Smaller Sizes of Portrait - Photographers in England - South East Region

We have divided England into Geographical Regions in order to keep the page sizes manageable for our listings of stickyback photographers. All the regions are listed here. Within each regional page, practitioners are listed by location alphabetically. If you are looking for a practitioner by name, start with our page "Smaller sizes of portrait photographers by name"

South East Region, includes: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Kent, Isle of Wight, Surrey, Oxfordshire, East Sussex, West Sussex. Locations listed so far include: Ashford Bognor Regis, Brighton, Canterbury, Chatham, Chichester, Dover, Eastbourne, Folkestone, Gravesend, Hastings, Hove, Lewis, Maidstone, Margate, Newport Isle of Wight, Oxford, Portsmouth, Reading, Redhill, Seaford, Sheerness, Sevenoaks, Shoreham, Southampton, Southsea, Tunbridge Wells, Worthing.

ASHFORD

Address: 13 Linden Road, Ashford, Kent (1901) 23 Milton Market, Eastney Road, Portsmouth (1911)
Possible practitioner: Charles PYBUS
Operating dates: 1901-1912
References: Advertised in the Kentish Express, Saturday 2 November 1901 p5: "Charles Pybus photographer 13 Linden Road Ashford. Studio open daily. Six cabinets 5s 6d, six cartes 2s 6d, twelve midgets 2s 6d, 12 stamp photos 2s. No extra charge for groups or vignettes". In the 1911 census, Charles Henry Pybus, photographer, working on own account, age 45 b Maidstone was living with his family at 23 Milton Market, Eastney Road, Portsmouth. The family comprised: wife Beatrice Matilda nee Wells, age 42 b Biddenden Kent, married in 1897, son Harry Wells Pybus 12yrs b Biddenden, daughter Margery Rose age 10 b. Biddenden Kent. Also at same address in the 1911 Kelly's Directory of Hampshire. Hampshire Telegraph, Friday 2 August 1912 p5 Portsmouth County Court: The Expert Advertising Co Sheffield unsuccessfully sued Chas Edward [sic] Pybus, photographer, 151 Kingston Rd, for £3 18s allegedly owed for advertising in the programme of the Empire Palace at the rate of 1s 6d per week for a year. The judge found that Charles had not signed a contract as was alleged.

BOGNOR REGIS

Address: 8 Pier Arcade, Bognor
Possible practitioner: KING AND WILSON
Operating dates: c.1915
Information and references: Photo historian Paul Clarke has posted in Flick a number of images from an Edwardian photo album. Two of these, portraits of an unknown boy and a girl, are stickyback portraits from Pier Arcade, Bognor. The images are at www.flickr.com/photos/runninginsuffolk/34328922782 and https://www.flickr.com/photos/runninginsuffolk/34328922832. David Simkin in his excellent site on Sussex photographers lists photographers King and Wilson as operating from 8 Pier Arcade Bognor Regis in 1915 www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/BOGNORdirHR.htm

BRIGHTON

Address: 54 North Street, Brighton
Possible practitioner: GROSSI, Spiridione b: Liverpool (1877-1921), DUDKIN, Abraham H b: Nizhneudinsk, Siberia (1876-1949)
Operating dates: 1911 - 1928 (Grossi 1911-12, Dudkin 1912 - 1928)
Information and references: The 1911 Kelly’s Directory for Sussex, and Pike's Directory of Brighton for 1912 show Spiridione Grossi, photographer, at 54 North Street, Brighton. David Simkin, in his excellent site on Sussex photographers, states that Grossi's studio at 54 North Street went under the name of "The Sticky Back & Post Card Studio". By around 1912 the North Street studio had been taken over by Abraham H Dudkin. www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/BoultwoodFamilyGallery.htm and www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/DudkinModernStudios.htm. and the studio was known as the "Sticky Back and Modern Studios". Dudkin was a furrier, trading in his own name and also as the Anglo-Russian Fur Co and Anglo Russian Manufacturing Fur Co. He was also in the theatre and concert room business, owned a number of flats, and was a Freemason. The precise date of the change of ownership of this studio is not currently known. The Brighton Gazette on Saturday 21 September 1912 p3 carried a story which could have related to either Grossi or Dudkin, but more likely the former. "Too Much Shouting - Arthur Cooper, 34, George-street, was fined 5s. and costs for shouting to the annoyance of residents in North-street on the 7th inst. He was an outside assistant at a photographic shop, and his offence was the perpetual shouting of “They've all got stickybacks,” &c. Defendant suggested that the noise was caused by a crowd of people from Stoke, who had been to the Albion football match. The Bench warned defendant that repetition of the shouting would involve more severe punishment." This form of touting matches exactly the modus operandi of Grossi at his Douglas, Isle of Man, studio, although it is possible that Dudkin closely copied his predecessor's advertising methods. Directory entries show that Abraham Dudkin was at 54 North Street at least until 1914. The studio continued in the hands of the Dudkin family until 1928, but Directory entries after 1914 show either no initials, or the initial M, for Mordecai Dudkin, Abraham's brother.

We are immensely grateful to János Mátyás Balogh, a Historian and Archivist from Budapest, Hungary, for sharing with us some of his research into the spread of Stickybacks in Hungary and across parts of Europe. János traces the origins of Stickybacks in Hungary to the arrival in 1911 of cousins of Brighton stickyback shop owner and furrier, Abraham H Dudkin. Dudkin's cousin's, no doubt primed with knowledge of the medium from Brighton, opened a stickyback shop at 40 Rákóczi Street, in a very busy part of Budapest. The opening of this shop triggered a rapid spread of similar studios across Hungary and beyond. Stickyback shops in Hungary were given the name “Enyves hát”, a direct translation of the word ‘sticky back’ in Hungarian. Not only does János show the connection between stickybacks in the UK and Hungary, he also discovered that, at one point, Anatol Josepho, the inventor of the Photomaton automatic photo booth, worked briefly in the stickybacks shop at 40 Rákóczi Street. From this János points out similarities between a strip of stickybacks and the strips of photos produced later by the Photomaton, drawing the conclusion that the stickyback was almost certainly one of the influences shaping the iconic photomaton machine. A shortened version of János' excellent paper "Anatol Josepho. From Stickyback Photography to the Invention of the Photomaton Photobooth" can be found here on the National Archives of Hungary.

By 1913 Abraham Dudkin had also taken over another studio at 31 West Street Brighton. He had a studio at 26a West Street from 1925-1928. He also had a studio at 228 Commercial Road, Portsmouth. From 1915 to 1919 Abraham Dudkin's firm traded as "Modern Studios". It is not currently known whether this change of name indicated that they no longer produced stickyback photos. There are a number of surviving postcard format portraits from Modern Studios. After 1917 Abraham moved from 54 North Street to 10 Queen's Road Brighton where he operated until 1922. Abraham Dudkin's brother, Mordecai Dudkin, was a partner in the business. Mordecai operated from 157a Church Road, Hove 1915-17. The firm also had a studio at 19 High Street, Shoreham 1918-19 and 57b London Road in 1916.

Below is a postcard cameo portrait of an unknown man with moustache. This is from Sticky Back and Modern Studios 54 North Street Brighton. This appears to be a finished and well composed product, as does the following postcard from the same studio with a group of three sitters. (Is the fur stole in this image a studio prop from Dudkin's fur business?) Next is a postcard of a young girl "Little Beatrice", with the studio addresses: "Stickyback and Modern Studios, 54 North Street & 31 West Street Brighton and 228 Commercial Road, Portsmouth".

Address: Brighton - precise address not known, but could be another reference to 54 North Street Brighton as in the entry above. See also below an example postcard from the studio of "Stickybacks 19 North Street Brighton"
Possible practitioner: Could this be GROSSI, SPIRIDIONE or BOULTWOOD, SIDNEY.
Operating dates: 1911
Information and references: Croydon Chronicle and East Surrey Advertiser - Saturday 18 March 1911 p12 and 25 March 1911 p13. "Sticky Backs from 356 Strand, and Brighton, have now opened a Croydon Branch, 127 North End (opposite Empire) and have no connection with any other firm in Croydon". This could be Spiridione Grossi, who, when prosecuted for abduction in March 1913 stated that he had “business interests in Liverpool, London, Manchester, Brighton and Brussels”. On the other hand, David Simkin's research into Sidney Boultwood shows that he had connections with Croydon around 1911 and later had a studio, as yet not identified, which was "Opposite Empire". However, David dates the "Opposite Empire" studio at around 1917 www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/BoultwoodFamilyGallery.htm .

Below is a nicely composed portrait of a young girl, taken at StickyBacks Studio, 19 North Street, Brighton.

