B. J. Edwards
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Joseph Edwards was a pioneer in photography
. Edwards worked on the construction and design of instantaneous shutters
and originated the method of intensifying plates
with mercuric iodide
. He was the first, in 1887, to make orthochromatic
plates
in Britain.
Edwards lived at Wistowe House in Hayes, Middlesex
, which also housed the small factory where for a time he manufactured a special type of printing paper
marketed as "Wisto". Edwards died just before the First World War
in 1914. A photograph of Edwards may be found in the 1926 edition of the British Journal Photographic Almanac.
B. J. Edwards became a limited company in 1900. In the 1906 edition of the British Journal Photographic Almanac, their advertisement states that Edwards himself once more had sole control of the company. The company was acquired by Leto Photo materials Co. (1905) Ltd. in 1909. The Ealing
works remained and Edwards became a brand
name.
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
. Edwards worked on the construction and design of instantaneous shutters
Shutter (photography)
In photography, a shutter is a device that allows light to pass for a determined period of time, for the purpose of exposing photographic film or a light-sensitive electronic sensor to light to capture a permanent image of a scene...
and originated the method of intensifying plates
Photographic plate
Photographic plates preceded photographic film as a means of photography. A light-sensitive emulsion of silver salts was applied to a glass plate. This form of photographic material largely faded from the consumer market in the early years of the 20th century, as more convenient and less fragile...
with mercuric iodide
Mercury(II) iodide
Mercury iodide is a chemical compound with an appearance of red-orange crystals. Unlike mercury chloride it is hardly soluble in water Mercury(II) iodide (HgI2) is a chemical compound with an appearance of red-orange crystals. Unlike mercury(II) chloride it is hardly soluble in water Mercury(II)...
. He was the first, in 1887, to make orthochromatic
Orthochromatic
- Orthochromatic photography :Orthochromatic photography refers to a photographic emulsion that is sensitive to only blue and green light, and thus can be processed with a red safelight. The increased blue sensitivity causes blue objects to appear lighter and red ones darker...
plates
Photographic plate
Photographic plates preceded photographic film as a means of photography. A light-sensitive emulsion of silver salts was applied to a glass plate. This form of photographic material largely faded from the consumer market in the early years of the 20th century, as more convenient and less fragile...
in Britain.
Edwards lived at Wistowe House in Hayes, Middlesex
Hayes, Hillingdon
Hayes is a town in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. It is a suburban development situated west of Charing Cross. Hayes was developed in the late 19th and 20th centuries as an industrial locality to which residential districts were later added in order to house factory workers...
, which also housed the small factory where for a time he manufactured a special type of printing paper
Photographic paper
Photographic paper is paper coated with light-sensitive chemicals, used for making photographic prints.Photographic paper is exposed to light in a controlled manner, either by placing a negative in contact with the paper directly to produce a contact print, by using an enlarger in order to create a...
marketed as "Wisto". Edwards died just before the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1914. A photograph of Edwards may be found in the 1926 edition of the British Journal Photographic Almanac.
B. J. Edwards became a limited company in 1900. In the 1906 edition of the British Journal Photographic Almanac, their advertisement states that Edwards himself once more had sole control of the company. The company was acquired by Leto Photo materials Co. (1905) Ltd. in 1909. The Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
works remained and Edwards became a brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
name.