Rock House Studio

Street Photographers

'Walking Pictures'

Seaside

I remember, in the 1950s, in the days before many families had their own cameras, seeing 'street photogaphers' walking along the promenade at the seaside resorts in Yorkshire and Lancashire, photographing holidaymakers.

A few hours later, their snaps would be on display, for sale, at a kiosk on the promenade.

Edinburgh

Thank you to Colin McLeod for letting me see that similar photographers were at work in Edinburgh in the 1930s. Below are some examples from Colin's family album.

Comment

Walking Pictures in Edinburgh

1930s

Colin McLeod wrote:

Family Album

"I've had another look though my family albums and found these two sets of 'Walking Pictures'. The first two include the registry code on the same side as the image as the photo, rather than stamped on the back."

North Bridge

West Side

"The earliest is a pair of photos is taken on the west side of North Bridge, looking north towards Register House and the Post Office.

These photos show my grandfather, Robert Woolley, with my mother Pat. The family moved to Edinburgh from Hong Kong in, I think, 1932. Judging by the age of my mother (she was born in August 1928.) I'd guess the photos were taken no later than 1933.

Around 1933

These photos are printed on two joined half-size postcard backings, from which a third photo at the top has been roughly cut, so these were presumably produced in sets of three or more.

The photographer's name is printed on the reverse as:

'Spotlight Photos Ltd.' "

North Bridge

East Side

"The second is a set of three photos is printed on a single standard-sized postcard backing. It was taken on the east side of North Bridge, also looking north, and shows my mother, a little older, pushing her doll's pram. It may have been taken in 1934/35.

Around 1934-5

The photographer's name is printed on the reverse as:

'Spotlight Photos (G.B.) Ltd.' "

Meadows

"I also found the two photos showing my mother with the same doll on the Meadows at Edinburgh. The family lived nearby,

Around 1938-9

I'd guess these were taken around 1938-39; the family moved to Dundee later in 1939. Both these photos are on standard postcard backings with the name of the Edinburgh photographer: 'Jerome Ltd.''

What I find curious is that both these photos have a registration code stamped in ink on the back. It seems unlikely that the studio would have done this if they were printing negatives belonging to customers, and there are enough photos of similar subjects in the albums to lead me to think that perhaps Jerome employed roving photographers to go round photographing children in parks, in much the same way as 'walking pictures' were taken on the streets.

Perhaps someone could confirm if this surmise is correct. One can't imagine such a practice being allowed today!

Colin McLeod, Battleby, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland: February 17, 2011

Comment

Alan Grieve

Minehead, Somerset, England

Thank you to Alan Grieve sending me this 'walking picture' of his grandmother and uncle, taken in North Bridge, Edinburgh.

Alan wrote:

North Bridge

"Here is a 'walking picture' of my grandmother' Mary Finlay' and my uncle, Harry Finlay. The photo was taken in North Bridge in September 1934.

They lived in St Andrews then, and may have been on a visit to my parents, who lived at Murrayfield, when this photo was taken."

Alan Grieve, Minehead, Somerset, England: February 9, 2012

Alan added:

The Photographer

East Side

"I've now found the original photo of my grandmother and uncle on North Bridge. It is marked 'Spotlight Photos (G B) Ltd' on the back.

Alan Grieve, Minehead, Somerset, England: February 14, 2012

Comment

Jerome Ltd

Most Jerome photos are studio portraits. These have 'postcard' printed on the back. Incidentally, I've never come across any that have been sent through the post !

Studio Portrait

© ©

I've also seen a few Jerome photos taken outdoors, including this one taken on North Bridge in 1926.

North Bridge

The quality of Jerome's outdoor photos seems sometimes to be not very high. However, many of the photos have a 'period appeal' and will probably have been valued by their families in an era when not many families had thier own cameras.

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Alan Grieve

Minehead, Somerset, England

Spotlight Photos

Thank you to Alan Grieve for writing again to let me know about web sites that gave more information about Spotlight Photos, including:

- a Notice in the London Gazette of a Creditors' Meeting in 1937 and

- an account of the that meeting at which it was decided to wind up the company. A liquidator was appointed on April 21, 1937.

Acknowledgement: Alan Grieve, Minehead, Somerset, England: March 5, 2012