Bognor Postcard Publishers

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Picture Postcard Publishers in Bognor

Robert Briant Burgess - King & Wilson - Webster & Webb - Edward Lawrence Wood

 

Robert Briant BURGESS ( born c1866,St. Pancras, London)

Robert Briant Burgess was born in St. Pancras, London in 1865, the son of Eliza and Robert Burgess senior, a carpenter from London. By 1899, Robert Briant Burgess has established a fancy stationers and toy store at Waterloo House, Waterloo Square, Bognor, which he called the Bognor Library & Bazaar. In the 1901 Census, Robert Briant Burgess is described as a "Stationer", aged 35.

In 1903, Robert Briant Burgess married Louisa Bakewell (born 1874, Derby), the daughter of Ann and Thomas Bakewell, a retired builder from Derby. Kelly's 1905 Directory of Sussex records Robert B. Burgess at 'Alvaston', Canada Grove, Bognor, in its list of Private Residents in Bognor. The 1915 edition of Kelly's Directory of Sussex lists Robert Briant Burgess as a "fancy stationer" at Waterloo House, Waterloo Square, Bognor.

From around 1907 until 1912, a large number of pictorial postcards were published in Bognor under the name of R. Briant Burgess. Many of the picture postcards issued by Burgess in this period had been produced by the Scottish firm of Valentine Ltd. of Dundee. Rendel Williams of the Sussex Postcards.Info website has noted that after the First World War, Robert Briant Burgess was publishing views of Bognor that were not originated by Valentine Ltd.

Robert Briant Burgess died in Chichester, Sussex, in 1946 at the age of 80.

Click on the link below to view a selection of picture postcards published by R. Briant Burgess of Bognor between 1907 and 1918 on Rendel Williams' excellent Sussex Postcards Info website:

R. Briant Burgess of Bognor

[ABOVE] A picture postcard entitled "Sands and Kursaal, Bognor" published by R. Briant Burgess of the Bognor Library and Bazaar, Waterloo Square, Bognor. Above the credit "Published by R. Briant Burgess, Bognor" is the trademark of Valentine Ltd. of Dundee, a J. V. inside a circle.

 

[ABOVE] A photograph of Waterloo Square, Bognor, showing in the centre of the picture the location of  the Bognor Library & Bazaar, the bookshop and stationers owned by Robert Briant Burgess. (1903)

[ABOVE] Detail of  the preceding photograph showing the Bognor Library Bazaar owned by Robert Briant Burgess, who published a large number of Bognor postcards.

KING & WILSON

[ABOVE] Details of King & Wilson of Bognor as printed on the reverse of a picture postcard. 

The firm of King & Wilson were described as "Theatrical Photographers and View Publishers". King & Wilson operated from 8 Pier Arcade, Bognor from around 1915 until about 1930.The firm of King & Wilson were amongst the top half dozen picture postcard producers in Bognor during and after the First World War, but they also produced studio portraits.

Some of the picture postcards published by King & Wilson carry a photographer's credit of "KING, PHOTO, BOGNOR". The photographer could have been Fred King (born 1883, Littlehampton), the son of Alfred King (born c1850, Isle of Wight), a professional photographer in Littlehampton who had retired around 1910.

 

 

 

[ABOVE] A photograph entitled "A Big Splash" published as a picture postcard by King & Wilson, 8 Pier Arcade, Bognor. The original photograph is credited to King.

 
 
[ABOVE] A photograph labelled "E. BOGNOR"  published as a picture postcard by King & Wilson, Theatrical Photographers and View Publishers, 8 Pier Arcade, Bognor. The photograph is credited to King, Pier Studio.  

WEBSTER & WEBB

William Boucher Sutton WEBB ( born 1863 Holborn, London)

Webster & Webb were a firm of booksellers & stationers which produced picture postcards in Bognor between 1905 and 1910. The firm of Webster & Webb had its own printing works as well as selling books, stationery and fancy goods. The Library and Stores of Webster & Webb were based at 61, 63 & 65 High Street, Bognor. The original Library building dated back to the 1820s. By the 1870s the Library building was in the hands of Henry Lovett (born 1838, Cricklade, Wiltshire ), a stationer and printer and the proprietor of the Bognor Observer newspaper. On 5th April 1891, Henry Lovett sold his printing and stationery business to his future son-in-law William Boucher Sutton Webb of the firm of Webster and Webb. Rendel Williams of the Sussex Postcards Info website has identified William Webb's business partner as Mrs Webster of 1 Canada Grove, Bognor.

William Boucher Sutton Webb was born in Holborn, London in 1863. In 1899, William B. S. Webb married Kate Lovett (born c1868, Chelsea), the daughter of Henry Lovett, the former owner of the bookselling and stationery business at 61 & 63 High Street, Bognor. The printing business in Bognor's High Street passed to William Webb in 1891. From around 1905, Webster & Webb started to produce coloured picture postcards of Bognor. Although the pictorial cards were printed and published by Webster & Webb, the photographers who actually photographed the views are not identified.

 

Click on the link below to read an account of the postcard publishing firm of Webster & Webb of Bognor on Rendel Williams' excellent Sussex Postcards Info website:

Webster & Webb of Bognor

 

 

[ABOVE] The Library of Webster & Webb at 61, 63 & 65 High Street, Bognor. The Library building dates back to the 1820s. The original library was established by Robert Knapton, but in the 1840s it was run by Mr Hounsom. The bookselling and stationery business was acquired by Henry Lovett , the proprietor of the local newspaper, the Bognor Observer. Lovett sold the business to William Webb, his future son-in-law,  in 1891.

   

[ABOVE] A postcard view of The Western Esplanade, Bognor published by Webster & Webb of 61, 63 & 65 High Street, Bognor.( Post-marked 6th January 1905).

[ABOVE] A postcard view of The Sands, Bognor, originally published by Webster & Webb, but re-issued by J. & S. Worssell.

http://www.sussexpostcards.info/gallery.php?PubID=319&PicID=2

Edward Lawrence WOOD (born 1878, Bognor, Sussex)

Edward Lawrence Wood was born at Bognor in 1878, the son of Anne Wood (born c1849, Ockley, Surrey) and Edward Wood (born 1855, Ware, Hertfordshire), a printer and postmaster of 25 High Street, Bognor. By 1901, Edward Lawrence Wood was earning a living as a bookseller in Bognor. A local trade directory of 1905 lists Edward Lawrence Wood as a bookseller at 19a High Street, Bognor. In 1904, Edward Lawrence Wood married Katrine Ella Barrett (born 1880, Chichester), a hospital nurse who worked at the Broyle Road Infirmary in Chichester. The couple's son, Eric Wood, was born in Bognor during the 2nd Quarter of 1906.

From around 1905 to 1915, Edward Lawrence Wood produced picture postcards of Bognor under the name of E. Lawrence Wood. According to Rendel Williams of the Sussex Postcards Info website Edward Lawrence Wood was still in business at Bognor in the early 1920s, finally leaving the area around 1924.

Click on the link below to view a selection of picture postcards published by Edward Lawrence Wood of Bognor between 1904 and 1920 on Rendel Williams' excellent Sussex Postcards Info website:

Edward Lawrence Wood of Bognor

[ABOVE] A picture postcard produced by E. Lawrence Wood entitled "Bognor, High Sea" (1915)

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