Hi, hope this is in the right place. Does anyone know what happened to Morland Braithwaite photography please. Perhaps someone's knows where their photographic archive went? I have seen an address in Stratford Rd, Birmingham in the fifties then Moseley in the sixties. Thanks
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Morland Braithwaite Photography
- Thread starter Paul D
- Start date
devonjim
master brummie
https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b94350477
Is this any help?
Is this any help?
Hi Paul, I know this is an old thread but may I ask if you ever found what happened to Morland Braithwaite's archive and when the firm closed?
David from Dundee Scotland
I am on the same mission as I am seeking to ascertain if some images I wish to use are still copyrighted to him. Did you get any further in your investigations?
Apologies for the lateness of my reply. Thank you for responding and like you so far I have also drawn a complete blank
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
The earliest newspaper mention for Morland Braithwaite was the making of a film called Youth Hails Adventure for the Youth Hostels Association in 1934 with another local, Norman Blinkhorn as Technical Advisor. A copy of this film is held in the National Archives along with other YHA materials. Whereas the latest newspaper mention I could find was this advertisement in November 1973:-
However, it was a Limited Company and was not wound up until 1989:-
Normally I would suggest that you attempt to contact Hodgson Impey & Partners at the address shown, but see my next two paragraphs. Please bear in mind that this was over 30 years ago and solicitors don't tend to hang onto files once a case has been closed for ten years. They may have destroyed the files, or may have donated interesting ones to a local archive in Leeds or Birmingham. Also the Liquidators job is to realise the value of as many remaining assets as possible to pay off any debts of the Company, the remainder to be distributed among the directors once the Liquidator's costs have been paid.
Also the Company may not have held onto negatives once they have reached a certain age, and they would then most likely have been simply destroyed. Next you might like to take a look at this:-
https://www.icaew.com/library/historical-resources/guide-to-historical-resources/firm-histories/whats-in-a-name/hodgson-impey
Now this is where I think your hopes may be evaporating into thin air because BakerTilly is a huge American conglomerate with their fingers in many pies and with offices all over the world, including one here in Greece, and in the UK only in Manchester and London. The chances of anyone in their Manchester office even wanting to know anything about a tiny company that has been defunct for so long is infinitely small. Even Companies House destroy records of companies once they been defunct for 20 years.
So my best advice to you is to contact both Leeds Archives - [email protected] - and Birmingham Archives - [email protected] to see if they have anything on the Company, but I think it unlikely that archives of personal pictures of little interest to the public at large will have survived. Charles Morland Braithwaite died at Bromsgrove in 1982 so it is difficult to be certain whether the Company traded after his death or who the other Directors may have been for the reasons given in the previous paragraph. Also bear in mind that Covid may mean that you late a long time to get a reply from emails to archives
Sorry this has been a lengthy reply, but I hope you realise how difficult it is to find any surviving archive material.
Maurice
However, it was a Limited Company and was not wound up until 1989:-
Normally I would suggest that you attempt to contact Hodgson Impey & Partners at the address shown, but see my next two paragraphs. Please bear in mind that this was over 30 years ago and solicitors don't tend to hang onto files once a case has been closed for ten years. They may have destroyed the files, or may have donated interesting ones to a local archive in Leeds or Birmingham. Also the Liquidators job is to realise the value of as many remaining assets as possible to pay off any debts of the Company, the remainder to be distributed among the directors once the Liquidator's costs have been paid.
Also the Company may not have held onto negatives once they have reached a certain age, and they would then most likely have been simply destroyed. Next you might like to take a look at this:-
https://www.icaew.com/library/historical-resources/guide-to-historical-resources/firm-histories/whats-in-a-name/hodgson-impey
Now this is where I think your hopes may be evaporating into thin air because BakerTilly is a huge American conglomerate with their fingers in many pies and with offices all over the world, including one here in Greece, and in the UK only in Manchester and London. The chances of anyone in their Manchester office even wanting to know anything about a tiny company that has been defunct for so long is infinitely small. Even Companies House destroy records of companies once they been defunct for 20 years.
So my best advice to you is to contact both Leeds Archives - [email protected] - and Birmingham Archives - [email protected] to see if they have anything on the Company, but I think it unlikely that archives of personal pictures of little interest to the public at large will have survived. Charles Morland Braithwaite died at Bromsgrove in 1982 so it is difficult to be certain whether the Company traded after his death or who the other Directors may have been for the reasons given in the previous paragraph. Also bear in mind that Covid may mean that you late a long time to get a reply from emails to archives
Sorry this has been a lengthy reply, but I hope you realise how difficult it is to find any surviving archive material.
Maurice
Thank you so much for this wonderful information I have struggled to find anything like it. I have some old photos from Birmingham archives which was taken by Morland Braithwaite and would like to use in a book publication but obviously am mindful of copyright.The earliest newspaper mention for Morland Braithwaite was the making of a film called Youth Hails Adventure for the Youth Hostels Association in 1934 with another local, Norman Blinkhorn as Technical Advisor. A copy of this film is held in the National Archives along with other YHA materials. Whereas the latest newspaper mention I could find was this advertisement in November 1973:-
View attachment 153884
However, it was a Limited Company and was not wound up until 1989:-
View attachment 153885
Normally I would suggest that you attempt to contact Hodgson Impey & Partners at the address shown, but see my next two paragraphs. Please bear in mind that this was over 30 years ago and solicitors don't tend to hang onto files once a case has been closed for ten years. They may have destroyed the files, or may have donated interesting ones to a local archive in Leeds or Birmingham. Also the Liquidators job is to realise the value of as many remaining assets as possible to pay off any debts of the Company, the remainder to be distributed among the directors once the Liquidator's costs have been paid.