Address: Brighton - precise address not known. but could be another reference to 54 North Street Brighton as in the entry above. See also above an example postcard from the studio of "Stickybacks 19 North Street Brighton".
Possible practitioner: BOULTWOOD, SIDNEY
Operating dates: 1914
Information and references: Gloucestershire Echo - Monday 01 June 1914 P4. "YOU MUST VISIT the original Mr Stickybacks ELECTRIC STUDIO With its novel methods of CINEMATOGRAPH PHOTOGRAPHY. CINEMATOGRAPHIC SNAPSHOTS OF YOURSELF. ENORMOUSLY POPULAR. The Original Mr. STICKY BACK'S STUDIO From 420 Strand, London, Brighton, Oxford, etc., 84 HIGH STREET (near Bath Road) CHELTENHAM." Over the years many photographers have operated in the Strand. The address at 420 The Strand appears on the real photograph postcard portrait below (author’s collection). The studio there was called “The Post Card Studio”. The studio name and job number are printed along the right hand margin of the photograph, suggesting that the photographer / inventor may have been experimenting with ways of including identifying text within the printed image area, as in the smaller stickyback photographs. We know that Spiridione Grossi had a studio in Brighton and that he had used the name "The Post Card Studio" elsewhere, making it likely that this Cheltenham advertisement was for his businesses. On the other hand, David Simkin's research into Sidney Boultwood shows that he had a studio at 23 Westgate Street Bath www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/BoultwoodFamilyGallery.htm . The Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Sat 8 Aug 1914 p1, carries an advertisement: " Doormen, two wanted; men used to theatre preferred; only smart young men with good references entertained; permanencies to right men - Full particulars to Studios, 23 Westgate Street Bath or 84 High Street Cheltenham". Linking the Bath and Cheltenham studios in this way shows that these were Sidney Boultwood's studios. The wording of the Cheltenham advert suggests that Sidney did, at some stage, have a studio in Brighton.

Address: New England Road, Brighton ?
Possible Practitioner: Not currently known
Operating dates: ? c.1910
Information and references: Photo historian Paul Clarke has posted on Flickr.com some 25 small portraits from an Edwardian photo album. There are three definite stickyback photos among these. These include two examples from 54 North Street Brighton and another from "New England Rd". There was a New England Rd in Brighton and so attributing this to another studio in the same town is a reasonable working hypothesis. The image can be seen at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/runninginsuffolk/30425808583/in/album-72157675381993741/ . The style of lettering does not seem to match that used by either Sidney Boultwood or Spiridione Grossi - the font face is too light. Also the way that "RD" is depicted is different. Both Boultwood and Grossi used a full height capital letter for the "R" and half height for the capital letter "D" with a full stop underneath it. whereas the New England Rd example uses full height capital "R" and a slightly reduced height capital "D".

Address: 68 East Street, Brighton
Possible practitioner: Alan Hastings FRY (1848-1931)
Operating Dates: 1867 - 1918
Information and references: Allen Hasting Fry and his older brother Walter Henry Fry (1842 - 1916) were photographers in partnership as W and A H Fry from 1867 in East Street, Brighton. Their father, Edmund Fry (1811-1866), was related to the famous Fry family of Bristol: prominent Quakers, including Dr. Joseph Fry (1727-1787) founder of the well known Fry's chocolate company. The address of Frys' studio, 68 East Street, was also occupied by a French dressmaker, Madame Mercier, from Paris. In 1869, Allen Hastings Fry, then aged twenty-one, married Madame Mercier's daughter, Leonie Angeline Louise Mercier (born 1839, Paris, France). From the beginning the brothers had a clear idea of the areas of photography they wished to target. In 1867 they advertised in the Brighton Guardian (14 Aug 1867 p1) "Messes W. & A.H. Fry, Artists and photographers, 68 East Street, Brighton, have special apparatus for taking out door pictures of school groups, cricket elevens, croquet parties, archery meetings, rifle corps, country seats. Portrait Studio, Clarence House, 68 East Street, Brighton". This sort of outdoor work included A.H.Fry offering a prize photo album for a number of riffle competitions over several years. By 1899 the partnership had broken up and Allen Hasting Fry continued in business alone as a photographer at the same address until at least 1918. In 1899 Allen was described in the Sussex Kelly's Directory as an artist and photographer at 68 East Street and a photographic printer at 60 Southover Street. Two earlier census returns suggest that the firm had more employees than would be typical for a provincial high street studio, even in a busy holiday town like Brighton. The 1871 census for 68 East Street, Brighton showed Allen Hastings Fry as a "Photographer employing 14 hands". Ten years later, in the 1881 census, Walter Henry Fry is recorded as a "Photographer employing seven men and six women". Did the outdoor work keep the firm particularly busy or did some of these employees work in the photographic printing business, or perhaps the firm employed some of the tintype beach photographers of the day? The image below from around 1910-20 is of a midget sized carte on which is mounted an oval photograph of an unknown young girl with long wavy hair. The mount measures 33 x 60mm and is printed by Marion and Co, Paris, in a very distinctive art deco font. (we have so far been unable to identify and date the font) On the face is printed "Carte Mignonne A.H.Fry, Brighton" and on the reverse "A.H.Fry, photographer, 68 East Street, Brighton" It is unusual for a carte to have information about the size and nature of the product printed on the mount. Allen, with his French family, probably preferred the French description "carte mignonne" (mignon -ne is an adjective for sweet or cute) to "midget carte". Although the result is pleasing and distinctive, it is cheap work probably for visitors to Brighton. We are most grateful to Ron Cosens (www.cartedevisite.co.uk) for permission to use this image. Kelly's Sussex Directories 1899, 1909, 1918, 1930.www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/ (David Simkin's excellent site on Sussex photographers)

Address: 31 West Street, Brighton
Possible practitioner: DUDKIN, ABRAHAM
Operating dates: 1913-15
Information and references: David Simkin in his excellent site on Sussex Photographers list this as a second Brighton studio operated by Abraham Dudkin, who also operated from 54 North Street. www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/DudkinModernStudios.htm . The postcard portrait below of "Little Beatrice" shows the addresses of 54 North St and 31 West Street, Brighton as well as 228 Commercial Road, Portsmouth.

Address: 79 West Street, Brighton
Possible practitioner: Lombardi and Co
Operating dates: 1863 - 1904
Information and references: Lombardi and Co established a studio at 113 Kings Road Brighton in 1863 and also operated in London at 13 Pall Mall East from 1875. The firm continued to operate in Brighton until 1903 and London until 1904. David Simkin has full details of the firm and its different addresses and proprietors / managers over the years at https://www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/BTN-Lombardi.htm. The firm had a studio at 79 West Street Brighton from 1875 to 1903. The studio at 79 West Street was being managed by Richard Webber 1895-97 and by Otto Pfenninger 1898-1903. From its early days, the firm provided top quality cartes de visite, cabinets and various enlargements. It would appear that towards the end of their period of operation the firm was diversifying into cheaper more affordable products, one of which is illustrated below with the kind permission of Ron Cosens (www.cartedevisite.co.uk). This is a midget carte measuring 45 x 75mm, which the firm has labelled as a "Penny Midget" and presumably sold for 1d each.. The photograph depicts a teenaged girl and on the face is printed: Lombardi and Co Brighton, 79 West Street, Penny Midget". On the reverse has been written: " Ethel M Dyson aged 15 April 1897 wishing you many happy returns of the day 1898".

Address: 127 Western Rd, Brighton (1891-1937), 45A London Rd Brighton (1902-) , 81A St James Street Brighton (1908-1913) and 21 Elm Grove Southsea (1901-1937)
Possible practitioner; Percy Cocker MITCHELL, Fanny MITCHELL, trading as P.C.Mora (1891-1899), Mora Ltd (1900-1937)
Operating dates: 1891-1937
Information and references: See below a midget carte de visite of an unknown lady c.1910, on a black glossy mount with "Mora Ltd Brighton & Southsea" in gilt lettering on the face. The reverse is blank. The mount measures 3.1 x 1.7 inches, the photograph 2.7 x 1.4 inches. The photographer Percy Cocker Mitchell (1847-1899) established this business, which his wife, Fanny, took over on his death in 1899. In addition to being a Spanish surname and the name of a number of towns round the globe, the word "Mora" means a pause, a rather appropriate sentiment for a portrait photographer. The full details of the firm can be found on Rendel Williams' excellent Sussex Postcards site. www.sussexpostcards.info/publishers.php?PubID=366 . These studios produced portraits in carte de visite, midget, cabinet and postcard formats as well as a range of mounted enlargements. The National Archives provide the names of two of the photographers with the firm, in the registration of some sentimental animal photographs at Stationers' Hall for copyright purposes, The photographers were: Charles Arthur Finch, St Elmo, Hollingbury Park Avenue, Brighton (in 1905) and Harry Ernest Smith, Manager to Mora Ltd, Photographers, 21, Elm Grove, Southsea (in 1902). TNA COPY 1/492/291 and COPY 1/458/369

Address: 75 Havelock Road, Brighton, and Tonbridge
Possible Practitioner: Trading as The Press Photo Co
Operating dates: 1913
Information and references: Tonbridge Free Press, Friday 11 April 1913 p4, "Stickybacks. The Press Photo Co having closed their branch for the above at Tonbridge, orders for enlargements should be forwarded to them at their works 75 Havelock Road, Brighton. Prices and quality as usual, viz 1s, 1/6d and 2/6d post free. These are enlarged from the original negatives taken at Tonbridge".

