Cambridgeshire Photographers

Name: PI(N)CKNEY, John Jeffrey b: d:
Address: Church Street St Ives, Hunts
Working Dates: c.1869
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the Cambridge Chronicle of 21st August 1869 is a report of a court action brought in Huntingdon County Court by Pinkney against James Annis, butcher and publican of Woodhurst, for libel, Annis allegedly having called Pinkney "a pick-pocket" and saying that he could prove it. Pinkney, a photographic artist at St Ives, claimed that these false allegations were adversely affecting his trade. The facts of the case were never heard, Annis apologising to Pinkney and Pinkney consenting to an award by the court of 20/- including costs. No obvious trace can be found of this photographer in the 1871 census returns. A number of early photographs of St Ives by Pickney were copied by Herbert Norris and can now be found in the Norris Museum. PH/S.IVE/Pa.Chur/04a-b, PWD/S.IVE/087 refer.
References: Kelly's Directory Northants, Hunts and Beds 1869, Cambridge Chronicle 21st August 1869

Name: PICTURESQUE
Address: 12 Hill Street, Wisbech
Working Dates: c.1980
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: weddings, portraits, passports, security photography, animal portraiture
References: Peterborough Yellow Pages 1980

Name: PIGGOTT, Dorothy Rosalind b: 1891 Cottenham d:
Address: 66 Glisson Road, Cambridge
Working Dates: c.1911
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1911 Census Dorothy was listed as a photographer's assistant living in Glisson Road Cambridge with two of her sisters. The householder was her older sister, a widow of independent means, Florence Annie Stourton b: 1880 Cottenham. Dorothy's other sister was Grace Lily Piggott a milliner's assistant b: 1894 Cambridge
References: 1911 England Census

Name: PIGGOTT, Percy Ralph Samuel b:1878 Cambridge d:
Address: 10 Emmanuel Road, Cambridge, Minerva Studio
Working Dates: 1890 -
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In the 1891 census Percy was a 13 year old visitor at an address in Theobold Rd Holborn, London. In 1901 Percy was at 10 Emmanuel Road Cambridge where he was described as a journalist and printer. His father, Frank Piggott b:1846 St Neots, was also a journalist and printer. In 1911 Percy was living at 154 Chesterton Road Cambridge, still listed as a journalist and printer. Percy was living with his wife Louise b:1881 Kings Lynn and son Douglas Ivor b: 1908 Cambridge. Percy was the local secretary of the Lifeboat Saturday Fund in Cambridge in 1901-4. On 22nd March 1917 Percy applied for temporary exemption from military service - his case was heard in private and an exemption granted until 21st May. In the 1921 Electoral register, Percy was occupying a property at 6 Alexandra Street Cambridge. In 1939 Percy was living at 24 Chesterton Hall Crescent and his occupation was shown as a journalist and printer.
References: The midget carte de visite below 44 x 67mm, is of a young woman wearing a bow tie and a jacket with large leg of mutton sleeves This appears to be from the mid or late 1890s. The image has faded badly. The reverse is printed "Percy R S Piggott, 10 Emmanuel Road, Cambridge, the Minerva Studio". This image is reproduced with the kind permission of Ron Cosens (www.cartedevisite.co.uk). The only other evidence found so far that Percy was a photographer is that the Cambridgeshire Collection has another midget carte de visite by this photographer in their carte de visite collection, ref c.65.5. Percy does not appear in any local directories as a photographer, so photography may well have been a secondary occupation for him.

midget carte of a lady by Percy Piggott, Cambridge, courtesy of Ron Cosens, www.cartedevisite.co.uk

PKW PHOTOGRAPHY see Waterson, Phillip

Name: PLACE, Vernon Reginald, MPP b:1935 Isleham d:
Address: 6 Bowers Lane , Isleham
Working Dates: c. 1979 – 1998 – but still an active photographer at the same address in 2016
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Was a photographer for the Newmarket Journal from around 1979, also freelance doing weddings, portraits, PR, industrial, commercial, B and W
References: Cambridge Yellow Pages 1983, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1995, 1997, 1998
Newmarket Journal 10 January 1985, 23 March 1989.
Author of "Isleham Through Time", Amberley Publishing (28 Nov. 2011) ISBN-10: 144560342X, ISBN-13: 978-1445603421 Chair of the Isleham Society,

