Pressphotoman’s ongoing search for stereoscopic photographs by the early press photographer James Edward Ellam (1857-1920) can report an exciting development.
One of his stereocards has been identified in the archive collection of Queen guitarist Sir Brian May thanks to co-curators Denis Pellerin and Rebecca Sharpe.
This wonderful 3D image features ‘Deansgate, Manchester’ with the city’s Anglican cathedral in the background
It’s captioned and dated ‘1894’ on the verso in Ellam’s distinctive handwriting.
Rebecca tells me that the card was added to the BMAS collection as part of a lot acquired in 2019.
Looking at the card’s style and colour, this newly-discovered example also appears significant in researching the pioneering Fleet Street photographer’s career.
In 1894, Ellam was working as a chemist’s assistant in the North Yorkshire town of Yarm where he lodged with tailor and fellow amateur stereographer Henry Bradley (1852-1937).
Like ‘Deansgate, Manchester,’ the stereo below also features rounded corners and is presented on black card.
Though uncaptioned, research has identified its subjects as Henry Bradley with his wife Dorothy and some of their children.
The Bradley Family blogpost – 21st September 2023
The stereo was one of around 30 acquired by Pressphotoman from an Ebay auction in 2023 that can be attributed to James Edward Ellam.
If, like ‘Deansgate, Manchester’, the group portrait was taken in 1894, the Bradleys and their lodger were soon on the move to Dunmow in Essex where Henry took over another tailoring business.
This relocation gave Ellam proximity to London and allowed him to pursue a professional stereography career, first with Underwood & Underwood and then London News Agency Photos.
To add to my excitement about the newly discovered Ellam stereo, an example of Henry Bradley’s stereography has also emerged from the Brian May Archive of Stereoscopy (BMAS).
Though untitled, the rural scene features an ‘H. Bradley, Dunmow’ stamp on the verso.
Research into the stereography of both James Edward Ellam and Henry Bradley continues.
Pressphotoman 
Leave a comment