History of Photography in Edinburgh

1

Lauriston Castle
 

Page 1

2

Early History of
Photography

Page 2

3

Types of Camera and  Photo

Page 3

4

Photographic
Societies

Page 4

5

Professional
Photographers

Page 5

 

History of Photography in Scotland

Talk  at

Old Edinburgh Club

The City Chambers and Courtyard, Edinburgh  -  July 2008

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                                                                                     Photo taken July 18, 2008

 

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                                                                                     Photo taken July 18, 2008

 

13 November  2013

 

5.

Professional

Photographers

and their studios

 

(A)

Rock House Studio

  • Rock House was beside the steps leading up to Calton Hill from Waterloo Place, about 1/4 mile to the east of the East End of Princes Street.

  • This studio was used by Hill & Adam, calotypists, in 1843-47, then by a succession of other photographers over the next hundred years.

Rock House

Rock House studio  -  1870s

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services

 

Hill & Adamson

Rock House

1843-47

  • Here are a few of the many calotype photos that have survived from the studio of Hill & Adamson at Rock House. 

  • The Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Queen Street has a large collection of Hill & Adamson calotypes and has published books about this collection.

D O Hill

DO Hill  

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh Photographic Society

Newhaven Fishwives

Hill & Adamson calotype of Newhaven Fishwives - 5

©  Reproduced by courtesy St Andrews University Library                                                                                                             ALB6-92

The Scott Monument

Hill & Adamson Calotypes - The Scott Monument under construction

©  This photograph is included with  National Galleries of Scotland permission.   See Copyright Conditions

White Horse Close

Hill & Adamson Calotype - White Horse Close

©  This photograph is included with  National Galleries of Scotland permission.   See Copyright Conditions

________________________________

(B)

Salisbury Place Studio

Kenneth McLeay  RSA

Photographic Studio:  1859-63

  • Kenneth McLeay was a watercolour portrait painter who had photographic studios in Edinburgh from 1859 to 1863.  He exhibited his photos in Photographic Exhibitions in Edinburgh between 1856 and 1864.

 Kenneth McLeay

by Hill & Adamson

Kenneth MacLeay RSA  -  Calotype by Hill & Adamson

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services

  • In a letter of 22 December 1859, written to the Photographic Society of Scotland in connection with their 4th Annual Exhibition, he lists the prices of his portraits.  

 

Kenneth McLeay's

Price List

Plain Photographs

1st size   -  no hands                  10s 6d

2nd size  -  with hands               15s 0d

3rd size   -  half length          £1    1s  0d

4th size   -  whole length      £1  11s  6d

Plain copies of the  first 3 sizes  -  5/- each

Plain copies of the 4th size        -  7/6 each.

Painted Photographs

1st size  -  tinted          £2    2s  0d

1st size  -  finished      £3  13s  6d

2nd size  -  tinted        £2  17s  0d

2nd size  -  finished    £4   19s  0d

3rd size  -  tinted         £3   13s  6d

3rd size  -  finished     £6     6s  0d

4th size  -  tinted         £5   15s   6d

4th size  -  finished     £8   18s   6d

4th size - in uniform or highland dress  £10   10s  0d

Miniatures for Bracelets, Lockets, etc. - smallest size  £6 6s 0d

NOTE:  £1 in 1859 is equivalent to almost £100 in 2010.)

 

________________________________

(C)

Princes Street Studios

  • Photography became well established in Edinburgh from the 1840s onwards.  Most of the early photographic studios were in Princes Street.

Edinburgh Studios  -  1840 to 1900

  Chart  -  Princes Street Studios  -  1840-1900

  • Princes Street was well suited to photography.  There was an open outlook to the south towards Edinburgh Castle, so studios on the upper floors in Princes Street got the good light that was needed for photography in the early days.

  • There were many tourists and local residents passing along Princes Street, who might visit the photographic studios - but not many would have been prepared to pay the high cost for photos in the early days.