Name: PLOWMAN, Harry b:1877 Peterborough d:1952
Address: Cathedral Precincts, Peterborough
Working Dates: c. 1905 - 1912
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information:The Peterborough Advertiser, 10 August 1912, p2, has an article on the choir stalls in the Peterborough Minster and captions one illustration "H.Plowman, Caster Post Card Series". Harry Plowman, (1877-1952), son of the former Cathedral Sexton, resided in the Minster Precincts at Peterborough in 1901 and 1911 and was a Cathedral Verger. In 1891 Harry worked as a printers errand boy, so may have had long term connections with Caster. In 1921 Harry was the Chief Verger of Peterborough Cathedral and was living with his wife and three daughters at St Peter's Cottage, Chapel St Leonards, Lincolnshire. Harry was definitely a photographer as he registered two of his photographs of the Peterborough Cathedral clock at Stationers' Hall for copyright purposes in 1905 and 1906, but photography may have been a secondary interest.
References: TNA COPY1/482/171, COPY1/501/266

PLUME, Derrick C and PLUME, Mavis - 1954-1990 see Studio Margaret, Wisbech

Name: POLYFOTO Ltd
Address: 52 Bridge Street Peterborough and at Robert Sayle's Department Store Cambridge
Working Dates: The company operated from 1933 -1969. 1950s in Peterborough.
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Polyfoto Ltd was a large company with many local agencies (listed here: www.photodetective.co.uk/PolyfotoList.html.) From 1933 Polyfoto Ltd of 7, 8 and 9 St James St London SW1 advertised for agents in the following terms: "The Polyfoto system of photography offers you a unique opportunity of starting a studio of your own with limited capital but unlimited prospects. Previous professional experience is not essential, so if you possess ability and enterprise apply to us for further details, terms and agency agreement" Their best known product was a 48 exposure proof sheet of images (6 wide x 8 tall) with a numbered clear paper cover, from which the customer would select individual images for printing and enlargement. The set of images on the proof sheet was produced with a special camera. In 1939 some studios were offering 48 different positions for 3 shillings. In 1949 the prices were 7/6d, reducing to 5 shillings and an alternative "baby-poly" format was being offered for just 2/6d. (Lincs Echo 31/12/1949). In many cases the customer was happy to cut up the proof sheet and to use the small images in the family album or as gifts to friends or family, rather than order enlargements. Today irregular shaped cut-out sheets are often to be found in old albums - showing the images which were not chosen from the original proof sheet for distribution.

Below is a rare uncut example 48 proof sheet with clear numbered overlay, from the 1950s. It would appear that the earlier cameras (a dated example proof sheet in the author's collection is from Scarborough in 1942) produced 48 images each with square corners, while on later ones, each individual image had rounded corners. Also, for complete sheets, early examples had a waxed paper over-sheet with blue printing and more recent examples had a clear polythene oversheet with blue printing and the polyfoto logo printed in blue and white, then with red printing and red and yellow Polyfoto logo. Proof sheets had at least two different means of identification. Older examples had a reference number hand written in pencil on the reverse with two letters, followed by a number of digits. An August 1942 proof sheet from Scarborough has the number LR 7610. Later examples had the reference number set up on a frame, which appeared in shot in the top right hand corner of image number 1, itself in the top right of the sheet. Two examples are shown below EW14076 and EW14077. believed to have been taken at Ewell, Surrey. Also shown below are the advertising from a polyfoto envelope and the covering letter which accompanied proof sheets.

The Peterborough address in Bridge Street is a few doors down from the old Angel Hotel and is caught in a street scene on the Peterborough Images site here: http://www.peterboroughimages.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/PolyFoto.jpg . In Cambridge, Robert Sayle's department store 2-6 St Andrews Street, announced the opening of their Polyfoto studio in the Cambridge Daily News of 17th April 1939. Tom Johnson recalls that Polyfoto also had a studio at 21 Market Street Cambridge, prior to Campkins taking over the premises for photographic and Hi Fi sales; the property was not owned by Campkins but belonged, as far as he could remember, to the City Council.

