Studios

Ovinius Davis had studios in:

            -  Glasgow (1866 to1908) and 

            -  Edinburgh (1881 to 1928).

The firm claimed to have been established in 1850 - but where? And under what name?

They produced photos in many sizes including Gem cartes de visite and cabinet prints.

Here are Cabinet Prints by Ovinius Davis.  The subjects are two of his apprentices, both of whom went on to run their own photographic businesses:

Two of Ovinius Davis'
Apprentices

George Henderson Laing

©  Reproduced by courtesy of William Laing, Perth

George Henderson Laing, born 1887 was one of thirteen children - ten boys and three girls.  He was aged about 14 and apprenticed to Ovinius Davis when the photograph above was taken.

He later worked for Drummond Shields at Lauriston Place, Edinburgh, and finally owned his own business at Greendykes Road, Broxburn West Lothian, c.1922 - c.1934.

George Henderson Laing had 4 children:

1.  George Henderson Laing, b.1912 or 1913, married in Ayrshire, 1942 to Janet Livingstone Kerr.

2.  Blanche Laing, b.1914 or 1915.  She worked for photographer George Halliburton Balmain, son of JCH Balmain, the founder of the business which still traded under his name.

3.  William Laing, b.1921, and now living in Perth, 2006.  It is William who has provided me whit the Laing family details and photographs on this page.  Thank you William!

4. Norman Thomson Laing.  He was named Norman after his father's apprentice photographer Norman Thomson, pictured above.

[William Laing]

Thank you to Karen Kerr-Trudeau, Canada for telling me that:

-  George Henderson Laing was born in 1913.

-  He married Janet Livingston Kerr, daughter of George Kerr and Jane Livingstone.

[Karen Kerr-Trudeau, Canada]

Karen has been researching this branch of the family.  (George Kerr's brother was Karen's grandfather.)  If you have any information about the family that you would like me to pass on to Karen, please e-mail me.  Thank you .  -  Peter Stubbs  March 17, 2007

Norman Thomson

©  Reproduced by courtesy of William Laing, Perth

Norman Thomson worked for Ovinius Davis at the same time as George Henderson Laing.  He later became one of the Thomson Brothers who ran a photographic business at 5 West Maitland Street, Edinburgh from 1910.

[William Laing]

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In 1904, Ovinius Davis advertised:

'Sansortype' appears at the foot of some of the company's cabinet prints.

Please click below to see one of Ovinius Davis' cartes de visite.