CANTERBURY

Address: Lower- Bridge St. Canterbury
Possible practitioner: KNIGHT, CHARLES HENRY, aka "The Original Stickybacks"
Operating dates: some time during 1914-18, operated for 6 months only
Information and references: Dover Express - Friday 05 November 1920 P5. "DOVER PHOTOGRAPHER'S BANKRUPTCY. At the Kent Bankruptcy Court Saturday the following Re Charles Henry Knight, of. 35, Biggin St., and Snargate St. Dover, and 21 Tontine St. Folkestone and 69 Wellington St, Woolwich, debtor, who attended for his public examination, returned his liabilities at £528.8.10d. and estimated his assets at £74 17s. 10d., leaving a deficiency £454. 11s. Mr De Wet, of Folkestone, appeared for the debtor. Under  examination by the Official Receiver, debtor stated that he was formerly engaged as a salesman and in June 1913, he commenced business as a miniature photographer at 35, Biggin Street, Dover, in partnership with Mr. Herbert Beach, under name of the Original Stickybacks. They commenced with a capital £50, of  which £30 was borrowed. The business was not a success and in December 1913, it was agreed that they should dissolve the partnership. Beach withdrew from the concern, without any consideration whatever, and debtor took over the concern with its assets and liabilities. The assets were estimated at about £40 and the liabilities about £15. Owing to the influx of troops he commenced to do remarkably well and continued to do so for several years. extended his business by opening branch businesses at Snargate St., Dover, 69, Wellington St., Woolwich, Lower- Bridge St. Canterbury (the Canterbury business did not pay and it closed after six months), and 21, Tontine St., Folkestone. With the exception of the Canterbury shop the concerns were successful. He did very well and was able to finance them easily and without any outside assistance. Soon after the Armistice, however, his receipts fell off by fifty per cent. That was owing to the removal of the troops. He sold the Woolwich business in May this year, and prior to the receiving order he had also disposed of the branch businesses at Snargate St., Dover, and at Folkestone. He then entirely devoted himself to the business at 35, Biggin St., Dover. In February, 1916, he, in conjunction with two other persons, opened a canteen in Sandwich, but this venture was a failure, as was also a miniature rifle range, which  he and another person conducted at Sandwich. He estimated that his losses on these two enterprises amounted to at least £300. The cause of his failure were: falling off in trade since the Armistice, November, 1918, losses incurred in canteen enterprise, and law costs consequent on proceedings instituted by creditors for recovery of debts. The examination was closed." Dover Express - Friday 24 September 1920  P4 – receiving order made against Charles Henry Knight.

CHATHAM

Address: 129 High Street Chatham, 80 High Street Sheerness, 53 High Street, Southend
Possible practitioner: MASON, EUGENE AUGUSTUS (1834-1914) and MASON, NELLIE,
Operating dates: ? 1914-18.
Information and references: See below postcards for these studios, suggesting that the business was first at Chatham, then Sheerness was added. In two cases the managing director of the firm is shown as N.Mason. Mason was not at the Chatham address in the 1911 census. The Croydon Times, Saturday 4 May 1912 p3 reported on a minor traffic case against Eugene Mason of 18 North End Croydon, for causing an obstruction with a motor car in North End. The case was dismissed. P.C.Whitmore said the car was standing outside a "Sticky Back" photograph shop for half an hour. Does this suggest that Eugene had a Stickyback shop in Croydon, or was he visiting the stickyback shop at 127 North End Croydon, possible practitioner Sidney Boultwood? Eugene Augustus Mason b 1834 died in 1914 and probate was granted to his widow, Nellie Mason, who was the N Mason shown as the managing director. In the London Gazette 24 July 1914 Issue: 28852 Page: 5817 there is a notice concerning the death of Eugene Augustus Mason (1834-1914) inviting any debtors to contact solicitors representing his estate. Eugene was described as "late of 129, High-street, Chatham, and 80, High-street, Sheerness, both in the county of Kent, and of 53, High-street, Southend, in the county of Essex, photographer, and trading under the styles or names of "Sticky backs" and "Faces" . Mason does not appear in the Directory of London Photographers 1841-1908. Eugene Mason appears as a photographer in the 1913 Kelly's Directory of Kent at 129 High Street Chatham and in the 1914 Kelly's Directory of Essex as a photographer at 55 High Street, Southend on Sea. In the 1918 Kelly's it is Mrs Nellie Mason who is the photographer at 129 High Street Chatham. To date nothing has been found of Eugene's earlier career, or of Eugene and Nellie in the 1911 census.

CHICHESTER

Address: Not currently known - the only information currently to hand is that gleaned from the surviving examples below.
Possible practitioner: Not currently known
Operating dates: From the image below, with two uniformed sitters, it seems likely that this stickyback shop operated at some point during WW1.
Information and references: Below are four example stickybacks from this Chichester studio. We are most grateful to professional photographer Jason Pierce-Williams www.jasonwilliamsphotography.co.uk for permission to reproduce these examples from his collection. The second example below is a little unusual in that many stickyback shops used a wider format when taking a group portrait, whereas in this case the same format is used throughout. A check of Chichester studios from trade directories listed on the excellent site on Sussex photographers https://www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/CHICHdirAE.htm does not suggest any obvious candidates for this business.

DOVER

Address: 35 Biggin Street 1913-1920 and 184 Snargate Street Dover 1914 to 1920
Possible practitioner: KNIGHT, CHARLES HENRY, aka "Original Stickybacks" and "The Photographers"
Operating dates: 1913 - 1920
Information and references: Dover Express - Friday 18 September 1914 p1. " Youth wanted to make himself generally useful. Apply between 4 and 5 Sticky Backs, Biggin Street".
Dover Express - Friday 05 November 1920 P5. "DOVER PHOTOGRAPHER'S BANKRUPTCY. At the Kent Bankruptcy Court Saturday the following Re Charles Henry Knight, of. 35, Biggin St., and Snargate St. Dover, and 21 Tontine St. Folkestone and 69 Wellington St, Woolwich, debtor, who attended for his public examination, returned his liabilities at £528.8.10d. and estimated his assets at £74 17s. 10d., leaving a deficiency £454. 11s. Mr De Wet, of Folkestone, appeared for the debtor. Under  examination by the Official Receiver, debtor stated that he was formerly engaged as a salesman and in June 1913, he commenced business as a miniature photographer at 35, Biggin Street, Dover, in partnership with Mr. Herbert Beach, under name of the Original Stickybacks. They commenced with a capital £50, of  which £30 was borrowed. The business was not a success and in December 1913, it was agreed that they should dissolve the partnership. Beach withdrew from the concern, without any consideration whatever, and debtor took over the concern with its assets and liabilities. The assets were estimated at about £40 and the liabilities about £15. Owing to the influx of troops he commenced to do remarkably well and continued to do so for several years. extended his business by opening branch businesses at Snargate St., Dover, 69, Wellington St., Woolwich, Lower- Bridge St. Canterbury (the Canterbury business did not pay and it closed after six months), and 21, Tontine St., Folkestone. With the exception of the Canterbury shop the concerns were successful. He did very well and was able to finance them easily and without any outside assistance. Soon after the Armistice, however, his receipts fell off by fifty per cent. That was owing to the removal of the troops. He sold the Woolwich business in May this year, and prior to the receiving order he had also disposed of the branch businesses at Snargate St., Dover, and at Folkestone. He then entirely devoted himself to the business at 35, Biggin St., Dover. In February, 1916, he, in conjunction with two other persons, opened a canteen in Sandwich, but this venture was a failure, as was also a miniature rifle range, which  he and another person conducted at Sandwich. He estimated that his losses on these two enterprises amounted to at least £300. The cause of his failure were: falling off in trade since the Armistice, November, 1918, losses incurred in canteen enterprise, and law costs consequent on proceedings instituted by creditors for recovery of debts. The examination was closed."
Dover Express - Friday 24 September 1920  P4 – receiving order made against Charles Henry Knight.
The London Gazette, 13 March 1923, Issue 32805, Page 2002 - Original Mr Stickybacks Electric Studios  Ltd to be removed from register in 3 months.
The London Gazette, 6 July 1923 Issue:32842 Page:4724, Original Mr. Stickyback's Electric Studios Limited removed from register.

