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Thomas Pringle

ALSO

Thomas Pringle & Co

Alex W Pringle

Professional Photographer

Partnerships

Thomas Pringle (1831-1894) was originally an engraver who took up photography soon after completing his apprenticeship.

He worked for Ross & Thomson for several years, and became partner in the firm. On the death of Mr Thomson, he worked for Ross & Pringle until that partnership was dissolved when James Ross retired in 1883. 

Working Alone

Thomas Pringle then carried on business by himself, and retired in 1886.  After seven years in retirement, he opened a new studio in 1893 under the name of Thomas Pringle & Co.  He died the following year.

The addresses of Ross & Pringle's studios were:

Addresses

The addresses given in the trade directories for Thomas Pringle are given below.  The first three of these addresses may well be home addresses rather than studio addresses.  [The Census data below adds weight to this suggestion.]

Professional Photographer

In the period between :

- 1886 (when Thomas Pringle was last recorded as a photographer at 95 Princes Street) and

- 1893 (when Thomas Pringle & Co appeared in one of the trade directories as photographers)

another photographer named Pringle appeared as a photographer in the Edinburgh trade directories. 

It was Alexander W Pringle. He joined Edinburgh Photographic Society in 1887-88, giving his address as Haxby Villa, Braid Road.

He appeared in the Edinburgh Trade Directories as a photographer for one year only, in 1888:

Question

Answer

Yes:  Alex W Pringle was the son of Thomas Pringle.

Many thanks to John J Hadden who has checked the IGI  and has confirmed that Alexander Williamson Pringle was born 27 June 1862 and that his parents were Thomas Pringle and Agnes Stobie.

1871 Census

The 1871 Census records Thomas Pringle, living at 27 Castle Terrace.  He was described as:

 "photographer employing 4 men and 13(?) women".

[Iain Stewart]

1881 Census

The 1881 Census records Thomas Pringle, living at 20 Howe Street.   He was. described as:

-  Photo artist, aged 49

-  born in Leven, Fife

-  living with wife and seven children, all born in Edinburgh.

-  The children were

1.  John:  aged 25

2.  Agnes:  aged 15

3.  Mary R:  aged 13

4.  Ann W:  aged 11

5.  James R:  aged 10

6.  Thomas:  aged 8

7.  Ross:  aged 3

Note that the youngest child was named Ross Pringle.  At the time of his birth, Thomas Pringle would have been working for the partnership Ross & Pringle. 

Thomas Pringle died, aged 62, on 26 February 1894 in  Edinburgh.

He had been married to Agnes Stobie, then to Elizabeth Drummond.

His father's name was given as John Pringle,  Butcher

[Death Certificate]

Edinburgh Photographic Society

Thomas Pringle was Treasurer of EPS, 1872-76. 

He gave lecture to EPS: 

In the 1890 EPS Exhibition, he exhibited an early specimen of:

-  Voigtlander        "Baby Lens"

-  3 silver prints of "Greyfriar’s Churchyard"

-  1 silver print of   "A Group of Distinguished Personages"