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Victorian Photographic Studios - The Survivors

More than a thousand photographic portrait studios were established throughout the UK in the decades between 1839 when the Daguerreotype process was introduced, and the end of Queen Victoria's reign in 1901.
Remarkably few of those studios have survived to the 21st century in any sort of recognisable form. Walter Kevis's studio in Petworth, West Sussex, known now as The Petworth Penthouse, is one of those few, and on this page we list the others of which we are aware.

All contributions regarding these or other former studios would be most welcome.

The studios below are listed in the order of the date of their first use.

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire. Bromley House, Angel Row
​Alfred Barber and others. 1841-1955

The space in the attics of Bromley House has been somewhat altered and is not at first recognisable as a daylight studio. Recent work has inserted a skylight of a modern design, in the aperture where Barber's original revolving blue light skylight was.
Photo below is from a virtual tour of the studio which can be seen here.
Picture
2019. Prior to renovation work.

Exeter, Devon. New North Road
William Gill. 1842-57
In 1842 Gill obtained a licence from Richard Beard, who in 1841 had bought the rights to be sole patentee of the daguerreotype process in England.
Picture
2020
Picture
Probably 1950s

Lewes, East Sussex. 159 High Street
​Reeves. 1858-present

In continuous use to the present day as photographic studio, by the Reeves family.
Picture
2017. Photo by Graeme Swain

(​Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria. 21 Lake Road
Several occupiers (Fletcher, Water, Brunskill, Herbert) 1858-1938
The wall remains glazed, and the roof glazing appears to be extant but painted over. In use as store.
Picture
2023. Photo: George Walsh

Brighton, East Sussex. 109 Western Road
Henry Spink. 1864-1889+
Further information being sought about current state.
Picture
2020

Hastings, East Sussex. Memorial Studio, Robertson Road/Cambridge Road
FR Wells. 1864-1867. Then a succession of owners until 1918.
Glazed roof and wall intact. Appears to be in good, largely original, condition.
Currently in use as an artist's studio.
Picture
2019.
Picture
2016
Picture
2019

Launceston, Cornwall. 20 and 20A Church Street
Henry Hayman. c.1866 - 1921+
"The Glasshouse" at no. 20 (on the junction) has been restored. The glass roof of no. 20A has been tiled over and the wall glazing reduced. The raised area of tiling on the roof suggests that window framing at least, if not the glass, may be intact underneath the tiles.
20A was for sale as of 
May 2021.
Hayman Photographic Studio, LauncestonPicture
1890s
Hayman Photographic Studio, Launceston
2021

Derby, Derbyshire. 45 Midland Road
W W Winter. 1867-present
Glazed roof replaced with tiles in the 1960s. Glazed wall now boarded up on the inside.
​In continuous use as photographic studio, run since 1910 by the King family.
Picture
Picture
Picture
c. 1900
Picture
2020

Selkirk, Scott’s Place
Robert Clapperton. 1867-2005
​
Built 1867 at Dovecot Park, Selkirk. Moved and rebuilt at current site in Selkirk in the late 1880s. Was run as a studio by the family until 2005, and then as a museum until 2015.
Picture
2015 when a museum
Picture
2015

Petworth, West Sussex. Lombard Street
Walter Kevis. ​1877-1908 (occasional use until 1953)
A purpose built rooftop studio built by Walter Kevis in 1877. He retired in 1908, and his nephew Herbert Earle then used the studio only to print copies. The studio remained intact with equipment and glass negatives until Earle left in 1953.
Now used as self-catering accommodation.

​Read more about Kevis and the studio here
Picture
2020. The rooftop studio's east-facing gable and south side.
Kevis Photographic Studio, Petworth
Studio when in use. Photograph said to be c.1895
Picture
About 1953, having not been used for 45 years during Kevis's nephew's occupation. Prop furniture and backdrops were still in the studio.
Picture
2020, when used as self-catering accommodation

Preston, Lancs. Grand Imperial Studio
​ 
J Monk and others. 1879-c.1963
Was in a ruinous state for several decades until redevelopment of the whole building in 2023, removing the internal configuration of the studio floor.
Picture
Victorian exterior from cdv back
Picture
2019
Picture
Interior 2019

London. Old Brompton Road
​Elliot and Fry. 1885-1919
​Glazed wall, and roof (now clear pvc), both boarded over inside.
Was used as a sculpture studio by Cecil Thomas, and now as an exhibition studio by the Royal Society of Sculptors.
Picture
After 1919, when used by sculptor Cecil Thomas
Picture
c. 2019. Exhibition space for Royal Society of Sculptors
Picture
2018

 Bradford, Yorkshire. 60 Manningham Lane
Appleton, and Gunston 1887-1921+
Glazed wall visible. Roof replaced with tiles. Occupied by Pakeezah Food2Go outlet in 2022.
Extensive research by Steve Lightfoot on the Appleton business can be found here
Picture
Picture
2022

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire. Newcastle Chambers, 17 Angel Row
​Henri Morel and others. 1892-1910+
Part of glazed roof wall intact. Currently used as a store for a music venue.
Picture
c. 1901, when briefly used by the photoengravers Hamel
Picture
2020. (Building on right is Bromley House - see listing on this page.)

Sunderland, Yorkshire. Hutchinson's Buildings, 104-109 High Street West
A & G Taylor. Active 1904.
Advertisement in Sunderland Daily Echo, February 1904, stated that A & G Taylor's "studio itself is one of the largest and bestlighted in the District, and in every way admirably adapted for production of highclass work."
Picture
Modern exterior, with arrow highlighting the location of studio
Picture
Interior in 2018. Photo: Historic England

Some Surviving Edwardian (post 1901) Studios

Hutton-le-Hole, Yorkshire. Ryedale Folk Museum
William Hayes. 1902-1923
​Originally built in York, the studio was transported by Hayes to Hutton-le-Hole. More recently removed and reconstructed at Ryedale Folk Museum.
Picture
Studio when at Hayes's home in Hutton le Hole
Picture
At the museum
Picture
2016

Hawick. North Bridge Street
JED Murray. 1902-1972
Glazed roof and walls boarded up or removed.
Used since 1973 as The Border Club.
Picture
Circa 2019

Ely, Cambridgeshire. Lynn Road
Starr and Rignall. 1929-?
An unusually late daylight studio. Glazed roof intact. Wall glazing boarded over.
Now in use as antique shop.
Picture
Exterior 2020
Picture
Exterior 2020
Picture
Interior 2020. The end wall is reported to be a backdrop that has been painted over.
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