Help needed dating a photograph of great-grandfather Robert Lay maybe

[DrDude45]

A quick clean of the photos. Thought you might like.

[deejayEn]

Thanks for doing that, it's much appreciated.

[Daniel Blake]

Hi, I also have a photo of my great grandmother taken at Russell Studios, same address.
I found it interesting as her maiden name was Russell (originally from Ireland) so wondered if there was a family connection. I thought your photo was a beautiful shot. My wife is a photographer so another reason for my interest. Did you find out anything about the studios?

[Treetotal]

Wrong Post.

[deejayEn]

Hi Daniel. Thanks for your info. I did find out a bit more.

The back of the photo is a postcard without a central vertical line printed on it which means it must date from before 1902 after which all postcards had a central vertical line. This means my great grandfather was about 15 and had just left school which makes sernse as to why he was having his portrait taken.

It turns out the adress at 56 Camden Town High Street was that of a photogrtapher called Edward James Lambert, who formed a studio with Thomas King Okey called Lambert and Okey. He had also worked for a famous studios called Elliot and Fry. My guess is that the studio was sold or rented out to a Mr Russell circa 1902.

The person I got the photo from had a second copy of it and that has a different imprint on it showing that Russel's had another studio in south London in Tooting. Annoyingly I haven't bee able to find out any more. Does anyone have any old Tooting street directories?

[jim1]

Just to clarify because it doesn't have a line down the back
doesn't mean it's not a divided back postcard.
Pre 1902 postcards looked completely different to this.
It is as dated.

[Treetotal]

I agree with Jim...some show no dividing line but are printed with words "Correspondence"...on the left and "Address Only"...on the right.
Carol

[deejayEn]

Jim1 - I don't know what you mean "it is as dated". It isn't dated, there is no date on it.

When I first made this post I wasn't certain that this was my great grandather, or of the date, now I am. I know that the photo must date from no later than 1903 because we discovered my great-grandad was sentenced to 4 years on the HMS Akbar in 1903 for stealing a watch. He was 19 when he returned and in this photo is clearly younger than that.

All postcards after 1902 had a dividing line on the back to allow for a written message, this doesn't have a line so it must date from no later than that. That would make him about 14 or 15 at most which fits in.  What I am trying to do now is find out more about the photographic studio, or stusios as there would appear to be more than one.

[jim1]

Sorry I'm afraid your wrong.
Firstly the 2 postcards above have been dated by us.
All postcards after 1902 didn't have a dividing line down the back.
Many did others didn't particularly the later ones.
These are later ones.
Pre 1902 postcards had a space on the front for correspondence.