Alexander Ayton jun. - Edinburgh Studios

Ayton in Londonderry

Thank you to Roger Grant, for sending an e-mail with the following additional information:

Kennedy Place Studio

"You have references to Alexander Ayton.

Should it be of interest, I note that this was also the name of a studio at Kennedy Place Londonderry, Ireland, given on the back of a carte de visite I have - I would guess from about 1880."

Roger Grant

Alexander Ayton.

Father and Son

The Alexander Ayton mentioned above was, in fact, the father of the Edinburgh photographer of the same name.

I had no idea, when I received the comment above, just how much more information would be sent to me about the Ayton Studios in Londonderry.

Please see below.

- Peter Stubbs: February 16, 2008

Comment

Ian Barlett

Thank you to Ian Bartlett for sending me a lot more information about the Ayton family and their studios in Londonderry.

Ian wrote:

Three Studios

The Crescent

"The trade directories for Londonderry show Alexander Ayton located at 'The Crescent' in 1868. This was opposite the entrance to Kennedy Place which was built by 1867."

Kennedy Place

"The Crescent was demolished by 1872 and a shirt factory was built on the site, so I guess that this was when Ayton moved to Kennedy Place.

The Kennedy Place building in which he had his studio still exists but is scheduled for demolition, and a sheltered housing complex will be built on the site.

The family was resident at Kennedy Place in 1901. [1901 Census]"

Shipway Place

"I plan to do some further research to discover when he moved his studio to Shipquay Place. he was operating from there by 1884.

The studio building still exists and is used as offices. A local developer has bought the site and the buildings will become a hotel & restaurant. The exterior will be retained and the glass loft that was his studio will be restored."

Ian Bartlett, Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Comment

Bobby Forrest

Crossgar, County Down, Ireland

Thank you to Bobby Forrest for telling me about a photograph by Alex Ayton, Londonderry, earlier than the dates mentioned for any of the three studios above.

Robert wrote:

Early Photo

"I have a photograph of David Forrest of Dromore, Ballykelly, taken by Alex Ayton of Londonderry. David Forrest died on March 5, 1860 (from his will), so the photo would have been taken before then."

Bobby Forrest, Crossgar, County Down, Ireland: May 30, 2009

Comment

Ian Barlett

Kennedy Place

Ayton Family Photo

Thank you to Ian Bartlett for sending me a lot more information about the Ayton family and their studios in Londonderry.

Here is a photocopy of an Ayton family photo photo sent to me by Ian.

This photo was taken outside Ayton's Kennedy Place studio in Londonderry in 1886. It includes the photographers, Alexander Ayton Sen (lower right) and Alexander Ayton Jun (near upper left). Everybody in the photo is named, including the dog!

1886

Comment

Ian Barlett

Thank you to Ian Barlett for sending me more details of Ayton studios in Londonderry. Ian also sent me this photograph taken around 1890, showing Ayton's studio at Shipquay Place, Londonderry, Northern Ireland:

Shipquay Place

Around 1890

Ian also sent me this Valentine postcard from the early 1900s, showing same studio:

Early 1900s

Ian also sent me an image of this advert from a 1901 directory for Ayton's studio (Proprietor George Ayton).

1901

The address given is Shipquay Place: also Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh.
The advert describes the company as 'established 1854'. (Where?)

Ian also sent me images of :

- the back of an Alexander Ayton carte de visite with studio address:
Kennedy Place, Londonderry.

- the back of an Alexander Ayton carte de visite with studio addresses:
Kennedy Place, Londonderry and 1 Hanover Street, Edinburgh.
(Alexander Ayton had a studio at 1 Hanover Street from 1875 to 1880.)

- two photographs, taken in the 1930s, showing Shipquay Place and the glass loft in the centre of the Place that was the Ayton Studio.

1930s

Comment

Phil Gaskell

I received an email from Phyl Gaskell who wrote:,

Question

Cork?

"I have a photo, possibly taken in the early 1870s. It has Alexander Ayton's Londonderry address on the back.

The photo is likely to be of an early ancestors, a JP who lived in Cork. However, I think it unlikely that he would ever have travelled to Londonderry.

Might Alexander Ayton, perhaps, have travelled to the Cork area to take photos, or might he have had a branch studio in or around Cork?"

Phyl Gaskell, Mexico in July 2005

If you are able to offer an opinion on this, please e-mail me.

Thank you.

- Peter Stubbs, July 2005

Comment

Pat Lockyer

Pat Lockyer wrote:

Thomson Studio

Previously owned by
the Ayton Family

"I have been trying to find out more about my father's family who had photographic studios in Londonderry and Belfast.

I've seen some articles in the Derry Journal about the studio of my great grandfather, James Thompson which had belonged to the Alton's Family. What talented photographers they were."

Pat Lockyer: 1 September 2016

Alexander Ayton senior