to work with 'Old Man Prophet' as he was called by my Dad. He was possibly from the same firm.

In Glasgow my father was a commercial photographer who did dinner dances, balls, wedding, etc. Mr Prophet did all the school ones. He was a tall, thin, old man. He lived at 485 Shields Rd, Pollokshields, Glasgow.

I often had to go there with glass plates for him. His rooms were full of photographic stuff, as was our house. I would also get plates for my Dad when I was at Lizars.

Lesley Fiedler, Tasmania, Australia: October 11, 2006