  • Talbot had patented his Calotype photographic process in England, and Daguerre had placed restrictions on the use of his Daguerreotype in  England, but photographers in Scotland were free to use either process.

    Cartes de Visite

    See also 'Further Notes'

    Most Edinburgh photographers started selling:

    -  cartes de visite between the late-1850s and 1900, then also

    -  cabinet prints between the late-1860s and 1900.

    Here are a few cartes de visite from Edinburgh studios:

    James Ross

    Studios: 1846 to 1870

    Cartes de visite:  Newhaven Fishwives

    • These photos of Newhaven Fishwives were set up in the studio then hand-coloured.  The result is appealing.  The photos are quite different from Hill & Adamson's photos of the fishwives taken outdoors at Newhaven.

    Carte de Visite  -  Newhaven fishwife  -   Photographer: John Ross          Carte de Visite  -  Newhaven Fishwife  -  Photographer: John Ross

    © Reproduced with acknowledgement to National Galleries of Scotland permission.

    John Ross

    Studios: 1858 to 1900

    • These are typical studio portraits taken around 1860.  Note the large dresses.  In some cases, but not here, the curtains would be used to hide a head-stand set up to prevent the sitter from moving.

     A carte de visite by the Edinburgh professional photographer John Ross  -  lady and handbag    A carte de visite by the Edinburgh professional photographer John Ross  -  lady and handbag

    ©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

    A carte de visite by the Edinburgh professional photographer John Ross  -  lady and handbag         A carte de visite by the Edinburgh professional photographer John Ross  -  lady and handbag

    ©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

    A carte de visite by the Edinburgh professional photographer John Ross  -  lady with large dress            The back of a carte de visite by the Edinburgh professional photographer John Ross  -  lady with large dress

    ©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

    John Moffat

    Studios: 1853 to 1962

    Cartes de visite showing medals awarded to him

    • John Moffat added illustrations of the medals he had won to the backs of his cartes de visite.  This can be helpful in dating his cartes de visite.  Fashions can also be helpful in dating photos.  Note that the later cards often have rounded corners.

    1875-80

    John Moffat  -  Carte de visite  -  1875-80  -  Boy      John Moffat  -  Carte de visite  -  1875-80  -  Back = "1 Medal"

    ©   peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

    1882-86

    John Moffat  -  Carte de visite  -  1882-86  -  Girl and Boy        John Moffat  -  Carte de visite  -  1882-86  -  Back = "3 Medals"

    ©   peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

    1890-97

    John Moffat  -  Carte de visite  -  around 1890 to 1897  -  Youth        John Moffat  -  Carte de visite  -  around 1890 to 1897  -  Back = "7 Medals"

    ©   peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

    From 1897

    John Moffat  -  Carte de visite  -  from 1897  -  Lady with Book        John Moffat  -  Carte de visite  -  from 1897  -  Back = "10 Medals"

    ©   peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

    James Howie Jun

    Cartes de visite:  20 men:  Cowgate Free Church Choir
    Cartes de visite:  42 men:  Who are they?

    • These two photos by Howie, the first taken in 1879, are unusual.  They have surprisingly large groups for small cartes de visite.  The second was taken outdoors.  Where?

     

    James Howie Junior  -   carte de visite  -  Cowgate Free Church Choir  -  November 19, 1878      James Howie Junior  -   carte de visite  -  Cowgate Free Church Choir  -  November 19, 1878

    ©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to the Scottish Genealogy Society

     

    James Howie Junior  -   carte de visite  -  Group of 42 men   James Howie Junior  -   The back of a carte de visite  -  Group of 42 men

     ©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to the author of www.cartedevisite.co.uk

     

    The Cost

    See also 'Further Notes'

  • A typical charge for cartes de visite in the 1860s was about 6 shillings a dozen  - equivalent to about £25 a dozen in today's money, in 2010.

