Cambridgeshire Photographers

Name: HEALEY, Arthur Frank b: 1874 Bath, Somerset d: 1932
Address: Cathedral Studio, Cathedral Gateway, Peterborough
Working Dates: 1891-1924
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1891 census, Arthur, then 16 years old and living with his parents at Walcot in Somerset was listed as a photographer. In 1901 and 1911 he was living with his wife Emmeline in Taverners Road, Peterborough, In 1901 he was described as a photographer - a worker, but in 1911 he had become a "portrait and landscape photographer" employing others. In 1905/6 he was described as "Late W Boughton & Sons, Cathedral Studio, Market Place, Peterborough, High Art Photographer, children a speciality, patronised by Royalty". The directory entry in 1910 describes provision of "High Class Work, Moderate Charges". In the 1921 Census Arthur and his wife were living at 92 Taverners Road, Peterborough. Arthur was described as a photographer and an employer, operating from Cathedral Studio, Market Place, Peterborough. Two of Arthur's employees listed in the 1921 Census were COLLS, Edna and SMITH, Eva. Below are two example cabinet photographs by A F Healey. The first, of three girls (probably sisters) is on a brown textured mount with the legend in gilt "A F Healey Cathedral Studio Peterborough" and a single H in a circle as a monogram. Reverse blank. Below this is another Cabinet photograph on a cream textured mount, no monogram, the same text, reverse blank. Both are from around 1900-10.
References: Northampton and District Trades Directory, Town and County Directories Ltd, Edinburgh 1905/6, Kelly's Directory of Northamptonshire 1903, 1906, 1910, 1914, 1920, 1924
The Peterborough Directory 1901, 1907, 1912, 1922

Cabinet photograph by Healey

Cabinet photograph by Healey

Name: HEATHCOTE, John Moyer. b: 1800 d: 1892
Address: Conington Castle, Hunts.
Working Dates: 1850s
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Heathcote was an antiquarian, author and artist as well as an early photographer. His works included a Reminiscences of Fen and Mere (1876) mainly illustrated by himself. In the Norris Museum Collection is a photograph PH/GLATT/18, of St Nicholas Church, Glatton. The photograph has been drawn over by an artist to get the proportions correct in a study for a painting of the church. Written on the reverse of the photograph, in pencil, is "Early photograph by J.M.Heathcote, outlined by Cuthbert Bede". Notes suggest this photo was taken before 1857 when the church's chancel was restored, and that it was used in a painting by Bede; PH/GLATT/01 later published in VCH iii facing page 178. It appears that Heathcote taught the writer and artist Cuthbert Bede the art of photography. In 1855 Bede published a satire about photography entitled “Photographic Pleasures”. Cuthbert Bede was in fact the writer and clergyman Edward Bradley (1827 – 1889) who was, for a while, curate at Glatton and the vicar at Denton with Caldecote, Hunts, parishes very close to Conington. Another of Heathcote's works in the Norris Museum is PH/CONIN/17, a drawing of Conington Castle and church, c. 1860. A number of Bede's paintings and calotypes can be found in the Norris Museum. Heathcote and Bradley may be amongst the earliest photographers in the old county of Huntingdonshire and are worthy of further research. A portrait, 1860, of J.M.Heathcote by Camille Silvy is in the National Portrait Gallery Photographs Collection Ref NPG Ax50814.
References: Norris Museum collection, see above. The manuscripts of J. M. Heathcote, esq., Conington Castle (1899) Paperback, Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts (Author).

Name: HEELEY b: d:
Address: St Mary's Passage, Cambridge
Working Dates: August to November 1844
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information:

Richard Beard was the owner of the UK patent for Daguerreotypes. He licensed others to use the process in different locations. Heeley was one such licensee and was probably the first photographer to operate in Cambridge.