An excellent humorous example photograph from the 35 Biggin Street studio has been posted on Flickr.com, by its owner Paul Wells. He has entitled the image "dodgey geezers" and it can be seen at https://www.flickr.com/photos/doverpast/6391080845 . Below is a small postcard 134 x 84mm from "Sticky Backs" 35 Biggin Street, Dover, on reverse in manuscript, "Mr Parish 1913". Note the negative number shown on the right hand side of the image, leaving the subject off-centre. The card is not exactly square - would this have been one from a conjoined set of postcards, cut up by the sitter? Below this is a second portrait in standard postcard format of a seated man with a painted rural backcloth. The reverse records the studio name and address as "The Photographers, 35 & 35A Biggin Street, Dover". A job number can be seen standing on the floor by the sitter's foot. This postcard is not dated. The addition of "35A" to the address may suggest that this is one of the later productions from this studio (1918-19?) perhaps after the "Stickybacks" name had become dated. This is reproduced with the permission of Ron Cosens (www.cartedevisite.co.uk)

Address: 48 Biggin Street, Dover
Possible practitioner: Not currently known
Operating dates: ?1905
Information and references: the small portrait below is about 2 in x 1.5 and in in an ornate embossed card mount 3 in x 2.25 in. The mount is labeled "The Royal Miniature" and on the reverse is "Sticky Backs, 48 Biggin Street Dover and Atlanta Pier Road Ilfracombe". The mount is similar to that used for tiny tin types.

Address: 176 Snargate Street, Dover.
Possible practitioner: William Coppard 1913-15 or Henry C Rhodes 1918-1922 or A.N.Other
Operating dates: For a short period, some time between c.1911 - c.1918
References and information: The three stickyback photographs from this stickyback shop shown below are from the collection of Ron Cosens www.cartedevisite.co.uk and are reproduced with his kind permission. These are all cut from vertical strips. The very rare bridal shot of an unknown lady measures 29x37mm and the in-shot sign board shows "6 Snargate St Dover". Next is a portrait of an unknown youth 32x40mm, the sign board states: "176 Snargate St Dover, E 1 70". The third, measuring 31x39mm is of an unknown man with short hair, which has the sign "176 Snargate Street" There is something odd about the way the signboard appears in this image - it appears to be double printed, slightly out of register. Is this a problem with the way the strip has been printed, or is the "signboard" actually an in-camera device, which, in this example, is imperfectly captured with the main image?

Snargate Street, close to the harbour at Dover, was a popular location with a number of photographers operating there over the years. These include Charles Henry Knight, listed above, who claimed to be the "Original Stickybacks", and who, around 1918, operated from No 184. Number 176 Snargate Street was for many years the premises of C.Goulden, bookseller, stationer and printer, later Voile and Robertson, then James Coles, booksellers. In July 1910 No 176 was being offered for sale as a dwelling house and various outbuildings at the rear, all of which could be used for a business. We do not know whether the premises sold or who took over the occupancy at this point. A year later another newspaper report gives a clue as to a later occupant. The Dover Express on Friday 8 December 1911 p8 reported from the Dover Police Court. One of the cases there was against a William Henry Page, who assaulted a policeman after being ejected from an auction held at 176 Snargate Street, being conducted by a Mr Leaver, a travelling auctioneer. Then, two years later, the Dover Express, Friday 29 August 1913 p4 reported that the London and Provincial Anti-Vivisection Society, after a fortnight's campaign in Folkestone, opened a shop at 176, Snargate Street, Dover.

Local Kelly's Directories then show two different photographers at No 176. From these the approximate dates for occupation by photographers were: William Coppard 1913-15 and Henry C Rhodes 1918-22 (Henry C Rhodes is believed to have been John Henry Rhodes 1880-1951, who was also known as Cecil Rhodes). The Rhodes family were photographers at least from early in 1916, when J.H.Rhodes, appealing to the Dover Tribunal against his military call-up, pleaded unsuccessfully that he was partly maintaining his mother and he would have to close his business as a tattooist and photographer. (Dover Express - Friday 24 March 1916 p8) The Rhodes family were at 176 Snargate Street at least from 1917. The Dover Express on Friday 14 September 1917 p2, reported on the previous week's Police Court when John Henry Rhodes (presumably 1853-1932, the father of the tattooist and photographer of the same name, 1880-1951, who was by then in the armed forces), of 176, Snargate Street, was summoned for selling two packets of cigarettes to a nine year old girl. A policeman saw the young girl in the street with two packets of cigarettes. When asked about these she told the officer that she won them at no 176. The police officer went to the premises and quizzed Rhodes. The officer described the premises as "an amusement place and a tattooist" There was nothing for sale beyond the amusements. Stickyback shops were usually plastered with extensive elaborate advertising on the premises, but the officer did not mention photography. Rhodes' explanation, that he had given the cigarettes to the girl to take home for her father, was accepted by the Magistrates and the case was dismissed. The shop at 176 had become Lewis Thompson's chemist shop by Feb 1920. The Rhodes family remained in occupation of a part of the premises at this address until they were evicted by the Dover Corporation in 1926 because the property was not fit for human habitation.

So, the identity of the stickyback photographer behind these example prints from No 176 Snargate Street remains a mystery for the moment. Was it one of the photographers recorded there in the local directories: William Coppard or Henry C Rhodes? Of the two, Rhodes seems less likely, police describing the premises in 1917 failing to mention its use as a stickyback shop. Or was known local Stickyback photographer, Charles Henry Knight, at one point operating at this address? Yet another alternative is that some other party had a short lease on the premises at some point between 1910 and 1913. For example, at this time Sidney Boultwood opened a string of stickyback studios in different English towns, his relations scouting different locations for him for suitable shops to rent. Hopefully other wider format examples of work from this studio may be found containing additional information from the full width of the studio sign board.
Dover Express - Friday 15 July 1910 p4 sale of 176 Snargate St
Dover Express - Friday 26 February 1926 p8 Dover Police Court; Cecil Rhodes, 176, Snargate Street,prosecuted for keeping child, Sylvia from school. Fined 5/-.
Dover Express - Friday 12 March 1926 p2 176 Snargate St uninhabitable.
https://doverhistorian.com/2016/01/23/dovers-photographers-the-film-festival/ has a good description of Dover photographic studios, thanks to Lorraine Sencicle.

Address: King Street, Dover, near the old Post Office
Name of practitioner: Not currently known
Operating dates: 1916
Information and references: Dover Chronicle, Saturday 16 September 1916 p5: "A handsome cup is on exhibition in the "Stickyback" photographic studio, near the old post office in King Street. It was presented to Cpl C Kidd, 3rd East Surrey Regiment as the winner of the light-heaviweight boxing exhibition at Stamford Bridge on August 1st."

EASTBOURNE

Address: Bijou Studio, Seaside Road, Eastbourne
Possible Practitioner: Believed to be PARRY, Marcus (b.1879 Camberwell)
Operating dates: c.1910 -
Information and references: See below, postcard portrait of a young woman "Phyllis", with the number "9353" in the top centre of the the image. On the reverse "Bijou Studios, Seaside Road, Eastbourne, High Street, Redhill, The Cliffe Lewes and Union Street Plymouth" and impressed in the bottom margin on the face "Bijou Studio, Seaside Road, Eastbourne" . This site on Sussex Photographers lists The Bijou Studio Seaside Road Eastbourne 1910+ with the name of the photographer: Marcus Parby / Parry / Perry. www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/EBNEdirBC.htm. The 1911 census shows photographer and employer Marcus Parry, b.1879 Camberwell, living at 6 Central Buildings, Seaside Road, Eastbourne. Living with him was his wife, Fannie, b.1880 Plaistow, Essex, and children: May b.1900 Forest Gate, Victoria b.1901 Plaistow, and Marcus b.1903 Walthamstow. Also at the same address was Jennie Breach b.1890 Chichester, an employed photographer. In 1901 Marcus Parry was a steam driller at 115 Harcourt Road West Ham and next door to him was a photographer Frederick Breach b.1875 Bristol, and his family, including his daughter Nellie who was later to work as a photographer for Marcus. The 1915 Kelly's Directory shows Marcus Perry at both Seaside Road Eastbourne and as a photographer at 25 Cliffe, High Street, Lewes. (The 1909 and 1911 Kellys Directory shows a second photographer, J.R.Lizars, at Seaside Rd Eastbourne, at No 46. Also in Seaside Rd in 1909 was another photographer, Frederick C Cooper, at 18 Elms Buildings, Seaside Rd. By 1911 Cooper was at 37 Grove Rd Eastbourne. In both cases there are no corresponding entries for these photographers at Lewes, Redhill and Plymouth. ) Local Directories do not show a photographer in High Street Redhill. Union Street Plymouth was a popular location for photographers, with six firms there in 1910 and 1914 - none of these were "Bijou Studio" or Parry, Lizars or Cooper.