Also the Company may not have held onto negatives once they have reached a certain age, and they would then most likely have been simply destroyed. Next you might like to take a look at this:-
https://www.icaew.com/library/historical-resources/guide-to-historical-resources/firm-histories/whats-in-a-name/hodgson-impey
Now this is where I think your hopes may be evaporating into thin air because BakerTilly is a huge American conglomerate with their fingers in many pies and with offices all over the world, including one here in Greece, and in the UK only in Manchester and London. The chances of anyone in their Manchester office even wanting to know anything about a tiny company that has been defunct for so long is infinitely small. Even Companies House destroy records of companies once they been defunct for 20 years.
So my best advice to you is to contact both Leeds Archives - [email protected] - and Birmingham Archives - [email protected] to see if they have anything on the Company, but I think it unlikely that archives of personal pictures of little interest to the public at large will have survived. Charles Morland Braithwaite died at Bromsgrove in 1982 so it is difficult to be certain whether the Company traded after his death or who the other Directors may have been for the reasons given in the previous paragraph. Also bear in mind that Covid may mean that you late a long time to get a reply from emails to archives
Sorry this has been a lengthy reply, but I hope you realise how difficult it is to find any surviving archive material.
Maurice
this gives me a lot to work with and I am grateful to you for taking the time to reply.
Best wishes
Dawn
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Dawn,
The value of his estate was around £75,000, probably the value of the house he lived in, but he didn't appear to leave a Will. However, for a measly sum you will be able to find the names of his executors from the Probate Registry. But a question of copyright may be a little complex. For instance, were any arrangements made within the Company as to assignments of copyright for any photographs taken by its employees or Directors? I suggest you get a copy of the Probate from here - you can order it up online - https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills - and from then on it's a matter of who the executors are, if is is a bank or another lawyer, or individuals who may be alive or dead. You can get the information as a pdf online, though the service may be slow due to Covid.
Maurice
The value of his estate was around £75,000, probably the value of the house he lived in, but he didn't appear to leave a Will. However, for a measly sum you will be able to find the names of his executors from the Probate Registry. But a question of copyright may be a little complex. For instance, were any arrangements made within the Company as to assignments of copyright for any photographs taken by its employees or Directors? I suggest you get a copy of the Probate from here - you can order it up online - https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills - and from then on it's a matter of who the executors are, if is is a bank or another lawyer, or individuals who may be alive or dead. You can get the information as a pdf online, though the service may be slow due to Covid.
Maurice
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MauriceDawn,
The value of his estate was around £75,000, probably the value of the house he lived in, but he didn't appear to leave a Will. However, for a measly sum you will be able to find the names of his executors from the Probate Registry. But a question of copyright may be a little complex. For instance, were any arrangements made within the Company as to assignments of copyright for any photographs taken by its employees or Directors? I suggest you get a copy of the Probate from here - you can order it up online - https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills - and from then on it's a matter of who the executors are, if is is a bank or another lawyer, or individuals who may be alive or dead. You can get the information as a pdf online, though the service may be slow due to Covid.
Maurice
Thank you for all this information I am following it up as you suggest. I am amazed at how much information you have been able to provide. I wonder if you have come across any information on another Birmingham Photographer of the late 1800s ES Baker (and sons) based on 154 Bristol Street Birmingham. I think his name may have been Edwin Smith (according to the Library archives). I am trying to ascertain who holds copyright for some his early 1900's images.
Thank you again
Dawn
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Dawn,
You mean this guy:-
who according to his advertisements in the local press, appears to have been in business as a photographer from roughly 1883 to 1898. But have you seen this in Birmingham Archives? :-
http://calmview.birmingham.gov.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=UC+1/13/1
He was in reality Edmund Smith Baker born in 1843 at Cubbington in Warwickshire, died in 1928, and was both a painter and a photographer, and was one of the illegitimate sons of Thomas Baker. Also in business with him was his younger brother Thomas William Baker. I haven't been able to find out much more about him, but a few of his paintings are on the internet.
Maurice
You mean this guy:-
who according to his advertisements in the local press, appears to have been in business as a photographer from roughly 1883 to 1898. But have you seen this in Birmingham Archives? :-
http://calmview.birmingham.gov.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=UC+1/13/1
He was in reality Edmund Smith Baker born in 1843 at Cubbington in Warwickshire, died in 1928, and was both a painter and a photographer, and was one of the illegitimate sons of Thomas Baker. Also in business with him was his younger brother Thomas William Baker. I haven't been able to find out much more about him, but a few of his paintings are on the internet.
Maurice
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Thank you Maurice yet again you have found out more than all my searching has highlighted. I need a tutorial!!Dawn,
You mean this guy:-
View attachment 154264
who according to his advertisements in the local press, appears to have been in business as a photographer from roughly 1883 to 1898. But have you seen this in Birmingham Archives? :-
http://calmview.birmingham.gov.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=UC+1/13/1
He was in reality Emund Smith Baker born in 1843 at Cubbington in Warwickshire, died in 1928, and was both a painter and a photographer, and was one of the illegitimate sons of Thomas Baker. Also in business with him was his younger brother Thomas William Baker. I haven't been able to find out much more about him, but a few of his paintings are on the internet.
Maurice
I had seen the information on the library catalogue as he took some photos which are held in Elizabeth Cadbury and other families archives
I can now dig deeper with his year of birth and death so many many thanks
Dawn
