Directory of Travelling Photographers 1841-1881
The idea of creating a Directory of Travelling Photographers was inspired by RTFHS member Chy Hersey’s searches for ‘van dwellers’ in the British Newspaper Archive, connected to an interest in the family history and social history of Romanies and Travellers in the British Isles.
As Chy began to gather references, many were of ‘travelling photographers’ – and it soon became evident that relatively little had been researched and documented about this occupation or the lives of the individuals who followed it, even though there were considerable numbers of them even within 20 years of the invention of photography.
There was obviously pioneering work to be done and Chy took up the challenge. This Directory is the result – and now Chy has kindly allowed the RTFHS to make it available online to benefit those who have Romany or Traveller ancestors who give their occupation as ‘photographer’ in historic documents as well as people with a broader interest in the history of photography.
Part 1 of the Directory of Travelling Photographers is below, covering the period 1841-1881.
Further phases will added in due course as will additional names as more travelling photographers are discovered and extra biographical information about them comes to light.
Directory of Travelling Photographers Part 1 1841-1881
This page last updated: 1 April 2024.