FOLKESTONE

Address: 21 Tontine Street Folkestone
Possible practitioner: KNIGHT, CHARLES HENRY
Operating dates: 1913-1918
Information and references: Dover Express - Friday 05 November 1920 P5. DOVER PHOTOGRAPHER'S BANKRUPTCY. At the Kent Bankruptcy Court Saturday the following Re Charles Henry Knight, of. 35, Biggin St., and Snargate St. Dover, and 21 Tontine St. Folkestone and 69 Wellington St, Woolwich, debtor, who attended for his public examination, returned his liabilities at £528.8.10d. and estimated his assets at £74 17s. 10d., leaving a deficiency £454. 11s. Mr De Wet, of Folkestone, appeared for the debtor. Under  examination by the Official Receiver, debtor stated that he was formerly engaged as a salesman and in June 1913, he commenced business as a miniature photographer at 35, Biggin Street, Dover, in partnership with Mr. Herbert Beach, under name of the Original Stickybacks. They commenced with a capital £50, of  which £30 was borrowed. The business was not a success and in December 1913, it was agreed that they should dissolve the partnership. Beach withdrew from the concern, without any consideration whatever, and debtor took over the concern with its assets and liabilities. The assets were estimated at about £40 and the liabilities about £15. Owing to the influx of troops he commenced to do remarkably well and continued to do so for several years. extended his business by opening branch businesses at Snargate St., Dover, 69, Wellington St., Woolwich, Lower- Bridge St. Canterbury (the Canterbury business did not pay and it closed after six months), and 21, Tontine St., Folkestone. With the exception of the Canterbury shop the concerns were successful. He did very well and was able to finance them easily and without any outside assistance. Soon after the Armistice, however, his receipts fell off by fifty per cent. That was owing to the removal of the troops. He sold the Woolwich business in May this year, and prior to the receiving order he had also disposed of the branch businesses at Snargate St., Dover, and at Folkestone. He then entirely devoted himself to the business at 35, Biggin St., Dover. In February, 1916, he, in conjunction with two other persons, opened a canteen in Sandwich, but this venture was a failure, as was also a miniature rifle range, which  he and another person conducted at Sandwich. He estimated that his losses on these two enterprises amounted to at least £300. The cause of his failure were: falling off in trade since the Armistice, November, 1918, losses incurred in canteen enterprise, and law costs consequent on proceedings instituted by creditors for recovery of debts. The examination was closed. Dover Express - Friday 24 September 1920  P4 – receiving order made against Charles Henry Knight

Address: 33 High Street, Folkestone
Possible Practitioner: - See The Yankee Studios - full entry in London Region under address 34 Upper Street, Islington. Also at 54 New Road, Gravesend, Kent
Operating dates: 1906-7

Address: 44 High Street, Folkestone, Kent
Possible practitioner: Firm's name, Valentine, Valentine & Co, Valentine's Photographic Studio. Names of individuals in the firm, not currently known.
Operating dates: 1909-1921
Information and references: This firm of Folkestone photographers appear in local directory entries for 1909, 1913 and 1921. It is not currently known who was behind the firm. One of the earliest advertisements and press reports for the studio suggests that, from the start, they were specialising in cheap work for a wide audience. Folkestone Express, Sandgate, Shorncliffe & Hythe Advertiser - Wednesday 22 December 1909 p6 reported: "Valentine's Studio, 44, High Street. Coming to No. 44 we find it impossible to pass without studying the windows of Messrs Valentine photographers and the reason is not to far to seek. Their prices make it possible for everybody to be photographed without in any way denying themselves other luxuries. For instance we notice their specialities are six greeting Christmas portrait postcards for one shilling, and their beautiful life-like miniatures at 3d. per dozen compel our admiration. No irritating delay, but taken one day the pictures are ready the next." Below is an example of their miniatures from the collection of Ron Cosens www.cartedevisite.co.uk, reproduced with his permission. This is a 28 x 32 mm portrait of a teenage girl in a large flat cap, c1910. The photo appears to be cut from a strip. On the reverse is a rubber stamped text which appears to be "Valentine's 44 High Street Folkestone". A year later in the same newspaper Saturday 24 December 1910 p6 there was a similar report. "Passing Messrs: VALENTINE'S STUDIO, 44, High Street, we notice they are making a big display of "Portrait Christmas Cards" for inserting your photos at prices exceedingly reasonable, starting from 9d. per dozen complete; these cards are dainty and varied, and judging from the specimens of work exhibited, we do not wonder they are having an unusually busy time. Portraits on "Christmas Greeting Postcards" are more popular than ever at the amazing price of "Six for One Shilling." No irritating delay, they are taken to-day and ready to-morrow, at any time and any weather. They invite you to try their Gem Portraits at 3d. per dozen, "just for fun." The studio operated during WW1 but by 1918 had obviously suffered some staff losses to the military and were adverting in women's vacancies: "Photography - operator and saleswoman for busy studio, Valentine 44 High Street Folkestone" (Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald - Saturday 09 March 1918 p8)

GRAVESEND

Address: 54 New Road, Gravesend, Kent,
Possible Practitioner: See The Yankee Studios - full entry in London Region under address 34 Upper Street, Islington. Also at 33 High Street, Folkestone
Operating dates: 1906-7

HASTINGS

Address: 3 Pelham Arcade Hastings 1903-5 (also at 422 Strand 1903- and 62 Dame Street, Dublin, 1903), 16 The Arcade Gt Yarmouth 1904-08, Claremont Pier, Lowestoft
Possible Practitioner: CHIC PHOTO CO, no names of individuals connected with the company are known at this point.
Operating dates: 1903 to 1907, possibly as late as 1910 422 Strand,
Information and references - see entry at 422 Strand London

HOVE

Address: 157a Church Road, Hove
Possible practitioner: DUDKIN, MORDECAI: brother and partner of Abraham Dudkin
Operating dates: 1915
Information and references: David Simkin has full details of the Dudkin family, their photographic business and their studios on his excellent site on Sussex Photographers: www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/DudkinModernStudios.htm.

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LEWES

Address: 28 Station Street, Lewes
Possible practitioner: HENTY, F and COPPARD, W
Operating dates: 1914-15
Information and references: Sussex Agricultural Express - Friday 10 December 1915 p7. Lewes prisoner of war - report of the capture of Sgt F.Henty, Royal Sussex Rgmt. "He will be remembered by many in Sussex as partner in the Sticky Back Studio at 28 Station Street Lewes with Corporal W.Coppard".

Address: Bijou Studio, The Cliffe, Lewes
Possible Practitioner: Believed to be PARRY, Marcus (b.1879 Camberwell)
Operating dates: c.1910 -
Information and references: See below, postcard portrait of a young woman "Phyllis", with the number "9353" in the top centre of the the image. On the reverse "Bijou Studios, Seaside Road, Eastbourne, High Street, Redhill, The Cliffe Lewes and Union Street Plymouth" and impressed in the bottom margin on the face "Bijou Studio, Seaside Road, Eastbourne" . This site on Sussex Photographers lists The Bijou Studio Seaside Road Eastbourne 1910+ with the name of the photographer: Marcus Parby / Parry / Perry. www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/EBNEdirBC.htm. The 1911 census shows photographer and employer Marcus Parry, b.1879 Camberwell, living at 6 Central Buildings, Seaside Road, Eastbourne. Living with him was his wife, Fannie, b.1880 Plaistow, Essex, and children: May b.1900 Forest Gate, Victoria b.1901 Plaistow, and Marcus b.1903 Walthamstow. Also at the same address was Jennie Breach b.1890 Chichester, an employed photographer. In 1901 Marcus Parry was a steam driller at 115 Harcourt Road West Ham and next door to him was a photographer Frederick Breach b.1875 Bristol, and his family, including his daughter Nellie who was later to work as a photographer for Marcus. The 1915 Kelly's Directory shows Marcus Perry at both Seaside Road Eastbourne and as a photographer at 25 Cliffe, High Street, Lewes. (The 1909 and 1911 Kellys Directory shows a second photographer, J.R.Lizars, at Seaside Rd Eastbourne, at No 46. Also in Seaside Rd in 1909 was another photographer, Frederick C Cooper, at 18 Elms Buildings, Seaside Rd. By 1911 Cooper was at 37 Grove Rd Eastbourne. In both cases there are no corresponding entries for these photographers at Lewes, Redhill and Plymouth. ) Local Directories do not show a photographer in High Street Redhill. Union Street Plymouth was a popular location for photographers, with six firms there in 1910 and 1914 - none of these were "Bijou Studio" or Parry, Lizars or Cooper.

MAIDSTONE

Address: 44 High Street, Maidstone
Possible practitioner: Not currently known
Operating dates: 1918-1920
Information and references: This stickyback dshop also dealt in cheap watches as well as photographs. Maidstone Telegraph, Saturday 21 September 1918 p1: " Stickybacks. Bring your old or faded photographs to be copied or enlarged to your photographer, bang opposite General Post Office, High Street, Maidstone." Maidstone Telegraph, Saturday 17 April 1920 p9: " Free offer. Think what this offer is worth to you. Every watch you purchase at Stickybacks we give you a guarantee for 12 months. If anything should happen to go wrong we replace another; Watches from 10s 6d a chain given with every watch free. Another 25,000 watches wanted to repair. Note the address 44 High Street Maidstone."

MARGATE

Address: Fort Arcade, Margate, Kent. (Also 422 Strand, 3 Pelham Arcade Hastings, 16 The Arcade Gt Yarmouth, Claremont Pier Lowestoft).
Possible Practitioner: No name known - the firm traded as the The Chic Photo Co
Operating dates: 1913 - around 1908-10
Information and references: See main entry for Chic Photo Co under the address of 422 Strand, London. This firm may have occupied the same studio as The American Miniature Photo Co listed below, and it is possible that the Chic Photo Co transitioned in some way to The American Miniature Photo co.