By 1949 the UK Polyfoto business was owned by Huddersfield colour photographic firm Dufay-Chromex Ltd. Press adverts concerning Polyfoto seem to cease in the British Newspaper Archive from around late 1955. (Or is it the case that digitised newspapers in the archive are fewer thereafter?) The London Gazette covers the liquidation or dissolving of Polyfoto companies as follows: Polyfoto Canada Ltd 7/3/1952; Polyfoto USA Ltd 2/4/1954, Polyfoto International Ltd 29/1/1954, Polyfoto Schools Portrait Service Ltd 23/11/1971 and Polyfoto Holdings Ltd 11/9/1984. It appears that Polyfoto (England) made it into the 1960s, by which time automatic photo booths had started to become widespread in the UK, offering a cheaper simpler alternative.

Examples of Polyfoto images and further information can be found at: www.photodetective.co.uk/Polyfoto.html. Shown below is a portrait (author's collection) of a uniformed woman, named as "Joan" and dated 1944 in manuscript on the reverse. The photo is 3.5 x 2.5 inches in a buff folded card mount with a monogrammed letter "P" on the front and "polyfoto" beneath the image. Next is a single Polyfoto image in card mount 77 x 63mm, in manuscript on the rear "Richard - July 19?6 (2 1/2 years)", believed from 1956. Beneath is a 6 in x 4.5 inch enlargement on a two tone mount with deckle edges and manuscript "Polyfoto", the whole having an individual hand-finished appearance, rather than appearing mass produced.

References: Kelly's Directory of Peterborough 1958. There are photographs of the Polyfoto camera in use and many examples of the finished product here: http://photo-sleuth.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/sepia-saturday-178-polyfoto-natural.html . There is also an excellent video of a 1956 Polyfoto session featuring the glamorous Sabrina on the British Pathe site here: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/sabrina

Uncut Polyfoto proof sheet

Polyfoto uncut proof sheet with overlay

Two images of uncut Polyfoto proofs, 1950s, the second shows the numbered overlay with the numbers of individual images for ordering enlargements

Cover of mount from Polyfoto portrait Polyfoto portrait of Joan, 1944

single Poyfoto image in mount, c.1956

Polyfoto enlargement

Individual mounted Polyfoto images with different mounts

Polyfoto advertisement printed on A4 envelope containing proofs

Advertisement from Polyfoto envelope 12 x 9.5 in used to deliver proof sheets

Letter accompanying proof sheet

Covering letter from Polyfoto sent out with proof sheets from their head office in Boreham Wood, Hertfordshire

Two examples of sheet numbers included in image No 1 on two proof sheets.

Two examples of sheet numbers included in image No 1 on two proof sheets. Note the rounded corners of each image

Name: POND, Harry William, b:1881 Feltwell, Norfolk. d:1959
Address: 85 Regent Street Cambridge
Working dates: c.1901-1939
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In 1901 Harry, the son of Unitarian Minister Wm Jno Pond b:1859 Blakeney Norfolk, was living at Chapel Bridge, Lutton Lincolnshire and was a photographer working on his own account. According to the 1911 census, Pond was a photographer living in 1911 with photographer John William Rignall (of Starr and Rignall) and his family at 85 Regent Street Cambridge. In the 1921 Census Harry was living at 85 Regent Street Cambridge and he was a photographer working for Starr and Rignall at 85 Regent Street. In the 1939 Register Harry W Pond b: 27/2/1881, photographic manager, was living at 5 Guest Road, Cambridge with his wife Dorothy Rosalind Pond b:9/7/1890 and daughter Joy Dorothy L Pond b:1916. Presumably he was a manager for Starr and Rignall.
References: See Rignall J.W.

Name: PORTER, Charles b: d:
Address: Norfolk Street, Cambridge
Working Dates: ?
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: The only reference found to this photographer has been a carte de visite in the Cambridgeshire Collection. It is possible that this photographer was Charles Porter, father of Thomas Porter listed below, but his occupation was shown as a porter in 1861, and a gardener in 1871 and 1881. More likely this was Charles J Porter, b: 1860 at Mile End Middlesex, brother of Thomas Porter, listed below. In 1871 Charles was shown as an apprentice. In 1881 Charles J Porter was listed as a tailor,
References: Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Carte de visite, Cambridgeshire Collection, ref C65.5.