In 1843 Richard Beard advertised in the Cambridge Chronicle. "CERTAIN GAIN.— Mr. Beard, Sole Patentee of the DAGUERREOTYPE PORTRAITURE (so generally admired for its astonishing fidelity) still continues to GRANT LICENSES to use the Patent in Provincial Towns. To those who are desirous of increasing their capital the above offers an admirable opportunity particularly as the apparatus is small and light, and the method of using it may be taught in one or two lessons. Photographic Portraiture is now coloured by a simple process, and the art is now extended to an infinite variety of purposes. Among others it is the only medium of giving an exact miniature reflection to noblemen and gentlemen’s country houses, art and curious paintings, sculpture and articles of virtu. - Part of the purchase-money to be paid down; remainder to be secured upon profits.— Apply to Mr Beard. Royal Polytechnic Institution, Regent Street: 34 Parliament Street, Westminster; and at 80 King William Street, City". (Cambridge Chronicle and Journal Sat 22 July 1843 p3).

Heeley obviously responded to this advertisement. He operated in St Mary's Passage Cambridge in 1844 from August to November. An advertisement appeared in the Cambridge Independent Press on 24th August 1844. Under a Royal Coat of Arms was printed "Beard's patent daguerreotype or photographic portraits, either plain or in colours are taken daily solely by the action of light at the establishment, Saint Mary's Passage Cambridge, where specimens may be seen". The photographer was not named. The use of Beard's name in the advertising may have been part of the terms of the licence, or it could be that Heeley was trying to capitalise on favourable publicity already attached to Beard and at the same time retain some anonymity.

In the same newspaper was a news item which totally endorsed this exciting new process as follows. "The Daguerreotype. In another part of our impression will be found an advertisement stating that an establishment for the supply of likenesses obtained by means of this invaluable invention has been opened in St Mary's Passage. By this new process the lineaments of the "human form divine" may in a few minutes be indelibly transferred to a miniature case and copies may afterwards be multiplied to any extent. A party is hardly aware that the process is commenced ere it is finished, and a faithful copy of himself is presented to him. The exactitude of the likeness produced by the process has never been questioned, but a new and novel improvement has been made; it has been complained that a slight want too of animation was observable; this has now been removed by the introduction of colour into the portrait, thus rendering them in every respect perfect. These then are the advantages of the system - a likeness the most faithful that can be procured in a few minutes at a trifling expense - how far superior to the old and tedious method of long weary and expensive sittings. The backgrounds of the picture may be at the discretion of the sitter. By this process, likewise, any old cherished picture and likeness of the departed, may be multiplied to an unlimited extent. Absent friends; and we might say any lovers, also may exchange their portraits and see the loved or esteemed one, almost breathing before them. To such then as are desirous of possessing a life like imitation either of themselves or any other cherished object, we recommend a visit to St Mary's Passage."

A similar newspaper advertisement appeared every week from 24th August to 21st September 1844. The advert re-appeared on 12th October 1844 with the following additional information: "A splendid collection of photographic views of the colleges and other public buildings. Paintings and watercolours faithfully copied. The process may be witnessed upon reasonable terms". This advertisement ran until 9th November 1844.

George Herbert, a Banbury shoemaker (b: c.1815 Oxon) , takes up the story of Heeley in his autobiography: "I may at this stage of my story tell you something of the Daguerreotyper. His name was Heeley.... You may recollect that photography was a new science in Banbury. He therefore got but little to do and the poor fellow was badly off, and I gave him a job to make out my Christmas Bills. And while he was with me for a few days I said to him, "Why don't you advertise? No one knows there is such a man in the town." And he said to me "I durst not advertise, as my creditors would find out where I am." With that he gave me a short account of his career. He said "I was formerly a traveller with a wholesale house of drapers in London and used to drive my own trap. But my mother died and left me four hundred pounds. With this I went and learned Daguerreotyping and I purchased a district, which was Cambridgeshire. After purchasing my instruments, etc, I had not a great deal left but I was to give four hundred pounds for the licence of this district. I was doing well at it in Cambridge and was taking twenty pounds a week, but I spent it as fast as it came in . I learned a man and he used to do the work while I was taking my pleasure and frequently hunting, and when my payments became due which was to be paid in installments, I could not meet them. So I had to give bills for the amount and these I could not meet, so that at last I was obliged to slope it and this was how I came to Banbury".....I gave him a few days work and this enabled him to get out of it, but he had to leave all his things with Mrs Thomas as he was in her debt. But he left his cornet with me and his music.....In a month or two Heeley sent for his cornet. He was then at Weston-super-Mare, and what became of him I never heard." [later George Herbert was given Heeley's photographic equipment by Mrs Thomas in exchange for five pounds and a pair of hand made boots. He continued his account] They were first class instruments and the things belonging to them were beautifully made by the best philosophical instrument-makers, and I should judge at that time they were not made for much less than fifty pounds"

