| Description | Collection of glass plate negatives, plastic negatives lantern slides and prints from the photographic firm of Maddison and Hinde (later Whitney).
ARTHUR MADDISON
Arthur Maddison established a photography business in Huntingdon in the mid-1850s. At the time of the 1851 census he was living in St Luke's parish, Finsbury, London, with his brothers Charles and John. All describe themselves as upholsters, the profession of their father John. At some time between 1851 and 1854 Arthur trained as a photographer, possibly in Bedford. By 1854 Arthur was describing the technique for the production of positive images using waxed black paper and Archer's collodion emulsion in the Journal of the Photographic Society. The earliest billhead for his business found so far is dated to 1859 (accession 815). On this he describes himself as a "Photographic Artist and Chemist. Manufacturer of superior collodion…"
In 1861 Arthur was lodging with the Berreseford family in Huntingdon’s High Street and is described as a "photograph artist". In the same year he advertised his "superior collodian and varnish," again in the Journal of the Photographic Society . He had also established another studio in Bedford as an early 1860's carte de visite found among the Baumgartner records (accession 3915) advertises Arthur Maddison as "Artist and Photographic Chemist, Huntingdon and at No. 1 Priory Terrace, Bedford."
The earliest glass plates among the Whitney collection date from the 1860s and it was during this decade that Arthur established himself as a photographer of note in Huntingdon and Bedford, photographing local families, properties and events. In 1868 he photographed the Prince of Wales during his visit to Kimbolton Castle (WH/1/38-40) and from this date he described himself as a Royal photographer and incorporated the Prince of Wales feathers into his advertising art work. The 1871 census records that Arthur Maddison was a portrait painter and photographer in the High Street, Huntingdon, employing Charles W. Blair as his photographic printer.
In 1874 Arthur married Julia Hinde, the widow of Michael Hinde, plumber and glazier of Bedford, in Lambeth parish, London. Julia already had two sons, Frederick and Albert, and one daughter Gertrude, all of whom were born in Bedford. Arthur and Julia went on to have three more sons, Arthur A., Harold C.M. and Cecil W.M. Maddison.
In the 1870s Arthur moved his business from the High Street to 74- 75 Ermine Street, Huntingdon. The 1877 Trade Directory lists him as a photographer at North End, Huntingdon (i.e. Ermine Street) and also in Godmanchester. Arthur and his family were living in Post Street, Godmanchester at the time of the 1881 census (apart from Arthur's two step-sons, Frederick and Albert Hinde who were at a boarding school in Margate). By 1884 the trade directory records that Arthur Maddison was only at North End, Huntingdon and was no longer listed as a photographer in Godmanchester.
Arthur Maddison died in 1887 and his stock in trade, including lenses, cameras and working plant was valued at £120 (4824/253). It has been thought that the photography business was taken over by Arthur's step-son Frederick Hinde (aged 19 at this time), but the family papers in accession 4824 reveal that on 15th April 1887 Julia Maddison, Arthur's widow, entered into an agreement with a Thomas Percy Graham, photographer of St Mary's, Bedford. Percy Graham agreed to hire the Studio and also agreed to "employ Frederick Michael Hinde (son of the Lessor) in the said Business at a Salary of Ten shillings per week." A letterhead dated January 1888 reveals that Percy Graham was operating as a photographer at the St Mary's Studios, Bedford, the Royal Art Studios, Huntingdon and at The Studio, St Ives (4824/249).
Percy Graham presumably continued renewing his annual lease until 1890, when on the 28th May he and Julia Maddison entered into a new agreement (4824/253). Julia agreed to accept the surrender of the lease of the studio, from Percy Graham who also agreed to "do all that he can to introduce his present Customers to Frederick Michael Hinde … and otherwise do all in his power to assist him in establishing a good Photography business both in St Ives and Huntingdon." Percy also agreed not to practise photography or establish such a business in St Ives or Huntingdon or within a fifteen mile radius under the penalty of £50. It therefore appears that Frederick Hinde trained under Percy Graham for three years, and that by 1890 he was ready to take over his stepfather's business and trade under the name of Maddison and Hinde.
FREDERICK HINDE
Frederick Michael Hinde was born in Bedford on 1 October 1868, the son of Michael Hinde, plumber and glazier, and his wife Julia. He was educated at boarding school in Margate and at Biggleswade Grammar School. According to ‘Who's Who in Huntingdonshire and Northamptonshire’ Frederick commenced his training as a photographer with his stepfather Arthur Maddison, and took sole charge of the business in 1892 (not 1890 as above). Frederick was still operating the studio in St Ives (listed as in the Sheep Market in the 1898 trade directory) and also one in the Union Bank Chambers in the High Street in Bedford under the name of Carpenter and Hinde. An article published in ‘Illustrated Bedfordshire: its History and Commerce’ in 1895 (accession 2638) contains photographs of the Union Bank Chambers premises and describes the studio as "containing the latest appliances for carrying on their work, some of them being their own invention… the studio contains one of the finest cameras that modern ingenuity has been able to invent. It is of double expansion, and can be extended to five feet in length, and brought to any desirable position. It takes any size of photograph, from a midget to a 15in. by 12in. plate."
