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John Center
1830 - 1914
©
Reproduced with acknowledgement
to Veronika Ihlenfeldt |
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Photograph
Above is an
enlargement of part of a
carte de visite photograph of John Center.
It was taken in the studio of James Howie, 3
Princes Street Edinburgh in 1888 when John Center was aged 57.
The studio was at the East End of Princes Street, sold a few years later
to allow the North British Hotel (now the Balmoral Hotel) to be built.
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Birth
John Center
was the youngest child of James and Isobel Center.
He was baptised 15 January 1831 at Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire,
Scotland.
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Marriage
John married
Jean (b.1837 or 1838) in August 1860 at Kildrummy. She was also from Kildrummy, and
was daughter of John's father's brother, Joseph.
At the time
of his marriage, John was a photographer living at 73, George Street,
Aberdeen. Jean was a dressmaker, living at Kildrummy.
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Family
John and Jean had 10 children, the first
two born in Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire. The others were born in Edinburgh.
Further details of the Center family members, including names, dates
of birth and photographs can be found on this
genealogy web site. |
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Business
John lived
in: - Aberdeen (photographer) then
- Edinburgh (photographer
and bagpipe maker) then
© - Australia from 1908 ( bagpipe
maker at West Brunswick) |
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Death
John Center died at Brunswick West, Melbourne, Australia on 22 December 1914, and was buried in
Coburg Cemetery - Grave A521 (unmarked).
In his will,
there appears to have been no specific mention of his photography, but
he specified how his bagpipe business was to be treated:
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John Center's Will
[extract] |
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"To my son James, I leave the good-will of the
Bagpipe-making business with working plant consisting of Electric Motor,
turning lathes, circular saw bench, turning and boring tools and the
wood that may be hand bored and roughed down, and if he stays and works
in the shop where the business is at present carried on, that he
pays a rent of 4/- per week and whatever material
may be on hand, consisting of wood in logs, ivory, sterling and German
silver, jewellery in glass case, to be valued, and that he pay over the
value in money to my son William."
John Center |
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Thank you to Veronika Ihlenfeldt for
details above. John Center was a brother of her great great
grandmother. |
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