James Booker Blakemore Wellington
Encyclopedia
James Booker Blakemore Wellington aka J. B. B. Wellington (1858 Lansdown - 1939 Elstree
) was an English photographer who originally trained as architectural draughtsman. In the 1880s, however, an association with George Eastman
in New York
, drew him into the world of photography. Wellington was regarded as a pictorial photographer of note, while his work was clearly inspired by the paintings of John Constable
and Thomas Gainsborough
. He was invited to be a member of the Linked Ring Brotherhood in 1892, and was a regular judge on the selection and hanging committee of exhibitions held by the Photographic Society of Great Britain. He was a frequent exhibitor at the Royal Photographic Society.
Back in England he became a manager of Kodak's factory in Wealdstone
and was responsible for a number of practical formulas for improving emulsions
and developers
, one being a negative intensifier containing silver nitrate
, ammonium thiocyanate
and sodium thiosulphate, and another being dry-collodion plates
with improved sensitivity. Around 1895 he and his brother-in-law H. H. Ward set up a photographic paper manuafcturing company, Wellington & Ward. The firm later extended into plates and film manufacture. In July 1922 the company acquired Leto Photo Materials (1905) Ltd, and in 1929 was taken over by Ilford Ltd.
. Before this Wellington had worked for Elliott & Fry
of Barnet
.
A collection of medals and photographs belonging to a descendent of Wellington was featured on BBC1's Antiques Roadshow
programme on 20 February 2011. .
Elstree
Elstree is a village in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire on the A5 road, about 10 miles north of London. In 2001, its population was 4,765, and forms part of the civil parish of Elstree and Borehamwood, originally known simply as Elstree....
) was an English photographer who originally trained as architectural draughtsman. In the 1880s, however, an association with George Eastman
George Eastman
George Eastman was an American innovator and entrepreneur who founded the Eastman Kodak Company and invented roll film, helping to bring photography to the mainstream...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, drew him into the world of photography. Wellington was regarded as a pictorial photographer of note, while his work was clearly inspired by the paintings of John Constable
John Constable
John Constable was an English Romantic painter. Born in Suffolk, he is known principally for his landscape paintings of Dedham Vale, the area surrounding his home—now known as "Constable Country"—which he invested with an intensity of affection...
and Thomas Gainsborough
Thomas Gainsborough
Thomas Gainsborough was an English portrait and landscape painter.-Suffolk:Thomas Gainsborough was born in Sudbury, Suffolk. He was the youngest son of John Gainsborough, a weaver and maker of woolen goods. At the age of thirteen he impressed his father with his penciling skills so that he let...
. He was invited to be a member of the Linked Ring Brotherhood in 1892, and was a regular judge on the selection and hanging committee of exhibitions held by the Photographic Society of Great Britain. He was a frequent exhibitor at the Royal Photographic Society.
Back in England he became a manager of Kodak's factory in Wealdstone
Wealdstone
Wealdstone is a largely working-class and recent immigrant district in the London Borough of Harrow, north west London.-History and name:The eponymous Weald Stone is a sarsen stone, formerly marking the boundary between the parish of Harrow and Harrow Weald...
and was responsible for a number of practical formulas for improving emulsions
Photographic film
Photographic film is a sheet of plastic coated with an emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide salts with variable crystal sizes that determine the sensitivity, contrast and resolution of the film...
and developers
Photographic developer
In the processing of photographic films, plates or papers, the photographic developer is a chemical that makes the latent image on the film or print visible. It does this by reducing the silver halides that have been exposed to light to elemental silver in the gelatine matrix...
, one being a negative intensifier containing silver nitrate
Silver nitrate
Silver nitrate is an inorganic compound with chemical formula . This compound is a versatile precursor to many other silver compounds, such as those used in photography. It is far less sensitive to light than the halides...
, ammonium thiocyanate
Ammonium thiocyanate
Ammonium thiocyanate is an inorganic compound with the formula NH4SCN. It is the salt of the ammonium cation and the thiocyanate anion.-Uses:...
and sodium thiosulphate, and another being dry-collodion plates
Collodion
Collodion is a flammable, syrupy solution of pyroxylin in ether and alcohol. There are two basic types; flexible and non-flexible. The flexible type is often used as a surgical dressing or to hold dressings in place. When painted on the skin, collodion dries to form a flexible cellulose film...
with improved sensitivity. Around 1895 he and his brother-in-law H. H. Ward set up a photographic paper manuafcturing company, Wellington & Ward. The firm later extended into plates and film manufacture. In July 1922 the company acquired Leto Photo Materials (1905) Ltd, and in 1929 was taken over by Ilford Ltd.
Ilford Photo
Ilford Photo is a manufacturer of photographic materials known worldwide for its black-and-white film and papers and chemicals, as well as its range of Ilfochrome and Ilfocolor colour printing materials. Ilfochrome was formerly called Cibachrome, developed in partnership with the Swiss company...
. Before this Wellington had worked for Elliott & Fry
Elliott & Fry
Elliott & Fry was a Victorian photography studio and photographic film manufacturer, founded in 1863 by Joseph John Elliott and Clarence Edmund Fry. For a century the firm's core business was taking and publishing photographs of the Victorian public and social, artistic, scientific and political...
of Barnet
Barnet
High Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
.
A collection of medals and photographs belonging to a descendent of Wellington was featured on BBC1's Antiques Roadshow
Antiques Roadshow
Antiques Roadshow is a British television show in which antiques appraisers travel to various regions of the United Kingdom to appraise antiques brought in by local people. It has been running since 1979...
programme on 20 February 2011. .