In December 1860, the Newcastle Journal devoted a short article to what it called “the beautiful art of photography.”

It described how photography was making rapid strides, not only in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, but in neighbouring Sunderland, Durham, North and South Shields.

It continued: “… in all of which towns, portraits of friends and relatives may be had at prices ranging from sixpence to as many guineas.”

I came across the article whilst researching the early years of the celebrated photographic company W. & D. Downey.

Downey began life as a travelling “portrait gallery” in Northumberland and established its first studio in South Shields in 1856.

In drawing attention to Downey’s accomplishments, the Journal article went on to list four Newcastle photographers that it was “unnecessary to call attention to the productions of … as their achievements are well known.”

The four were named as “Turner, Warren, Worden or [sic] Parry.”

For the past few years, I’ve kept an eye out for examples of their carte-de-visite or cdv portraits from the late 1850s when the format was first popularised.

But it’s only in the past few days that, thanks to a well-known auction site, I’ve managed to complete my set.

It was the first-named “Turner” that proved the most difficult to track down.

“Warren,” namely George Christopher Warren (1829-1918), featured in my talk about W. & D. Downey for the Royal Photographic Society Historical Group (see this blog’s Video Talks, 15th March 2023).   

“Worden,” namely Thomas Worden, first established a photographic business in Newcastle in 1854. By the close of the decade, he advertised three city centre locations including a “private studio.”  

Finally, “Parry,” namely William Softley Parry (1826-1915), who like the other studios was integral to the development of commercial photography in Newcastle and the North-East of England.

Now the set is complete, it has prompted an idea for future research projects about their activities.

And here to conclude this post are carte-de-visite portraits produced by the studios of Turner, Warren, Worden and Parry featuring subjects that still meet our eye 160 years later.

If you have any such examples in your collection, I’d be interested to hear about them.

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