Name: PORTER Thomas b: 1852, Dean Bedfordshire d:
Address: 6 St Matthews Buildings, Norfolk Street, Cambridge,
Working Dates: c.1884
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: In 1871 Thomas Porter was listed as a resident of 6 St Matthews Buildings Norfolk Street Cambridge and his occupation was shown as a warehouse porter. Living with him at the same address were: his father Charles Porter, a gardener, b:1821 Dean Bedfordshire, his mother Ann, sempstress, b:1827 Dean Beds, and his brothers: William B. Messenger, b:1857 Mile End, Charles J., Apprentice, b:1860 Mile End Town, Henry E. scholar, b:1864 Cambridge, Arthur, scholar, b:1868 Cambridge. In 1881 Thomas was living in St Pancras London with his wife Annie and son Frederick - the census return didn't list Thomas's occupation. Thomas was listed at the St Matthews Buildings Cambridge address as a photographer in the local directory for 1884. In 1891 Thomas and his family were living at West Ham and his occupation was shown as a painter.
References: Mike Petty, The Photographers, (a handlist of local photographers), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Collection, 1992
Spaldings Directory of Cambridge 1884

Name: PORTER and CANN
Address:Newmarket area, address unknown
Working Dates: c. August 1854
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Itinerant Daguerreotype artists. The Bury and Norwich Post of 31st May 1854 has an advertisement: COLOURED AMERICAN DAGUERREOTYPE PORTRAITS, FROM 3s. 6d. EACH, At the Daguerreian Rooms, CORN HILL, BURY ST. EDMUND’S. MESSRS. PORTER & CANN RESPECTFULLY inform the Nobility, Clergy, Gentry, and inhabitants generally of Bury St. Edmund’s and vicinity, that Portraits by the above beautiful process are taken daily, for a short time, at the Rooms, 14, CORN HILL. Invalids and others waited upon at their own Residences. May 29 1854. And in the same newspaper on 12th July 1854: PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS supplied and the Art taught. —Terms of Messrs. Porter and Cann, 14, Corn-hill, Bury St. Edmund's. Portraits taken daily ; sunshine not necessary. Although these advertisements relate to Bury St Edmunds, Heathcote links Porter and Cann with Newmarket in August 1854.
References:Heathcote, Bernard and Pauline, A Faithful Likeness. The First Photographic Portrait Studios in The British Isles 1841-55

Name: PORTLOCK, Graham LBIPP, LMPA b: d:
Address: Pentaprism, The Old Maltings, Green Lane, Linton
Working Dates: c.1990
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: (included in BIPP block advertisement in 1990 Cambridge Yellow Pages)
References: Cambridge Yellow Pages 1990

Name: PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY LTD
Address: 18 Market Street, St Neots (1977) 24A Market Street St Neots (1980).
Working Dates: c.1977 - 1980
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information:
References: Peterborough Yellow Pages 1977, 1980

Name: The PORTRAIT STUDIO
Address: 1990 1 Longstanton Road, Oakington, from 1995, 117 Station Road, Histon.
Working Dates: 1990 to at least 2000. Some online directories show the firm as still in operation in 2016. The Cambridge Evening News 6 April 1995 reported the firm's move from Oakington to Histon. Their new studio was officially opened by Mrs Joan Morecambe, widow of comedian Eric Morecambe. Eric was a satisfied client of the firm. The partners in the firm at this time were David and Jane Brown. (There was a David Brown photographer with Dumbletons - is this the same person?)
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Portraits
References: Cambridge Evening News 6 April 1995. 23 Dec 1998.
Cambridge Yellow Pages 1990, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000

Name: POULTON, POULTON'S, POULTON & Son
Address:
Working Dates: 1885-1894
Subjects, styles, advertising, other relevant information: Postcard producers with a series of views of Wisbech. Nothing further currently known.
References: Powell, Roger and Bell, Robert, Britain in Old Photographs – Wisbech, Budding Books 2000, pp21 and 100

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