Professional photographers - connections with Edinburgh

James Spence Photographer and Picture Frame Maker
1888	123, High Street, Dalkeith
1889-1890	Old Edinburgh Road, Dalkeith
1889-1894	1 Mitchell Street, Dalkeith
1891-1900	1 West Glebe, Dalkeith
Source: Photographers in Edinburgh and the Lothians to 1914: D Richard Torrance

John Spence Photographer and Picture Frame Maker
1880-1914 or later	13 Bridge Street, Fisherrow, Musselburgh
1881 Census	Photographer, aged 36. Born: Unst, Shetland Resident: 18 Hercus Loan, Musselburgh Wife: Agnes S Children (all born Musselburgh): - Thomas, aged 5 - Catherine, aged 2 - Agnes aged 10 months.
1889	43 Bridge Street and Hercus Loan, Musselburgh
Source: Photographers in Edinburgh and the Lothians to 1914: D Richard Torrance Note: Many of James Spence's cartes de visite have survived.

Charles Spence Photographer
1874-75	Corner of Union Bank 127 Commercial Street, Lerwick, Shetland
1878r	Commercial Street, Lerwick, Shetland
1881 census	Photographer, aged 34 Born: Uist, Shetland Resident: Navy Lane, Lerwick & Gulberwick Wife: Mary Ann S Children, all born Lerwick: 1. Charles T, aged 3 2. Samuel G, aged 2 3. James J, aged 1.
1882-86	Union Bank Lane, Lerwick, Shetland
1884-97	6 Hillhead, Lerwick, Shetland
Source: Photographers in Northern Scotland to 1914: D Richard Torrance
1895	Station Road, Dunbar
1896-1914 or later	Railway Road, Dunbar
Source: Photographers in Edinburgh and the Lothians to 1914: D Richard Torrance

Marion Spence

Photographer and Picture Frame Maker

1881 Census

Apprentice Photographer, aged 17.

Born: Carstairs, Lanarkshire

Daughter of Hugh S (railway guard) and Margaret S

Resident: 9 Downfield Place, Edinburgh

Source: Photographers in Edinburgh and the Lothians to 1914: D Richard Torrance

Family History Message

David Spence

Austin, Texas, USA

Thank you to David Spence Edinburgh who wrote about John and Charles Spence and descendants.

David wrote:

Question

"Can you help me to find the name of an Edinburgh photographer who, in about 1860, employed as apprentices two brothers, John I. Spence and Charles Spence?"

There were several photographers in Leith during this period (and many more in Edinburgh but none in Musselburgh.) I don't know which of them John and Charles might have worked for. Peter Stubbs

Arrival in Leith

"John is my great, great grandfather. With his brother, he emigrated to Edinburgh from Unst, Shetland after his father was lost at sea.

I was told that they arrived at Leith and found work as photographers' apprentices."

Later Generations

"In any case, both John and Charles became photographers, as did John's son. ***

John's grandson also became a photographer and his great grandson (my father) worked for Eastman Kodak in the U.S."

*** John's son may well be John Spence listed above with a studio at Musselburgh, about six miles to the east of Edinburgh. Peter Stubbs

David Spence, Austin, Texas, USA: October 25, 2005

Family History Message

Addison Graham

Kingussie, Highland, Scotland

Addison Graham wrote:

Dunbar

"I am related to the Spence family on my mother's side. My great grandfather also had a photography business in Dunbar which I am interested in finding out about."

I assume that your great grandfather was Charles Spence. I've now added him to the lists of 'Spence Photographers'' above.

Peter Stubbs: March 16, 2010

Addison added:

Musselburgh and Shetland

"My mother remembers the shop in Musselburgh being pointed out to her as a child. The brother came down from Shetland and worked at first at a studio/shop at the Caledonian station. She does not think they were in Leith.

My great grandfather then went back to Lerwick and set up a business there. He then left Shetland, due to ill health, and set up a business in Dunbar (Abbeylands?).

After a period in Bournemouth, his daughter, Maryann, carried on the business in Dunbar."

I've now also added details of Charles Spence's photography business in Shetland to the lists of 'Spence Photographers' above.

Peter Stubbs: March 16 + 22, 2010

Addison Graham: Kingussie, Highland, Scotland: March 12 +16, + 22, 2010

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