William Eastman Palmer & Sons
Encyclopedia
William Eastman Palmer & Sons was the name of a family partnership of photographers which was started in Devon
in the 1860s by William Eastman Palmer and his wife Maria Louisa née Eales. By 1881 the five sons in the partnership were beginning to separate and to pursue their photographic careers further afield. As of 2011, the last recorded photograph by this family was made in 1935, in the Swindon
area.
, Devon
in 1826. Their son W.E. Palmer was born in Devon around 1828 and in 1841 he was 13 years old and living with his family in West Street, Okehampton. He began adult life as a Royal Navy
bandsman. He married Maria Louisa Eales on 13 March 1860 and they lived in James Street, Stoke Damerel
, She was a "photographic artist", which could mean that she enhanced glass negatives or that she was trained to take photographs herself. It could have been her influence which brought the profession of photography into the family. Her husband's name, "Eastman", might appear to suggest some connection with the American family of George Eastman
, but no evidence has been found for this. W.E. Palmer became a photographer in the mid 1860s, and by 9 January 1866 he was a journeyman
photographer living at 31 Union Street, East Stonehouse, Plymouth
.Birth certificate of Frederick Christian Palmer, 9 January 1866, East Stonehouse, Devon. By 1871 they were at 13 Frances Street at St Andrew's in Plymouth
. W.E. Palmer and his wife had twelve children including seven sons, at least five of whom were trained as photographers. Two brothers were not trained as photographers: Albany Edward Palmer trained as an insurance clerk, and Dudley Sidney M. Palmer's career is unknown. In 1891 the family business was at Hopetown Villa, Leicester Road, East Barnet.
dating from the 1860s or 1870s. One (shown here) is a view from the Lyn Cliff Summerhouse of Lynton
, Devon
; another (here) is a view of the Valley of the Rocks
in Lynton; another (here) is a view of Ilfracombe
. They are in sepia tone with a semi-gloss finish.
photographs by J.E. Palmer, taken in the 1860s to 1880s when he was working from 58 Union Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth
. The photographs are of an elderly widowed lady in an 1860s black bonnet and dress (shown here), a child aged two to four years (here), and a bearded man in his thirties (see image, right). The reverses of these cards (shown here) state that he was awarded a first class prize medal by the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic
in 1865. The reverse of one card states that Royal letters patent
were granted to him in 1872.
The bearded man photograph provides an example of the photographic art of the era. On the one hand the photographer has used the light-coloured and unfocused eyes of the sitter to give a spiritual appearance to the face. On the other hand, by using the sitter's own qualities to create a spiritual aspect in the picture, he has created a compassionate portrait of a young man with an exotropic strabismus
and an associated droopy eyelid. This strabismus can be observed by successively covering the left, then the right side of the face in the picture: the sitter's left eye looks straight at the camera; his right eye looks to one side. it is the quality of this art which may explain the awards listed above. It is possible that some of William Eastman Palmer's sons could have served their apprenticeships at this photographer's studio.
he was 15 years old and had started his photographic apprenticeship
. In 1891 when Frederick Christian was 25 years old, he was still living at home in East Barnet. He worked from studios in Herne Bay
from 1903 to 1922, and in Swindon from 1922 to 1936 or 1937. As of 2011 there are over 70 known photographs and postcards by Fred C. Palmer. The earliest known (shown here) is a carte de visite
photograph showing two girls, taken in Herne Bay and dated 1903−1905; the earliest known postcards (here) are the tinted photos of Minster-in-Thanet
, taken in 1903−1904. The last known (here) is a postcard photo of Longcot
, Oxfordshire
, postmarked 1935.
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
in the 1860s by William Eastman Palmer and his wife Maria Louisa née Eales. By 1881 the five sons in the partnership were beginning to separate and to pursue their photographic careers further afield. As of 2011, the last recorded photograph by this family was made in 1935, in the Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
area.
William Eastman Palmer
William Eastman Palmer's mother was Christian Branton Eastman Lewis, and his father Henry Palmer was a shoemaker. They married in OkehamptonOkehampton
Okehampton is a town and civil parish in West Devon in the English county of Devon. It is situated at the northern edge of Dartmoor, and has an estimated population of 7,155.-History:...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
in 1826. Their son W.E. Palmer was born in Devon around 1828 and in 1841 he was 13 years old and living with his family in West Street, Okehampton. He began adult life as a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
bandsman. He married Maria Louisa Eales on 13 March 1860 and they lived in James Street, Stoke Damerel
Stoke, Plymouth
Stoke, also referred to by its earlier name of Stoke Damerel, is a parish, once part of the historical Devonport, England. Prior to 1914, it was a suburb of Devonport. In 1914, Devonport and Plymouth amalgamated with Stonehouse: the new town took the name of Plymouth...
, She was a "photographic artist", which could mean that she enhanced glass negatives or that she was trained to take photographs herself. It could have been her influence which brought the profession of photography into the family. Her husband's name, "Eastman", might appear to suggest some connection with the American family of 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...
, but no evidence has been found for this. W.E. Palmer became a photographer in the mid 1860s, and by 9 January 1866 he was a journeyman
Journeyman
A journeyman is someone who completed an apprenticeship and was fully educated in a trade or craft, but not yet a master. To become a master, a journeyman had to submit a master work piece to a guild for evaluation and be admitted to the guild as a master....
photographer living at 31 Union Street, East Stonehouse, Plymouth
Stonehouse, Plymouth
East Stonehouse is one of three towns that were amalgamated into modern-day Plymouth. West Stonehouse was a village that is within the current Mount Edgcumbe Country Park in Cornwall...