As Heeley did not use his own name in his advertisements it seems unlikely that his daguerreotypes will bear his name. This example in the V and A Museum of a Richard Beard daguerreotype of an unknown lady and this example from the John Paul Getty Museum are probably identical in style and mount to those produced by Heeley and other Beard Licensees.

After Heeley disappeared from Cambridge, George Proctor became the next Beard Licensee. No doubt there were others who used the Daguerreotype process at this time, perhaps not in a commercial setting, or maintaining a low profile so that they would not be pursued by Richard Beard for infringement of his patent. For example, the Cambridge Independent Press of 23 November 1844 advertised a sale of effects on 26/27 November by auctioneers J Wentworth, by direction of the executors of the Rev T E Rogers, late of Lackford, Suffolk, which included a small library of classical German, Italian and French books. Among other miscellaneous effects to be sold was listed "A Daguerreotype apparatus complete made by one of the first opticians in Paris".

References: Heathcote, Bernard and Pauline, A Faithful Likeness. The First Photographic Portrait Studios in The British Isles 1841-55.
Cambridge Independent Press 24/8/1844 p2a and subsequent issues.
George Herbert, Shoemaker's Window, CS Cheney Ed, BH Blackwell, Oxford 1948 p 28.
There are similarities in name, operating dates, location and occupation between T.H.Ely, Daguerreotypist operating in Norfolk (and possibly Wisbech) 1843-1846, and Heeley, Daguerreotypist in Cambridge 1844. See this page on our site for a discussion of the possibility that they were one and the same person. The conclusion is that, from the information currently available, these were two different photographers.

Name: HEEPS, Richard b: d:
Address: 2 Springfield Rd Cambridge
Working Dates: 1998 – still in business in 2016
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information:
References: Cambridge Yellow Pages 1998, 2000, http://www.richardheeps.co.uk

Name: HEMY, Wilfred C b: 1886 Homerton Middlesex d:
Address: 14 Upper Hill Street, Wisbech
Working Dates: c. 1911
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Photographer's name and address seen rubber stamped on reverse of photo offered for sale, depicting anon. man posed with bicycle outside a cottage.
References: 1911 census shows Hemy at 17 Horseshoe Fen Leverington where he was living with his mother, 2 brothers and four sisters - his occupation was shown as assistant at a photo works. By the 1921 census Wilfred had married, had two young children and was living with them at 59 Westbury Rroad, Wembley. His occupation was a motor salesman, working for an agency in South Kensington.

Name: HENDERSON, Alfred b: 1856, Sawston Cambs d: 1932 Bury St Edmunds
Address: 58a Sidney Street Cambridge
Working Dates: 1910-11
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Alfred Henderson was the son of two schoolteachers, Charles Henderson and his wife Martha. Charles was also in 1861 a Primitive Methodist Preacher. In 1871 the family lived in Royston Hertfordshire and Alfred worked as a telegraphist. His father was then described as "Postmaster and independent minister of Little Shelford Cambs, stationer and fancy dealer". By 1881 Alfred had married, his wife's name was Mary Anne Elizabeth (née Bicker), (b:1856 at Islington), and they had two children Ernest (b:1879 Royston) and Ethel (b:1881 Hackney). They were living at Dalston Lane Hackney and Alfred was a "managing clerk (to a) furnishers". They had a live-in servant. By 1891 the family had moved back towards Cambridgeshire - to Royston again. They were living in High Street and Alfred was a "stationer" with a live-in 14 year old female apprentice. His son Ernest was a telegram messenger and there were other children, all born in Royston: Lillian b:1886 Daisy b:1887 Constance b:1888. In 1901 Alfred had moved to Cambridge and was living at 22 Sussex Street with his wife and four of the children. His occupation was shown as "sale and exchange mart". It must have been at or after this point that Alfred took up professional photography. On the night of the 1911 census he was away from home staying as a visitor at The Cross Gamlingay with a farmer, Henry Trustrum Dew, and his wife. Alfred was described as a "photographer" working from his home on his own account. His wife and two of their daughters spent the census day night in 1911 at the family home at 58a Sidney Street Cambridge. In 1921 Alfred was living with his daughter and her family at 64 Walnut Tree Avenue Cambridge and his occupation was described as "stock keeper" with Cambridge Automobile Engineering Co, Hobson Street, Cambridge.