    Cabinet Prints

    See also 'Further Notes'

    Parisian Photo Co

    Studio: 1887 - 1914

    Cabinet Prints

    • I believe that all the 'Parisian Photo Co' photos below are likely to have been taken between about 1887 and 1905:

    • These photos all have backdrops, suggesting grander or more exotic surroundings than the sitter might have been accustomed to.  But they are obviously studio shots.  e.g.  where the photographer has made no attempt to hide join of the backdrop and the flooring.

    • A couple of the people in the photos are in uniform. Did these uniforms belong to the studio?  I suspect the answer is 'Yes' - at least in the case of the Fire Officer's uniform.

    Cabinet Print by Parisian Photo Company  -  4 youths

    ©  For permission to reproduce, please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

    Cabinet Print by Parisian Photo Company  -  Ladies and balustrade

    ©  For permission to reproduce, please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

    Cabinet Print by Parisian Photo Company  -  Ladiy beside window

    ©  For permission to reproduce, please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

    Cabinet Print by Parisian Photo Company  -  Boy and ropes

    ©  For permission to reproduce, please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

    Cabinet Print by Parisian Photo Company  -  Man in uniform

    ©  For permission to reproduce, please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

    Cabinet Print by Parisian Photo Company  -  Bryan Gourlay's Grandmother

    ©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland

    In Fire Officer's uniform

    Cabinet Print by Parisian Photo Company  -  Bryan Gourlay's Great-grandfather in Fire Officer's Uniform

    ©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland

    Cabinet Print by Parisian Photo Company  -  Railway Carriage

    ©  For permission to reproduce, please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

    Here is how the last photograph above was taken:

    Parisian Photo Co  -  75 Princes Street  -  Studio Interior

    Parisian Photo Co studio  -  Princes Street

    ©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services

    Harper & Smellie

    Leith Walk (1899-1908)

    and Princes Street (1902-1906)

    • The cabinet prints below suggest that their studio in Leith Walk had a backdrop and a single chair.  You could either stand beside it or sit on it!

    Cabinet Prints  -  man and chair  -  Photographer:  Harper & Smellie

    William Crooke

    1883 -1929

    • William Crook was one of Edinburgh's most prominent photographers.  He won many awards for his photography. 

    • He had studios in Princes Street from 1883 until 1929, with rather more furniture than Harper & Smellie had above.

    • The studio must have looked impressive, with its outlook to the south across Princes Street Gardens to Edinburgh Castle.

    Princes Street Studio  -  1911

    William Crooke's studio  -  Princes Street

    ©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services.

    Princes Street Studio  -  1911

    ©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services.

    E R Yerbury

    The Yerbury family had studios
     in Edinburgh 1869 - 2003

    • Several generations of the Yerbury family have had studios in Edinburgh, beginning with  E R Yerbury who had a studio at the corner of Princes Street and Hanover Street in the 1860s and ending with Trevor Yerbury who had a studio in East Claremont Street and specialised in wedding photography.  His studio remained in business until 2003.

    • Here are some photos of the Yerbury family:

    Three Generations

    LEFT:           Edward Reuben Yerbury  [b.1843]

    CENTRE:      Edward Roper Yerbury    [b.1915]

    RIGHT:      Edward Reuben Yerbury     [b.1881]

    ER Yerbury x 3  -  Professional photographers

    ©  Reproduced by courtesy of the Yerbury family.   Click here for link to web site.

    Edward Reuben Yerbury

     b.1843

     

    Edward Reuben Yerbury  -  1843-1933

    ©  Reproduced by courtesy of the Yerbury Family.

    Edward Reuben Yerbury

     b.1881

     

    Edward Reuben Yerbury  -  1881-1952

    ©  Reproduced by courtesy of the Yerbury family. 

    Edward Roper Yerbury

    1915 - 1949

    Aged about three

    Photographed  by his father

    Edward Roper Yerbury  -  b.1915

    ©  Reproduced by courtesy of the Yerbury family.