Address: Fort Arcade, Margate, Kent. Also at 42 Oxford Street, 352 Strand, 21 Piccadilly
Possible Practitioner: No name known - the firm traded as the American Miniature Photo Co (and possibly later as the British-American Photo Co)
Operating dates: 1910-?1930?
Information and references: American Miniature Photo Co is the name on the reverse of the portrait below. This is a tiny image, just 0.7 x 1.2 inches, on a white card embossed mount measuring 2.3 x 3.2 inches. The design on the mount shows three parts, an outer frame of dashes, a middle frame of leaves and berries over a stippled background, and an inner frame of tiny tulip heads. The aperture in the mount measures 1.1 x 1.6 inches and so the image does not fill the aperture, but is just stuck onto the reverse side of the label. The reverse of the mount has a printed paper label pasted on it with the legend "American Miniature Photo Co. 42 Oxford Street W., 352 Strand, 21 Piccadilly W. London, Also Fort Arcade Margate. Extra Copies can be had" The image itself is an outdoors shot of a woman standing beneath foliage. It looks as though this has been cut down from a wider image which also included a second person. The image has a very black and white contrast, with little by way of greys. Altogether this appears to be a very cheap and poor quality product.
There is no trace of this firm on the Photo London listing (Directory of London Photographers 1841-1908) or in the Kent Kelly's Directories. Both the Strand and the Piccadilly addresses were used by other photographers, but the Photo London listing has no occupants shown for the period when this photograph would have been produced. Kelly's Kent Directories for 1913, 1918 and 1922 have a photographer with a similar name, The British-American Photo Co, listed at 1A Arcade Steps, Fort Arcade, Margate, and in 1930 at 17A Arcade Steps, Fort Arcade, Margate. Anthony Lee's excellent site on Margate Local History has a real photo postcard dated 1927 showing the burnt out remains of the British American Studio following a fire. This probably explains their relocation between 1922 and 1930. Unfortunately no newspaper account has yet been found of this fire and the individuals involved. There is no trace of The American Miniature Photo Co or the British-American Photo Company at Companies House, in the London Gazette, local trade directories (other than stated above) The National Archives or Google. All of this suggests that the American Miniature Photo Co may have been relatively short lived and the Margate trade directory entry suggests the firm may have changed its identity to the British-American Photo Co. Any further information on the firm would be most welcome.

NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT

Address: 110a High Street, Newport, Isle of Wight.
Possible practitioner: SPELLS, George Frederick Cooper (1872-1951)
Operating dates: c 1910-15
Information and references: The six Stickyback portraits below carry the address of 110A High Street, Newport IW. These average around 1.3 x 1.6 inches. Some show a sign board above, some below the sitter, depending on how these were cut from strips of identical photos. The Isle of Wight County Press and South of England Reporter, Saturday 13 September 1913 p1 carried an advertisement "By presenting this coupon at "Sticky-backs" 110a High Street, Newport I.W., you are entitled to twelve photographs of yourself for 3d per dozen". The excellent "IOW Photographers" site at http://iowphotos.info/iowlist.htm has only one entry for this address, for George Frederick SPELLS, who appears there as a photographer in the local trade directories for 1913-1915. These dates could just about match the costumes in the stickyback photos, particularly if the studio was running for a few years before having a directory entry. George Frederick Cooper SPELLS was the son of a baker, born in Fulham in 1872. In 1900 in Ireland he married a Tipperary girl, Susan Eyre, and they went on to raise a family of seven sons. In 1901 George was living in Folkestone where he was employed as the manager of a fancy bazaar. From the dates and places of birth of his children, it would appear that in 1907 the family were in Dover, then by 1909 in Brighton. In the 1911 census return they were living at 66 Eastern Road Brighton and George was a photographic canvasser. This is the only record which has yet been found of any connection with photography, other than the trade directory entries already mentioned. By 1939 George's career had taken a different direction. The family was in Brighton, where George and three of his sons were running a fruit and vegetable business.

Below the first six stickybacks are two others from this studio showing two sitters, side by side. Other stickyback photographers tended to produce a double width photo under these circumstances when more of the signboard would also be visible. This studio used less sophisticated techniques. The next pair of photographs have the sign boards reversed, showing that the negatives have been wrongly printed in reverse. Taken together this suggests this may have been one of the less accomplished stickyback shops.

OXFORD

Address: 29 Queen Street, Oxford
Possible practitioner: BOULTWOOD, SIDNEY, Stickybacks.
Operating dates: 1914
Information and references: We are most grateful to Don Chapman, former journalist and Senior Features Writer with the Oxford Mail between 1959 and 1994, for permission to use here an article which he wrote in 1975 for the newspaper's Anthony Wood column. This relates to the studio at 29 Queen Street and draws upon first hand accounts of the impact of the Stickyback phenomenon on the public and the client's perspective on how the Stickyback shop operated. Don is currently working on a publication in book form incorporating a large number of his articles, which will include this article.
Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette, Friday 9 January 1914 p6: " You must visit the original Mr Stickyback's Electric Studio, with its novel methods of up to date photography. Cenamatagraph (sic) snapshots of yourself. They've all got Stickybacks. Sensational success. Every patron delighted with these charming little snapshots. Note address, Mr Stickyback's Electric Studio 29 Queen Street (Opposite St Ebbe's)". Reading Observer, Saturday 10 January 1914 p9: The original Mr Stickyback's Studio (From Strand, London, Southampton, Brighton, Ipswich, Lowestoft, etc) 17 Oxford Street (opposite McIlroy's) Reading and 29 Queen Street, Oxford." Gloucestershire Echo - Monday 01 June 1914 P4. "YOU MUST VISIT the original Mr Stickybacks ELECTRIC STUDIO With its novel methods of CINEMATOGRAPH PHOTOGRAPHY. CINEMATOGRAPHIC SNAPSHOTS OF YOURSELF. ENORMOUSLY POPULAR The Original Mr. STICKY BACK'S STUDIO From 420 Strand, London, Brighton, Oxford, etc., 84 HIGH STREET (near Bath Road) CHELTENHAM." David Simkin's research into Sidney Boultwood shows that he had a studio at 23 Westgate Street Bath www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/BoultwoodFamilyGallery.htm . The Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Sat 8 Aug 1914 p1, carries an advertisement: " Doormen, two wanted; men used to theatre preferred; only smart young men with good references entertained; permanencies to right men - Full particulars to Studios, 23 Westgate Street Bath or 84 High Street Cheltenham". Linking the Bath and Cheltenham studios in this way shows that these were Sidney Boultwood's studios. The wording of the Cheltenham advert suggests that Sidney did at some stage have a studio in Oxford. The Stickybacks photo below of two young women, possibly sisters, has an Oxford address at Queen St Oxford. The 1911 Kelly's Directory of Oxfordshire lists two photographers in this area: S.Philip Jenkins at 2a Queen's (sic) St Oxford and Joseph Brown Stokes (1866-1940) at 16 Queen St Oxford. In the 1911 census photographer, Joseph Brown Stokes was living in Jersey Villa, Inkerman Rd, Woolston, Southampton. No trace has been found of S Philip Jenkins in the 1911 census. It is possible that Sidney Boultwood took over the premises of one of these two photographers some time before June 1914. See the entry below for the Novelty Portrait Co at 2A Queen Street, which suggests it is likely thas Sidney Boultwood took over his studio.

