Hastings - Wieler-Wright

 Click here to return to home page 

Professional Photographers in Hastings & St Leonards ( W4 )

Carl WIELER - Henry J. WILSON - William J. WILLMETT - George WOODS (amateur) - Walter WRIGHT

W. J. WILLMETT of Pelham Crescent, Hastings

[ABOVE] William Willmett's business premises was located at No.14 Pelham Crescent on the left-hand corner of  Pelham Crescent. Wilmett's shop can be seen immediately to the right of the white awning on the left of this photograph of  Hastings' Pelham Crescent taken around 1910. In the middle of the photograph is the Church of St. Mary-in-the-Castle which was the centre-piece of Pelham Crescent.

William John Willmett (1869-1956)

William John Willmett was born in Chelsea, London, in 1869, the youngest child of Helen Georgiana Pearce (born 1833, Chelsea), a dressmaker, and Joseph Hill Willmett (1818-1873), a pastry cook. Joseph Hill Willmett, William's father, was born in West Teignmouth, Devon  and early in his career he worked as a baker in Exeter, Devon. (The surname of Willmett is rather unusual and originates from Devonshire). Joseph Hill Willmett took up employment in London as a confectioner and pastry cook and in 1853 he married Helen Georgiana Pearce in Chelsea, Middlesex. William John Willmett was the youngest of six children and was brought up in the Chelsea/Pimlico area of London.

William John Willmett worked originally as a licensed victualler. On 10th February 1897, William John Willmett married a thirty-three year old widow Mrs Jenny Manders (nee Barrett). Jenny Barrett was born in Battersea, London around 1863. She had married Richard Donald Manders in 1889, but he had died in 1895, aged 32.

By 1899, William John Willmett was running the 'Lord Palmerston' public house in Staines Road, Hounslow. The 1901 census records William J. Willmett as a "Licenced Victualler", living with his wife Jenny at the 'Lord Palmerston Inn', Staines Road, Hounslow, Middlesex. The couple were still running the 'Lord Palmerston'  public house in 1906. On 13th February 1906, William John Willmett's wife Jenny died at the 'Lord Palmerston' hotel at the age of 48.

After the death of his wife, William John Willmett moved down to Hastings where he established a Fancy Repository business at 14 Pelham Crescent. William John Willmett is listed as the proprietor of the Fancy Repository at 14 Pelham Crescent, Hastings in the Sussex trade directories of 1911 and 1915. In the Trades Section of Kelly's 1918 Directory of Sussex, W. J. Willmett is listed under the heading of "Photographers", with a studio address of 14 Pelham Crescent, Hastings.

In 1920, William John Willmett married Fanny Louisa Meek (born 16th September 1887, Belper, Derbyshire), the daughter of Lillian and Herbert Meek, a professional photographer who had run studios in Twickenham, Middlesex and at Deal in Kent. Herbert Meek (born 1866, Richmond, Surrey) was the eldest son of Ferdinand James Meek (1843-1886), a professional photographer who had operated a studio in Richmond, Surrey in the 1880s. William and Fanny Willmett became the parents of a son, whom they named John within a year of their marriage. [ The birth of John R. Willmett was registered in Hastings during the third Quarter of 1920 ].


As W. J. Willmett was based in Hastings from around 1910 to 1956, his career as a Hastings photographer might have been lengthy. The photographs by W.J. Willmett in my collection appear to date from the period around the First World War. W.J. Willmett was not listed as a professional photographer in trade directories until around 1918, but it is quite possible that he took photographs as a sideline to his "fancy repository" business, taking studio portraits at his shop premises in Pelham Crescent on Hastings seafront or taking his camera on to the beach or Hastings Pier. The photographer's credit which appears on the reverse of a postcard portrait produced by William John Willmett around 1918 reads: "W. J. Wilmett, Pier Photographer, also Pelham Crescent, Hastings" which suggests that Willmett actually had a portrait studio on Hastings Pier itself.

William John Willmett died on 14th February 1956 at St Helen's Hospital in Hastings. William J. Willmett was aged around eighty-six when he died.

 

[ABOVE] Another view of Pelham Crescent, Hastings showing William Willmett's shop and studio on the left-hand corner of  Pelham Crescent.

 

[ABOVE] A postcard format portrait of  a young couple photographed by William John Willmett (c1918). The photograph carries a printed credit on the reverse which reads: "W. J. Wilmett, Pier Photographer, also Pelham Crescent, Hastings.

Group Portraits by William John Willmett of Pelham Crescent

[ABOVE] A postcard format portrait of  a group of visitors staying at the Belgrave Boarding Establishment, Hastings by William John Willmett (c1918). Printed on the reverse of the postcard are the words "W. J. Willmett, Pier Photographer, Works - Pelham Crescent, Hastings".

[ABOVE] A group of holidaymakers on Hastings Pier photographed by William John Willmett (c1920). Printed on the reverse of the postcard are the words "W. J. Willmett, Corner Pelham Crescent, Hastings".

 
Studio Portraits by William John Willmett of Hastings

[ABOVE] A postcard format portrait of  a seated woman with a boy standing at her side by William John Willmett (c1914). The photograph is blind stamped "W. J. WILLMETT, HASTINGS".

 

 

 Click here to return to home page