    Edward Roper Yerbury

    1915 - 1949

    'The Sky Pilot'

    ER Yerbury, The Sky Pilot, photographed by his father, ER Yerbury

    ©  Reproduced by courtesy of Trevor E R Yerbury, Edinburgh

    Trevor Yerbury

    1951 -

    Trevor ER Yerbury  -  b1951

    ©  Reproduced by courtesy of Trevor Yerbury.   Click here for link to web site.

    • Yerbury photographers took over the businesses of several prominent Edinburgh photographers:

    • William Crooke (1930)

    • JCH Balmain (1958)

    • Andrew Swan Watson (1958)

    • John Moffat (1962)

    • Here are some early images from the Yerbury collection, taken in and around Edinburgh.  The first was taken around 1850.  I believe that most of the others would have been taken by Balmain:

      Cramond

      Cramond and old boats - photograph possibly taken by JCH Balmain

      ©  Reproduced by courtesy of the Yerbury family.   Click here for link to web site.

      Cramond

      Cramond and children - photograph possibly taken by JCH Balmain

      ©  Reproduced by courtesy of the Yerbury family.   Click here for link to web site.

      Maule's Dept Store

      Maule's Department Store - Photograph probably taken by JCH Balmain

      ©  Reproduced by courtesy of the Yerbury family.   Click here for link to web site.

    St Giles   - High Street, Edinburgh

    St Giles Cathedral - Edinburgh High Street  -  Photograph probably by JCH Balmain

    ©  Reproduced by courtesy of the Yerbury family.   Click here for link to web site.

    East End of Princes Street

    Horse-drawn Tram in Prinfes Street  -  Photo by JCH Balmain

    ©  Reproduced by courtesy of the Yerbury Family.   Click here for link to web site.

    West End of Princes Street

    View from the West End of Princes Street  -  1902  -  JCH Balmain

    ©  Reproduced by courtesy of the Yerbury Family.   Click here for link to web site.

    Elephant Parade, North Bridge

    The North Bridge - Elephant Parade  -  by JCH Balmain

    ©  Reproduced by courtesy of the Yerbury family.   Click here for link to web site.

    • Here are some photos of Edinburgh with an impressionistic feel.  They were created by Trevor and Faye Yerbury, using original polaroid material.  They were exhibited, together with some Yerbury images from 1850 to 1950, in Ocean Terminal in 2004:

    The Forth Rail Bridge

    New Images of Edinburgh  -  by Trevor and Faye Yerbury  -  In exhibition, August 2004  -  The Forth Rail Bridge

    ©  Trevor and Faye Yerbury, Edinburgh    

        Newhaven Lighthouse

      New Images of Edinburgh  -  by Trevor and Faye Yerbury  -  In exhibition, August 2004  -  Newhaven Lighthouse

    ©  Trevor and Faye Yerbury, Edinburgh

     

________________________________

Thomas Vernon Begbie

  • Thomas Vernon Begbie took many photos of streets and views around Edinburgh that others ignored.

  • In 1950, his collection of 451 glass plate negatives of Edinburgh was found in an attic and rescued.  Here are a few of them

The Scott Monument

The Scott Monument - Stereoscopic View by Begbie

©  City Art Centre, City of Edinburgh Museums and Galleries

Waverley Bridge

Looking east from the Scott Monument - Stereoscopic View by Thomas Vernon Begbie

©  City Art Centre, City of Edinburgh Museums and Galleries

Leith Inner Harbour

Leith Inner Harbour - Stereoscopic View by Begbie

©  City Art Centre, City of Edinburgh Museums and Galleries

Leith Shore

Leith Shore - Stereoscopic View by Begbie

©  City Art Centre, City of Edinburgh Museums and Galleries

Canongate Tolbooth

Canongate Tolbooth - Photograph by Thomas Vernon Begbie - late 1850s

©  City Art Centre, City of Edinburgh Museums and Galleries

Whitehouse Close

Whitehorse Close - Photograph by Begbie

©  City Art Centre, City of Edinburgh Museums and Galleries

Demolition to enable Cockburn Street to be built

Edinburgh Old Town with demolition of old buildings to create Cockburn Street - Photograph by Begbie