See below for a framed photograph in the author's collection of an Ortona Motor Co bus with driver and conductor, taken in Hills Rd, Cambridge. The mount states: "A Henderson Photographer Sidney Street, Cambridge", 6 x 4.5 ins photograph in an oak frame 11.5 x 9.5ins. c.1910.
References: Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Spaldings Directory 1910-11. 1921 Census

Ortona Bus by A.Henderson

Name: HENDERSON, R (Dick) b: d:
Address:
Working Dates: 1850s?
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information:
References: Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Alleged to be the first photographer in Cambridge? TT 23/12/1939
http://www.cambridgeshirehistory.com/MikePetty/Photographers.html

Name: HENDREY, Alfred b: 1854 Huntingdon d: 1910 Huntingdon
Address: 1875 at West Street Godmanchester. 1876 High Street, Huntingdon, 1881 West End Portrait Saloon, Post Street Godmanchester, Huntingdon. also directory entries from 1894 at Station Road St Ives, Market Hill St Ives in 1905, Studio at Ramsey around 1910 - appears in the 1910 Directory in the name of Victor Hendrey. Although not shown in the trade directories Alfred also appeared to have operated a Studio at St Neots - that town being shown on one of his mounts (negative no 23832 illustrated below).
Working Dates: 1875 -1910

Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In 1871 Alfred Hendrey was living with his mother, Ann, at West Street Godmanchester. His occupation was shown as a fishmonger. "Alfred Hendrey, photographer" of Godmanchester, is mentioned in the Cambridge Independent Press on Saturday 21 August 1875, not for his artistic ability but because of his prowess as an angler and a notable catch of pike in the local river. Alfred's first local trade directory entry as a photographer is in 1876. By 1881 Alfred Hendrey was living in Post Street Godmanchester with his wife, Sarah Ann. (b:1845 at Yelling, Hunts). He was described as a "photographer master". With him were his young daughter and four sons, plus a servant and a nurse. Also resident was a boarder, Harry Ayres, an "assistant photographer". [ Harry William Ayers b:1862, at Great Yarmouth, was the son of Great Yarmouth photographer Thomas Ayers, whose business operated from the 1850s until around 1916, in the latter years being run by Harry after Thomas died in 1901]

Between 1881 and 1887 Alfred Hendrey submitted eleven of his photographs for the annual Exhibitions of the Photographic Society of Great Britain. These appear to have been mainly naturalistic subjects, including pictures of roses and other blooms. These were not rewarded with any prizes. But, according to his own advertising, Alfred won medals for his photographs at Newcastle on Tyne and Falmouth Exhibitions in 1881. His other claim to fame was that he had photographed members of the Royal Family, first the Prince and Princess of Wales from the late 1870s. Alfred won further medals for his photographs in 1891. Later he photographed King Edward VII during his visit to The Earl of Sandwich at Hinchingbrooke House in 1906.

Alfred had a wide range of photographic products. These included cartes de visite, midget cartes and cabinet photographs, frequently changing the designs of his mounts. He also produced mounted enlargements. Later he added to his output with real photographic postcards, including larger format panoramic post cards and RPPC based greeting cards with mainly Huntingdonshire views. In some of his postcards Alfred used more than one of his images, in an early form of composite, multi view, style, but without the images being fixed into the symmetrically divided framework seen in most composites.