From the 1890's the business continued to expand. The order book (accession 2086) shows that Frederick Hinde was in constant demand to photograph local dignitaries, families, events, the local militia, houses, sports' teams and even animals. He was also involved in local life, becoming a Town Councillor in 1905, the Secretary of Trinity Church, Huntingdon, a member of the Huntingdon Lawn Tennis Club, Assistant Scoutmaster of the 4th Hunts Troop. He was also a keen footballer and member of the Huntingdon Town team until his resignation owing to a serious accident, and was also a member of the Huntingdon Rowing and Cricket Clubs.
In 1896 Frederick married Maud Leila Violet Bayntoun and both he and his new wife continued to live at 74-75 Ermine Street with Julia Maddison and Frederick's sister Gertrude and brother Cecil. In 1903 a fourteen year old lad called Ernest Whitney joined the business as an assistant. Writing many years later from New Zealand, he described his early days at the business (accession 2638/Z1). Mr Hinde used the studio built by Arthur Maddison in the garden of the house in Ermine Street and was assisted by his half-brother Cecil Maddison until he emigrated to Canada. He writes that "Mr Hinde was not in any way content to continue the Business exactly as it had been in Mr Maddison's time. He was first and foremost a portrait photographer (and still used the fine stipple retouching of Maddison's day) - in this he was a past master! - but I can never remember him branching out in any way, or trying out new ideas and methods." He also wrote that "at first practically all our work was the P.O.P. daylight printing method …. our enlarger was a box, fitted into the dark room roof, and negatives were placed in frames outside, so printing was by daylight through the box in the roof. (This method was a pretty dangerous performance!). Mr Hinde used bromide papers for enlargements."
On 15 October 1925 Julia Maddison died, aged 89. In her will she left all her household furniture and effects in her house to Frederick and that he should "have the option of purchasing… my freehold property known as 74 & 75 Ermine Street". The administration account reveals that Frederick did pay £700 for the Ermine Street property. However, Frederick did not live to complete the administration of his mother's estate (this was not completed until 1929 due to property disputes) as he died on 9 March 1927, intestate and without issue, leaving his widow Maude Leila. His brother and sister Albert Hinde and Gertrude Wells, and her two children, were his only remaining blood relatives.
In June 1927 Ernest Samuel Whitney, photographer, entered into an agreement with Maude Leila Violet Hinde, Frederick's widow, for the purchase of the studios in Ermine Street, Huntingdon and at St Ives for £200. Ernest Whitney had, of course, been employed by Frederick Hinde in 1903 as a 14 year old assistant and he had worked at the studio for six or seven years.
ERNEST WHITNEY
Ernest Whitney was born in Hartford in 1890. By 1911 he was operating as a photographer on his own as the ‘Huntingdonshire Coronation Souvenir’ brochure of that year contains photographs taken by him. In 1915 he joined the army and went to France the following year, where he was wounded at Ypres. He later joined the Royal Flying Corps (see WP/1/1-99) and served as a photographer in No. 39 Squadron. After the war ended Whitney returned to Huntingdon and restarted his business. In1924 he is listed in the trade directory as a photographer at 148 High Street, Huntingdon, and 28 Great Whyte, Ramsey. In the same year he married Evelyn Hayes of Southampton. By 1928 he had also added 74 Ermine Street and the studio at St Ives to his list of studios, following his purchase of them from Maude Hinde. He advertised his studio in the High Street as an "Electric Photographic Studio," and described himself as a "Camera Artist and Press Photographer."
In 1938 he volunteered for the RAF reserve as a photographer. He was called up in August 1939 at the age of 49, and in September he was sent to France as part of the RAF’s advance striking force. In 1940 he returned to Britain and was posted first at RAF Wyton, then at RAF Bomber Command headquarters in High Wycombe. After the war he played an active part in Huntingdon’s local government and became Mayor in 1950.
During his long career Whitney was responsible for taking many well-known photographs of Huntingdonshire and its residents. He was the official photographer at the Papworth settlement, and took photographs for the Hunts Post newspaper. He retired from professional photography in 1959 and emigrated to New Zealand in the early 1970s. Whitney died there in 1978. |