©  City Art Centre, City of Edinburgh Museums and Galleries

Leith Wynd - leading from the Royal Mile to Leith Walk

Leith Wind - Photographs Begbie

©  City Art Centre, City of Edinburgh Museums and Galleries

________________________________

Norward Inglis

  • Norward Inglis took still photos then, latterly, movies.  Most of his still photos were taken around the 1950s, about a century after Begbie's photos above.

    Norward Inglis

    Norward Inglis - Professional Photographer from 1940s until 1970s.

    ©  Copyright: Norward Inglis and peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

    • Norward's photos are high quality.  They capture a lot of detail.  Some are taken from unusual, high, positions.  Here are a few:

Princes Street

Photograph by Norward Inglis  -  The corner of Princes Street and Castle Street  -  early-1950s
©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to Norward Inglis and Barbara Simpson

Edinburgh Castle

Photograph by Norward Inglis  -  Viewed from the South-East in Johnston Terrace

©   Reproduced with acknowledgement to Norward Inglis and his daughter, Barbara Simpson

George Street

Photograph by Norward Inglis  -  George Street from the roof of St George's Church in Charlotte Square

 ©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to Norward Inglis and his daughter, Barbara Simpson

Edinburgh Military Tattoo  -   1950  -  The second year of the Tattoo

 Edinburgh Tattoo, performed on the Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle  -  1950

©   Reproduced with acknowledgement to Norward Inglis and his daughter, Barbara Simpson

Holyrood Palace Gates

Photograph by Norward Inglis  -  Holyrood Palace Gates, at the foot of the Royal Mile

©   Reproduced with acknowledgement to Norward Inglis and his daughter, Barbara Simpson

Princes Street  -  Looking West  -  What was the occasion?

Trams and crowds in Princes Street.  When was this photograph taken and what was the occasion?

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to John Stewart, Livingstone, West Lothian, Scotland

Looking down on Dumbiedykes from Salisbury Crags

Looking down on Dumbiedykes and out towards Edinburgh Castle from Salisbury Crags  -  probably around the 1950s.

©   Reproduced with acknowledgement to Norward Inglis and his daughter, Barbara Simpson

  • Photos of Dumbiedykes have attracted a lot of interest amongst people who lived there before the houses were demolished in the 1960s. 

  • Here are a few more views of the area.  These are not taken by Norward Inglis:

The Scotchie, Dumbiedykes  -  1959

Dumbiedykes Survey Photograph - 1959  -  Prospect Place

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services                                             Neg. A904A

Looking down on Dumbiedykes from Salisbury Crags

Looking down on Dumbiedykes and out towards Edinburgh Castle from Salisbury Crags  -  probably around 1940

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Evening News.   Click here for web site details.

Clearing the Drains in Heriot Mount - 1959

Dumbiedykes Survey Photograph - 1959  -  Clearing the Drains

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services
[Ref S1014 D]

Arthur Place -  1959

Dumbiedykes Survey Photograph - 1959  -  Between Mid and West Arthur Place

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services                                             Neg. E932F

Three workers from William Waugh Ltd, Metal Merchants   -   Late-1950s

Three workers from William Waugh, Metal Merchants, 6 and 8, Dumbiedykes Road

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to Jean Rae, daughter of Tom Aithie on the left of this picture

Top of Arthur Street   -  1959

Dumbiedykes Survey Photograph - 1959  - Arthur Street with lemonade lorry

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services                                             Neg. F936C

Run-away Coal Lorry at the foot of Arthur Street  -  1950s

Coal Lorry accident at the foot of Arthur Street

© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Ron Leckie, California, USA

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