Address: 2 (or 2A) Queen Street, Oxford. (Also at Pier Hill Buildings, Southend on Sea, Essex, and 56 Camden Road, Tunbridge Wells)
Possible practitioner: The Novelty Portrait Co proprietor believed to be Samuel Payne Jenkins, aka S.B.Jenkins (or S.Philip Jenkins)
Operating dates: c. 1906 - 1907
Information and references: See below portrait of an unknown baby. Image size 1.1 x 1.4 inches, in white mount 2.3 x 3.1 inches with aperture 0.9 x 1.2 inches, with floral embossed border, "The Novelty Portrait Co" printed in red on the face. Reverse has a cover sheet pasted down holding the image in place and printed on the cover sheet "Novelty Portrait Co" and the addresses: "Pier Hill Buildings Southend on Sea, 56 Camden Road Tunbridge Wells, and 2 Queen Street, Oxford".
The first trace of the firm found in the press is dated 21 June 1906 when they advertised on p5 of the Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser "Respectable girl wanted to look after baby. Novelty Portrait Co Pier Hill Buildings". The same advert was repeated on 28 June and 5 July 1906. The firm appears in the 1907 Kelly's Directory of Oxfordshire at 2a Queen Street, Oxford where it is listed with a variation in its name to "the Novelty Art Portrait Co, proprietor S.B.Jenkins". It seems likely that Kelly's Directory has correctly recorded the address as 2A Queen Street as there was an art tutor operating from 2 Queen Street at least from Sept 1902 to October 1908. The firm does not appear in the 1911 Kelly's Oxford Directory, but listed as a photographer at 2A Queen Street was S.Philip Jenkins. Were S.B Jenkins and S Phillip Jenkins one and the same person, or two related individuals ? No trace has been found of the firm in Southend in Kelly's Directories 1906, 1908, 1910, 1912, 1914, 1917, 1922. (There is however a Novelty Photo Co at 8 Springfield Rd Chelmsford in the 1910 Kelly's Directory of Essex, which is probably not related).
No trace has been found of the Novelty Portrait Co in Tunbridge Wells in Kelly's Directories of Kent 1903 or 1913. No trace has been found of the company at Companies House or in The Gazette. The proprietor of this firm is believed to be Samuel Payne Jenkins, b. 7/11/1873 at Wallingford, Berks, who was the son of photographer and hairdresser Henry Jenkins. Henry Jenkins ran the Alpha Studio in Grosvenor Road Tunbridge Wells, a studio previously run by Edward Sims, then D.Everest. In 1891 Samuel was a photographic assistant, as was his sister Polly, living at 40 Grosvenor Rd Tunbridge Wells. Presumably Samuel and Poly worked for their father's business,. In 1901 Samuel was at 17 Grosvenor Rd Tunbridge Wells where he was a photographic operator and employee. In 1911 he was living at 20 Grosvenor Rd Tunbridge Wells and was then a photographer, trading in the name of Samuel Payne Jenkins, and an employer. He was listed as a photographer at 20 Grosvenor Rd Tunbridge Wells in the 1918 Kelly's Directory of Kent. By 1939 Samuel was a photographer living at 40 Grosvenor Rd Tunbridge Wells. In 1939 his daughter, Doris A Jenkins, b.1905 was also a photographer at the same address. When Samuel died in 1949, probate was granted to his wife Amy Ada Jenkins and his son Alan Payne Jenkins, who was also a photographer. According to the 1939 telephone directory Samuel was a photographer and his address was shown as Alpha Studio, Grosvenor Rd, Tunbridge Wells. It may be that Samuel operated throughout his working life at Alpha Studio as a traditional professional photographer, trying the stickyback market as the Novelty Portrait Co briefly around 1906-7.

PORTSMOUTH

Address: 33 Queen Street, Portsmouth
Possible practitioner: HUGHES, DICK
Operating dates: 1905
Information and references: The Era - Saturday 25 February 1905 p27. "Wanted. Quick showing novelties for novelty exhibition (admission free) from Feb 27 onwards. Shares or salary. Space to let for Sticky Backs, Peep Show, &c wire or write, Dick Hughes, 33 Queen Street, Portsmouth" No trace of a photographer of this name in Portsmouth in the 1904 or 1911 Kelly's Directories.

Address: 228 Commercial Road Portsmouth (1912-23), 210 Commercial Road Portsmouth (1920-26)
Possible practitioner: HICKS, F. or DUDKIN, ABRAHAM.
Operating dates: 1912 - 1926
Information and references: Portsmouth Evening News - Saturday 21 June 1913 p8. "Bromide Male Printer wanted immediately for while you wait work; must be smart, with all round knowledge. Apply with references, F.Hicks, Sticky Backs 228 Commercial Road". There is no trace of a photographer of this name in Portsmouth in the 1904 or 1911 Kelly's Directories. However, David Simkin in his excellent site on Sussex Photographers lists this as a studio address for Abraham Dudkin, the Brighton photographer who had taken over Spiridione Grossi's studio at 54 North Street Brighton. David illustrates this with postcards in the name of the Stickyback and Postcard Studios with both addresses and postmarks of 1912 and 1916. Below is a stickyback photo of an unknown boy, the signboard at the top of the image has the address 210 Commercial Rd, so it would be reasonable to attribute this to this Portsmouth Studio. The photo measures 1.2 x 1.6 inches. See also the postcard below of "Little Beatrice" which has the 228 Commercial Road, Portsmouth, address together with 54 North Street and 31 West St Brighton. F Hicks could have been the person managing this studio for Abraham Dudkin.

Address: 250 Commercial Road Portsmouth (1914-18) See 7 High Street Birmingham, entry for Crown Studios

Address: 23 Milton Market, Eastney Road, Portsmouth - see entry for Charles Pybus - under Ashford, Kent, above

READING

Address: 17 Oxford Street, Reading
Possible practitioner: BOULTWOOD, SIDNEY
Operating dates: 1913 - March 1914
Information and references: Stickybacks Studio, 17 Oxford Street, Reading, 1913-14. One of Sidney Boultwood's Sticky Back Studios, listed on his excellent site on Sussex Photographers at www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/BoultwoodStickyBacksStudio.htm where you will find the full history of Sidney Boultwood (1882-1958) and his family. Reading Observer, Saturday 18 October 1913 p4, "You must visit the original Mr Stickybacks Electric Studios (From Strand London, Southampton, Brighton and Provinces). Just a snapshot of yourself. Enormously popular. They've all got stickybascks. 17 Oxford Street (opposite McIlroy's) Reading." Reading Observer, Saturday 17 January 1914 p4: "Just a snapshot of yourself. They've all got stickybacks. Enormously popular. The original Mr Stickyback's Studios (from Strand London, Southampton, Brighton, Ipswich, Lowestoft, etc, 17 Oxford Street (opposite McIlroys) Reading, and 29 Queen Street, Oxford."
Reading Observer 7 Mar 1914 p9: "Positively the last two weeks, don't fail to visit the original Mr Stickyback's studios (from Strand, London and Provinces) 17 Oxford Street (opposite McIlroy's) Reading, just a snapshot of yourself 6d per doz. They've all got stickybacks. Enormously popular." Reading Observer, Saturday 4 April 1914 p1: "Mr Stickyback, late of Stickyback's Studio 17 Oxford Street Reading. Wishes to inform the public that he has no connection with any business carried out at that address. Many thanks for the kind support during ther last four months. The original Mr Stickyback. "

REDHILL

Address: Bijou Studio, High Street, Redhill, Surrey
Possible Practitioner: Believed to be PARRY, Marcus (b.1879 Camberwell)
Operating dates: c.1910 -
Information and references: See below, postcard portrait of a young woman "Phyllis", with the number "9353" in the top centre of the the image. The postcard has been hand cut from a roll of preprinted cards. On the reverse "Bijou Studios, Seaside Road, Eastbourne, High Street, Redhill, The Cliffe Lewes and Union Street Plymouth" and impressed in the bottom margin on the face "Bijou Studio, Seaside Road, Eastbourne" . This site on Sussex Photographers lists The Bijou Studio Seaside Road Eastbourne 1910+ with the name of the photographer: Marcus Parby / Parry / Perry. www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/EBNEdirBC.htm. The 1911 census shows photographer and employer Marcus Parry, b.1879 Camberwell, living at 6 Central Buildings, Seaside Road, Eastbourne. Living with him was his wife, Fannie, b.1880 Plaistow, Essex, and children: May b.1900 Forest Gate, Victoria b.1901 Plaistow, and Marcus b.1903 Walthamstow. Also at the same address was Jennie Breach b.1890 Chichester, an employed photographer. In 1901 Marcus Parry was a steam driller at 115 Harcourt Road West Ham and next door to him was a photographer Frederick Breach b.1875 Bristol, and his family, including his daughter Nellie who was later to work as a photographer for Marcus. The 1915 Kelly's Directory shows Marcus Perry at both Seaside Road Eastbourne and as a photographer at 25 Cliffe, High Street, Lewes. (The 1909 and 1911 Kellys Directory shows a second photographer, J.R.Lizars, at Seaside Rd Eastbourne, at No 46. Also in Seaside Rd in 1909 was another photographer, Frederick C Cooper, at 18 Elms Buildings, Seaside Rd. By 1911 Cooper was at 37 Grove Rd Eastbourne. In both cases there are no corresponding entries for these photographers at Lewes, Redhill and Plymouth. ) Local Directories do not show a photographer in High Street Redhill. Union Street Plymouth was a popular location for photographers, with six firms there in 1910 and 1914 - none of these were "Bijou Studio" or Parry, Lizars or Cooper.

SEAFORD

Address: Not currently known, Seaford, Sussex.
Possible practitioner: Not currently known
Operating dates: c.1914
Information and references: Photo historian Paul Clarke from Bury St Edmunds has posted on Flickr.com images from an Edwardian family photo album which include seven stickyback photographs from an as yet unidentified photographer in Seaford, Sussex. These are individual portraits of young women in Pierrot outfits. The sign board used by the photographer is smaller than other examples, taking up only the left hand half of the top of the images and has a series of numbers/letters and the word "Seaford" in caps in a very narrow font. An example is here: www.flickr.com/photos/runninginsuffolk/16686136147 . From their position in the album these date from around 1914. David Simkin in his excellent site on Sussex photographers lists three firms operating in Seaford at this time www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/NEWHAVENdirAZ.htm , but they all seem to have been well established and traditional commercial firms and so are not likely to be the producers of these images.

