Thomas Barnes, Photographer
The most prolific nineteenth century East End photographer was Thomas Barnes, responsible for producing over one hundred thousand portraits taken between 1858 and 1885 at his studio at 422 Mile End Rd in Bow.
Although these cartes de visite are without names, Barnes numbered most of his pictures – enabling us to create a sequence and establish an indication of their dates, as demonstrated by these fine examples selected from Philip Mernick‘s collection gathered over the past twenty years.
Remembered today primarily for his widely-discredited before-and-after photos commissioned by Dr Barnardo, nevertheless Thomas Barnes’ studio portraits reveal a photographer of abundant talent and accomplishment. It is a poignant gallery of withheld emotion, bringing us face to face with anonymous long-dead East Enders who are now inhabitants of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park.
Number 4178 – taken between 1858 & 1864
Unnumbered
Number 21236 – 1867
Number 33999 – taken around 1870
Number 34101 – taken around 1870
Number 37432 – taken after 1873
Unnumbered
Number 38774 – taken after 1873
Number 41536 – taken mid-1870s
Unnumbered
Number 43979 – taken mid-1870s
Number 44425 – taken prior to 1877
Number 47385 – taken prior to 1877
Number 53458 – 1877
Number 56157 – 1877
Unnumbered
Number 57248 – 1877
Number 65460 – taken between 1877 and 1880
Number 75384 – taken after 1880
Photographs reproduced courtesy of Philip Mernick
Biographical details of Thomas Barnes supplied by David Webb
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Lovely!
Please can we see the widely-discredited before and after photos too?
I would love to know the names of these people. As a family historian I have looked at so many unnamed photographs and wondered “who are you?”
Barnardos restrict publication of Barnes’ before-and-after photographs
Wonderful pictures. Wish I had pictures of my relatives but they were later than this !!
More of these would be welcome.
Would all of the sitters have been East Enders? Do we know if Barnes’ reputation as a photographer would have drawn in customers from other, more affluent parts of London?
I remember as a child showing a friend a picture my mother told me she’d had taken when she was 4/5(this would have been in the mid 1920s). He turned it over and pointed out that it had been printed on a post card. I was a bit embarrassed and thought my mother had made the story up. Many years later I learned better!
Interesting to note the American spelling “color” on his card.
Gary
“Those were the days, my friends…”
Love & Peace
ACHIM
A wonderful collection of photos. Valerie
A really lovely selection of portraits. If only there were names for all these lost sitters! Perhaps were was an order book with some of the names … but now gone.
I’m curious about the portrait of the young man wearing a jacket, waistcoat and paisley scarf (it is noted as ‘unnumber’ but comes above a portrait of a woman noted as ‘Number 57248 – 1877’). In the left-hand button hole of both his waistcoat and jacket he’s wearing a white (being a black and white photograph it might not be white, perhaps yellow?) ribbon. Do you have any idea what this signifies?
More, more old photos please.
To Rae,
Many of the photos in the US where post cards. So the photo could be mailed to loved ones living far away. Sadly, my family exchanged them, many have no names. Sad! I still enjoy looking at them.
I purchased an old frame, there was an old photo of 2 children within it. I could not throw out the old photo so I move the photo to another frame and call the children “instant adopted family”.
A lovely collection which clearly shows just how important having photographs taken was. Adults and children alike seem to be wearing their very best clothes but there is a marked contrast to the collection of studio portraits that I have of my great grandparents and their six children which were all taken by photographers in Hackney. The studio props that these photographers used are very grand, and the portrait of one child, Stanley Fielder Greenwood, which was taken circa 1880, shows him sitting on a rocking horse, a toy which was, I believe, only introduced to this country in the 1870s. My grandmother’s first portrait, taken circa 1875, shows her wearing an outfit very like that worn by the child in the photo numbered 75384.
Many of the portraits that I am so lucky to have were taken in the studios of Austin & Co in
Mare Street Hackney.
I also noted and wondered about the American spelling of color!!
Pauline.
I have a collection of Victorian cartes de visites and postcard-sized photos, from the ancestors of a second cousin. Some of the photos were taken in Calcutta, some in Epsom, St John’s Wood or Baker Street. One is from Barnes in Mile End Road, with serial number 53776, which from the photos above would date it to 1877. Thank you!
Hi Marsha,
Thanks for that extra information. I’ve often looked at my picture and wondered “is that really mum?” Then I look at a picture of myself at the same age and realise it certainly could be!
I have a photo of my grandparents taken by ‘international studios’ 422 Mile End Road. I would love to find out the date if possible – it is very similar in style to these. It has no number on it unfortunately. Many thanks Sue Carr
Is there an archive of Barnes’ photos? I have a number, however, I’d like to get a date the photo was taken, or an approximation. Also, possibly, other family members photos might have been taken at the same time.