In 1891 Alfred and his family were still at Post Street Godmanchester. The children (all born at Godmanchester) were Minnie (b:1877), Victor (b:1879), Percy (b:1880), Cecil (b:1881), Daisy (b:1883) and Olive Mabel Woods (b:1890). Alfred was still a photographer and the family had one live-in servant. In 1901 the family were still at Post Street Godmanchester (the family name has been wrongly transcribed from the census return as "Henchey"). Alfred was listed as a photographer and Minnie, Victor, and Percy were shown as photo assistants. Times may have been a little harder for the family as no servant was listed. By 1911 Alfred had died. An account of his death can be found in the Stamford Mercury 22 April 1910, page 4. The photographic business was taken over by his wife, Sarah Ann Hendrey and his sons Victor Hendrey and Percy Hendrey were photographers assisting in the business. The family was still living at Post Street Godmanchester. It is not clear exactly how long the business continued without Alfred. Sarah Ann died in 1915 after a long illness and the last local directory entry for the business was in 1914. When Sarah Ann died her estate was worth just £63.16s. suggesting that the business was not prospering in its latter days.

A comprehensive set of examples of Alfred Hendrey's work and a dating table from his negative numbers are on the A Hendrey Supplementary Page

Below is a single image of an Alfred Hendrey postcard showing his versatility in using his material in different ways. It is a panoramic postcard, mounted on a card mount supplied by Photochrom & Co London, which is around twice the width of a conventional postcard. Alfred has added a panoramic slice from one of his Godmanchester plates showing a uniformed Huntingdonshire Constable talking to a local dog walker on the river bank - the card has been produced as a greeting card and bears a rubber backstamp "Photo by A Hendrey photographer Godmanchester". C.1905, (Michael Brown Collection)

We can see other examples of Alfred Hendrey's work in four occasions when he registered copyright in his photographs at Stationers' Hall. His applications are now in The National Archives (TNA). The photographs in question were:

Photograph, Instantaneous view of Bullock Market as formerly held at St Ives, Hunts. Copyright owner and author of work: Alfred Hendrey, Godmanchester, Huntingdon. Form Completed 11 October 1886. TNA COPY 1/378/70
Photograph of Mr John Crabtree's Patent Coupling for Railway Trucks etc No 1 Front View. Copyright owner of work: Alfred Hendrey, Godmanchester, Huntingdon. Form completed: 7 January 1901. TNA COPY 1/449/43 (John Crabtree was a manager with the Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Railway which included Huntingdon in its area of operation)
Photograph of Mr John Crabtree's Patent Coupling for Railway Trucks etc, No 2 Showing link raised by lever'. Copyright owner of work: Alfred Hendrey, Godmanchester, Huntingdon. Form completed: 7 January 1901. TNA COPY 1/449/42
Photograph of Mr John Crabtree's Patent Coupling for Railway trucks etc No 3 Showing Trucks Coupled. Copyright owner of work: Alfred Hendrey, Godmanchester, Huntingdon. Form completed: 7 January 1901. TNA COPY 1/449/44

References: Harrods Royal County Directory Hunts and Northants, 1876. Kelly's Directory of Huntingdonshire 1885, 1890, 1894, 1898, 1903, 1910, 1914. For St Ives Studio address - Kelly's Directory of Huntingdonshire 1894, 1898, 1903, 1906 Northampton and District Trades Directory, Town and County Directories, Edinburgh 1905/6. Note some of the directory entries incorrectly shorten the surname to "HENDRY"

Oliver Mathews "The Album of Carte-de-Visite and Cabinet Portrait Photographs 1854-1914" London 1974 describes Hendrey as "manifestly a person of good humour, [who] opted for the most delightful and charming of pictures that I have ever seen on any mount". Mathews illustrated this with an image of the reverse of a carte de visite with a cartoon involving the rider of a penny farthing bicycle.