.Birth certificate of Frederick Christian Palmer, 9 January 1866, East Stonehouse, Devon. By 1871 they were at 13 Frances Street at St Andrew's in Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
. W.E. Palmer and his wife had twelve children including seven sons, at least five of whom were trained as photographers. Two brothers were not trained as photographers: Albany Edward Palmer trained as an insurance clerk, and Dudley Sidney M. Palmer's career is unknown. In 1891 the family business was at Hopetown Villa, Leicester Road, East Barnet.
Palmer's early photography
As of 2011, the earliest known photographs by William Eastman Palmer are stereoviewsStereoscopy
Stereoscopy refers to a technique for creating or enhancing the illusion of depth in an image by presenting two offset images separately to the left and right eye of the viewer. Both of these 2-D offset images are then combined in the brain to give the perception of 3-D depth...
dating from the 1860s or 1870s. One (shown here) is a view from the Lyn Cliff Summerhouse of Lynton
Lynton
Lynton is a small town in Devon, England. It lies on the northern edge of Exmoor and is located at the top of a gorge above Lynmouth, to which it is connected by the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
; another (here) is a view of the Valley of the Rocks
Valley of the Rocks
The Valley of the Rocks or The Valley of Rocks is a dry valley that runs parallel to the coast in north Devon, England, about to the west of the village of Lynton...
in Lynton; another (here) is a view of Ilfracombe
Ilfracombe
Ilfracombe is a seaside resort and civil parish on the North Devon coast, England with a small harbour, surrounded by cliffs.The parish stretches along the coast from 'The Coastguard Cottages' in Hele Bay toward the east and 4 miles along The Torrs to Lee Bay toward the west...
. They are in sepia tone with a semi-gloss finish.
John Eastman Palmer the elder
John Eastman Palmer was born around 1830 in Devon; he was the brother of William Eastman Palmer, and in 1841 was living with his family in West Street, Okehampton. He signed his photographs John E. Palmer or J.E. Palmer. As of 2011 there are three known carte de visiteCarte de visite
The carte de visite was a type of small photograph which was patented in Paris, France by photographer André Adolphe Eugène Disdéri in 1854, although first used by Louis Dodero...
photographs by J.E. Palmer, taken in the 1860s to 1880s when he was working from 58 Union Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth
Stonehouse, Plymouth
East Stonehouse is one of three towns that were amalgamated into modern-day Plymouth. West Stonehouse was a village that is within the current Mount Edgcumbe Country Park in Cornwall...
. The photographs are of an elderly widowed lady in an 1860s black bonnet and dress (shown here), a child aged two to four years (here), and a bearded man in his thirties (see image, right). The reverses of these cards (shown here) state that he was awarded a first class prize medal by the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic
Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society
The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society is an educational, cultural and scientific charity, based in Falmouth, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The Society exists to promote innovation in the arts and sciences...
in 1865. The reverse of one card states that Royal letters patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
were granted to him in 1872.
The bearded man photograph provides an example of the photographic art of the era. On the one hand the photographer has used the light-coloured and unfocused eyes of the sitter to give a spiritual appearance to the face. On the other hand, by using the sitter's own qualities to create a spiritual aspect in the picture, he has created a compassionate portrait of a young man with an exotropic strabismus
Strabismus
Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes are not properly aligned with each other. It typically involves a lack of coordination between the extraocular muscles, which prevents bringing the gaze of each eye to the same point in space and preventing proper binocular vision, which may adversely...
and an associated droopy eyelid. This strabismus can be observed by successively covering the left, then the right side of the face in the picture: the sitter's left eye looks straight at the camera; his right eye looks to one side. it is the quality of this art which may explain the awards listed above. It is possible that some of William Eastman Palmer's sons could have served their apprenticeships at this photographer's studio.
Frederick Christian Palmer (1866-1939)
He was the third son, and known professionally as Fred C. Palmer. In 1881 in East BarnetEast Barnet
East Barnet is an area of North London within the London Borough of Barnet bordered by New Barnet, Cockfosters and Southgate. It is a largely residential suburb whose central area, known locally as the Village, contains a variety of shops, public houses, restaurants and services. East Barnet is...
he was 15 years old and had started his photographic apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
. In 1891 when Frederick Christian was 25 years old, he was still living at home in East Barnet. He worked from studios in Herne Bay
Herne Bay, Kent
Herne Bay is a seaside town in Kent, South East England, with a population of 35,188. On the south coast of the Thames Estuary, it is north of Canterbury and east of Whitstable. It neighbours the ancient villages of Herne and Reculver and is part of the City of Canterbury local government district...
from 1903 to 1922, and in Swindon from 1922 to 1936 or 1937. As of 2011 there are over 70 known photographs and postcards by Fred C. Palmer. The earliest known (shown here) is a carte de visite
Carte de visite
The carte de visite was a type of small photograph which was patented in Paris, France by photographer André Adolphe Eugène Disdéri in 1854, although first used by Louis Dodero...
photograph showing two girls, taken in Herne Bay and dated 1903−1905; the earliest known postcards (here) are the tinted photos of Minster-in-Thanet
Minster-in-Thanet
Minster-in-Thanet, also known as Minster, is a village and civil parish in the Thanet District of Kent, England. The village is situated to the west of Ramsgate and to the north east of Canterbury; it lies just south west of Kent International Airport and just north of the River Stour...
, taken in 1903−1904. The last known (here) is a postcard photo of Longcot
Longcot
Longcot is a village and civil parish in the Vale of White Horse District. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire. The village is about south of Faringdon and about northeast of Shrivenham. The A420 road between Swindon and Oxford passes through the...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, postmarked 1935.