Thomas R Rodger

Professional Photographer

  1856-1930

Thomas R Rodger

probably late-1920s

Thomas R Rodger, Edinburgh Professional Photographers

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to Peter Francis, great-grandson of Thomas R Rodger

Family

Thomas Rodger Rodger, son of the early St Andrews photographer, Thomas Rodger, was born on September 4, 1856.  He attended Madras College, St Andrews. 

Peter Francis, great-grandson of Thomas R Rodger, adds:

"I have a fine copy of Pilgrims Progress awarded to Thomas R Rodger on June 25,  1873 by the college for his oil painting."

Thomas R Rodger was:

-  named Thomas Rodger Rodger.  [Why?]

-  eldest son of Thomas Rodger [Jun.], the St Andrews photographer .

-  older brother of George Berwick Rodger.

There were also other siblings who were not in the photographic business.

Peter Francis writes:

"Thomas R Rodger married Jessie Peddie, an Edinburgh girl, on December 10, 1880 and in 1881 was living at 13 Grove Street, Edinburgh St Cuthbert's parish.

Thomas and Jessie went over to India in about 1884, where he took a great many photographs with a colleague, Guy Lawrie, a collection of which I still have.

They came back from India in 1886, when my grandmother was born (their only child), and lived in Kilburn, West London.  He continued in photography for the rest of his life, possibly doing work for Queen Victoria, because I have a few royal photos, including one taken from the balcony at Buckingham Palace."

 

 

Edinburgh Studios

In Edinburgh Thomas R Rodger was described in the Edinburgh trade directories as Portrait Painter & Photographer.   

He offered Enlargements in oil, water colours &c.

He was based at 97 George Street, trading under the name of:

-  1879-81:  T Roger & Sons
-  1882:        T R Rodger

Some of his cartes de visite refer to “St Margaret’s Studio”.  It is not clear whether this was at 97 George Street or elsewhere in Edinburgh.

 

Other Studios

Thomas R Rodger also produced cartes de visite from a studio in Kirkcaldy, Fife at Townsend Place  "Near the Burgh School".  [When?]

Around 1882-83, he appears to have moved to Inverness.  Peter Francis writes:

When his father died in 1883 Thomas Rodger was living at 33 Huntly Street, Inverness and was probably practising photography, because his father's estate includes a promissory note, indicating that father had lent son £1,000 on  October 3, 1882.

Peter Francis:  February 2006

 I have not found any reference to Thomas R Rodger in the trade directories for Inverness

 

Acknowledgement

Thank you to Peter Francis, great-grandson of Thomas R Rodger,  for providing the family details and the photograph above.  Peter believes that the photograph was probably taken in the late 1920s. Thomas R Rodger died in 1930, aged 74.

Peter Francis is currently researching his family history.  He tells me that when he was a  boy he me one of Thomas R Rodger's siblings.

Concerning Thomas R Rodger, Peter writes:

The details of his life are obscure, but my aunt, his granddaughter, is still alive and remembers him very well. 

He died on 6 September 1930, my parents' wedding day, at which he took the wedding photographs but later collapsed.  It was also my mother's 21st birthday!

Peter Francis:  March 2003

Peter adds:

"My research is not helped by the fact that T R Rodger's father, grandfather and great grandfather were all called Thomas Rodger.  There may be more TRs, but that's as far back as I have got so far. 

In fact I have a collage photograph of all four generations, the oldest of whom was born in1786!  I believe the original is held in St Andrews University Library."

Peter Francis:  February 2006

 

 

More Thomas Rodger pages

Background

Early Days      Photographs      PSS Exhibitions    Collections

Thomas R Rodger     Edinburgh    St Andrews    Wet Collodion

Photos of Rodger

Thomas Rodger [Sen]   Thomas Rodger [Jun]   Thomas R Rodger

Photos by Rodger

Cartes de Visite     Cabinet Prints    Other Photos

Photos by TR Rodger

Large Photos

FULL INDEX:   Thomas Rodger pages

 

 

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