• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Photographers wheeler st.

Ray Barrett

Ray Barrett

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN R.I.P.
This photo is my gt.gran Elizabeth Proud (seated) and her sister Margaret who in 1871 was a photographers assistant,I'm presuming this is the shop where she worked.Could some kind person point me in the right direction,where I would find info.on the shop.
 
Ray
Bit more than you asked for, but its all down here if anyone else is interested in the firm. Taking into account lag of publication of Kellys, it looks like your photo was 1900 - 1911. Here is fuller history:
Fletcher Bros,photographers
Dates are dates of Kellys directories, refer to year before
1873
No Mention
1876, 1880
Fletcher Bros,photographers 148 Wheeler st
1883
Samuel Fletcher,photographer. 146-148 Wheeler st

STREET WAS RENUMBERED AT THIS TIME 146-148 in 1883 was same building as 212-214 in 1884

1884
Samuel Fletcher,photographer. 212-214 Wheeler st
1888, 1895, 1896
Fletcher Bros,photographers .212-214 Wheeler st and 15 Aston st
1899, 1900
Fletcher Bros,photographers 212-214 Wheeler st
1904, 1908, 1912
Fletcher Bros,photographers 212 Wheeler st
1913
212. Wheeler st. Lowe Oliver Benjamin, photographer
In 1913 there were two other photographer firms called Fletcher, but they both also existed in 1912, so firm didn’t change its name, just either disappeared or left Birmingham
 
Thanks for that Mike,great stuff.I'm still a bit puzzled though, she is my gt.gran seated,she had 3 fingers missing from her left hand,and she was born in 1856,also my dad said it's her, he knew her,(yes he's still around).Margaret is on the 1871,census as photographic assistant,and later lived in Wheeler St.So could the photo,be about 1883?.I'm looking at their ages to suggest this.
Ray.
 
Ray
I was assuming that when the address changed to incorporate larger premises it would be included in the card address. Often people did put something like 212-213, to be more impressive, but that's not necessarily so. The change in numbering was between the compiling of the 1883 and 1884 directories, so it would have been 1882, but they might have anticipated it if they knew it was going to occur to save on possibly having to scrap old cards. therefore it could be 1883, but don't think it could be earlier.
Mike
 
Thanks again mike,
It seems you have cracked it,I was thinking along the same lines, in particular to not scrapping the old cards,1883 would seem about right considering their ages.
Is reading your location now? I was there recently doing some research for another ancestor,she came from Englefield,shall have to make another trip sometime,to see the Englefield Estate archives.
thanks again,
Ray.
 
Yes Ray, I've lived here for 27 years now, unfortunately -I'm not that kean on the place! Technically its 35 yards outside Reading, in West Berkshire, just off the A4, but nearer Reading than Englefield.
Mike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top