SEVENOAKS

Address: 74 High St Sevenoakes, Kent; briefly at Sevenoaks Co-Op store 1906; Bank Street Sevenoaks 1909-1922
Possible practitioner: The Cranbourne Photo Co Ltd, under the personal management of Mr Henry Essenhigh CORKE MRPS
Operating dates: 1899-1922
References: The following advertisement appeared in the Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser, Friday 29 December 1905 p5. "The Cranbourne Photo Co Ltd 74 High St Sevenoakes, under the personal management of Mr Henry Essenhigh Corke MRPS. Post Cards, Stamps. Call or send by post together with this form when filled in, any good photo of yourself and we will send you post free within 4 days 12 handsome black and white picture post cards off yourself for 2s6d or 24 for 4s6d. Or we will copy it to the popular stamp photo size for 9 for 1s or 18 for 1s6d. Orders not accompanied by cash will not be attended to. Look in our windows. Ask for price lists. 3 cabinets for 3s. Photos taken in any weather". By 1909 the firm had moved to Bank Street Sevenoaks. By the 1920s the firm was involved in the supply of photographic equipment and services for amateur photographers as well as all branches of photography. Although he initially offered cheap work in the form of stamp size portraits, alongside cartes, cabinets and postcards, Henry, a Member of the RPS, also positioned himself at the higher end of provincial studios. The Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser, Friday 4 August 1905 p4, reported that Henry had photographed Their Royal Highnesses, the Prince and Princess of Roumania at Knole. Henry died in the 1919 Influenza epidemic and the business was continued by his son.

SHEERNESS

Address: 80 High Street, Sheerness, Kent.
Possible practitioner: MASON, EUGENE and MASON NELLIE, aka Stickybacks or Faces, Manageress Winifred Hunt.
Operating dates: ?1913-15
Information and references: See entry for MASON at Chatham above. Kent Messenger & Gravesend Telegraph, Saturday 24 July 1915 p10: HEAVY FINE UNDER THE LIGHTING ORDER—At Sheerness Police Court on Tuesday, Mr. A. J. Tassell fined a young woman named Winifred Hunt, manageress of "Stickybacks" ' photographic shop, £lO for infringing the Lighting Order by not effectively shading the lights of 80, High: Street, Mile Town. The defendant was represented by Mr. Wallace Watson, solicitor, who was wearing the uniform of a lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. The defence was a total denial of the charge, but the Stipendiary declared he could not believe the police witnesses had come to the Court to commit deliberate perjury.

SHOREHAM

Address: 19 High Street, Shoreham
Possible practitioner: DUDKIN, ABRAHAM and MORDECAI, trading as Modern Studios
Operating Dates: 1918-19
Information and references: The story of Modern Studios and the Dudkin family has been thoroughly researched by David Simkin and is to be found on his excellent site on Sussex Photographers at: www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/DudkinModernStudios.htm . Abraham Dudkin started his photographic career taking over Spiridione Grossi's stickyback studio at 54 North Street Brighton. It is not known whether Dudkin and his brother continued the stickyback products. They certainly produced postcard format portraits.

SOUTHAMPTON

Address: 74 Above Bar, Southampton, 1916-18. 90 Above Bar, Southampton, 1917-18.
Possible practitioner: BOULTWOOD, SIDNEY
Operating dates: 1916-1918
Information and references: Stickybacks Studio, 74 Above Bar, Southampton, 1916-18, Stickybacks Studio, 90 Above Bar, Southampton, 1917-18. Two of Sidney Boultwood's Sticky Back Studios, listed on his excellent site on Sussex Photographers at www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/BoultwoodStickyBacksStudio.htm where you will find the full history of Sidney Boultwood (1882-1958) and his family. An example stickyback photo from this studio has been posted on Flickr.com by artist Paul Jackson, depicting Len Williams from his family tree. You can see the image here.

Address: 3 High Street, Bargate, Southampton
Possible Practitioner: The Novelty Studio Co, or Novelty Studio
Operating dates: c.1902
Information and references: The first photo below in a green card mount with heart shaped aperture with embossed surround has on the face printed in red "The Novelty Studio Co, 3 High Street, Bargate, Southampton". The mount measures 2.25 x 3.25 in. The height of the aperture is 1.1 inch. The photograph, of a teenage girl wearing a lace collar, is approximately 1 inch wide x 1.3 inches tall. The reverse is blank, the photo is held in place be a stuck down plain cover paper. The second example below is a portrait of the same girl, mounted in a white embossed mount with a rectangular aperture with rounded top - measurements are similar. In this instance there is no printing on the face of the mount. On the reverse the image is secured in place by a paper cover slip, on which is printed by rubber stamp: "Novelty Studio 3 High Street, Southampton". The third example below is on a brown / green mount with ovel aperture. It is larger than the two previous examples - the mount being 2.7 x 3.5 inches. The photograph is a double portrait depicting a teenage girl and sister or mother and is 2.3 x 1.9 inches. The photo is held in place with a blue cover paper on which is stamped with a rubber stamp "Novelty Studio 3 High Street, Southampton". The photos are of the same person and appear to be taken at approximately the same time.

Advertisements appeared in the Southern Echo - Saturday 29 March 1902 p3 and Bournemouth Daily Echo - Tuesday 01 April 1902 p1, "Photo Novelty Studio. 3 High Street, Bargate, Southampton. For Easter week only. Photo button or hand painted miniature free with each sitting. Photos 16 for 1s in four positions". There is no trace of this studio in Southampton in the 1902 or 1911 Kelly's Directories, so this studio may have been short-lived. Against this, there are three acknowledgements of photos from this studio in local newspapers in 1914, 1916 and 1923. Of course the photographs may have preceded the dates of publication or the attributions may have been made in error. The Hampshire Advertiser Saturday 26 September 1914 p8 carried a photo of Mr Sidney Herbert, a Southampton Unionist candidate, captioned: "Photo by Novelty Studio Southampton". The Hampshire Advertiser - Saturday 23 September 1916 p8 carried a photo of Mr Hugh Montgomery, killed in action, with the same acknowledgement. The Hampshire Advertiser - Saturday 17 November 1923 p2 carried a photo of Mr Cyril Sharp, appointed under-sherriff captioned "Photo by Novelty Studio Southampton". There were other "Novelty Studios" which may or may not have been connected with this firm - see our entry in the SW Region for The Novelty Studio 184 Union Street, Plymouth.

SOUTHSEA

Address: 21 Elm Grove Southsea (1901-1937) See above Mora Ltd, Brighton.

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TONBRIDGE

Address: 76 High Street Tonbridge
Possible practitioner: Trading as The Alma Studio.
Operating dates: 1903
Information and references: Tonbridge Free Press - Saturday 13 June 1903 p6, and repeated through to Nov 1904. "Photography at popular prices. The Alma Studio 76 High Street Tonbridge. Cabinet portraits 10s doz, Carte portraits 5s doz, Outdoor groups, views etc 8in x 6in 1s 6d, 10in x 8in 2s 0d, 12in x 10 in 2s 6d. A Novelty - Sticky Backs 18 for 1s. A miniature adhesive photograph for your note paper, cards etc."

Address: Tonbridge and Brighton
Possible Practitioner: Trading as The Press Photo Co
Operating dates: 1913
Information and references: Tonbridge Free Press, Friday 11 April 1913 p4, "Stickybacks. The Press Photo Co having closed their branch for the above at Tonbridge, orders for enlargements should be forwarded to them at their works 75 Havelock Road, Brighton. Prices and quality as usual, viz 1s, 1/6d and 2/6d post free. These are enlarged from the original negatives taken at Tonbridge".

TUNBRIDGE WELLS

Address: 56 Camden Road, Tunbridge Wells (also at 2 (or 2A) Queen Street, Oxford and Pier Hill Buildings, Southend on Sea, Essex)
Possible practitioner: The Novelty Portrait Co proprietor believed to be Samuel Payne Jenkins, aka S.B.Jenkins (or S.Philip Jenkins)
Operating dates: c. 1906 - 1907
Information and references: Full details appear in the entry for Oxford on this page

Address: Somewhere in Tunbridge Wells - see entry on London Region Page for The Yankee Studios, 34 Upper Street, Islington.
Possible Practitioner: The Yankee Studios.

WORTHING

Address: 167 Montague Street, Worthing
Possible practitioner: Not currently known
Operating dates: c.1912
Information and references: Photo collector Benicektoo has posted on Flickr.com a portrait of a young woman which appears to be a stickyback photo from 167 Montague Street, Worthing. The portrait can be found at: www.flickr.com/photos/26093461@N00/5601138622 . David Simkin, on his excellent site on Sussex photographers has a list of Worthing studios, but there is no studio which seems to match this address. David lists this image as a photograph from an automatic photo machine at this address http://www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/AutoPortraitsDudkin.htm.

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