The Porch Museum at Godmanchester has an excellent display of material relating to Alfred Hendrey, his family and his work. A number of Hendry's images are held in the Norris Museum collection, St Ives.

Hendrey Panoramic RPPC greeting card

Reverse of Hendrey panoramic RPPC

Face and reverse of Alfred Hendrey RPPC - a panoramic postcard sending Hearty Greetings (Michael Brown Collection)

Name: HENDREY, Sarah Ann. b: 1845 at Yelling, Hunts d: 1915
Address: Post Street Godmanchester,
Working Dates: 1910 - 1914?
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: The wife of Alfred Hendrey, took over and operated the business in Post Street Godmanchester in 1910 with her two sons Victor and Percy when her husband Alfred died.
References: In 1914 Kelly's Directory of Huntingdonshire lists Hendrey, A (Mrs) at Godmanchester.

Name: HENDREY, Percy b: 1880 Godmanchester d:1945
Address: Post Street Godmanchester
Working Dates: 1910-
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Assisted his mother and brother in running Alfred Hendrey's studio after Alfred's death
References: 1911 Census

Name: HENDREY, Victor b: 1879 Godmanchester d: 1921
Address: Post Street Godmanchester, High Street, Ramsey
Working Dates: 1910
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Victor was the son of Alfred Hendrey above, working in the family business. In 1911 he was living at the family home in Post Street Godmanchester with his mother and brother Percy. A single Directory entry for 1910 suggests that Victor had opened a studio in Ramsey in his own name at around the time of his father's death.
References: Kelly's Directory of Huntingdonshire 1910

Name: HENDRY - misprint in some local directories for HENDREY - see above.

Name: HENSMAN, H E. b:1859 d:1942
Address: High Street Earith
Working dates: 1911-1930s
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: H.E.Hensman, Earith, listed as a RPPC publisher in a "Directory of Cambridgeshire Postcard Publishers/photographers noted before 1914" by Michael Rouse in "Cambridge in Early Postcards", Oleander Press 1978. Probably Henry Richard Hensman, general shopkeeper / grocer in Earith, Hunts b:1859. Not currently known whose images used.
References: 1911 census. 1910 and 1914 Kelly's Directories.

Name: HENSON, Alfred Edward b:1884 Wisbech d:
Address: Victory Terrace, Colville (or Colvile) Road, Wisbech
Working Dates: c.1900 -
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: The Image below is a rather smaller than standard cabinet photograph. The mount measures 10.7 x 15.3 cm. It may be a standard sized mount which has been trimmed. Depicted is a boy in a flat cap holding a bicycle. The portrait is taken in the garden of a house and could be from around 1900-05. The reverse has a rubber stamped legend "A Henson Colville Rd Wisbech". Alfred E Henson appears in the 1901 census with his parents Alfred and Eva M Henson. His father was a motor mechanic and he was listed as a photographer's assistant - an employee. In 1911 Alfred was working as an architectural photographer and was living at 127 Osborn Road, Sparkhill, Birmingham. He had married and had two young children. Living with his family was his younger brother Selwyn Percy Henson, b: 1894 at Grimsby, who was also employed as a photographer's assistant.
References:

Reverse of A Henson Cabinet Photograph

Name: HEPTON, Rodney ABIPP, ARPS b: d:
Address: Photoair Group 191A Main Street, Yaxley, Peterborough
Working Dates: c.1980-
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Photoair Services Ltd operated at this address from 1995-1999
References: Peterborough Yellow Pages 1990, Companies House online services.

Name: HESLAM, Charlotte Angel Mary b: 1899 Aubourn, Lincolnshire d:
Address: Northampton County Mental Hospital, Upton
Working Dates: c.1921
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1921 census Charlotte was a member of a servant's family living at the Northampton County Mental Hospital, Upton. She was a photographer working for Northampton photographer Mr Greenway, Abington Strreet, Northampton.
References: 1921 Census

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Photographers are listed alphabetically by surname on the following pages.

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This page was last modified: 12 March 2023, 08:22

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