Stephen Grey - Brighton Photographer
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Stephen Grey (1822-1891) - Brighton Photographer
Part 1 : 1851-1863
Stephen Grey ( born 1822, Charlwood, Surrey - died 1891, Brighton, Sussex )
Stephen Grey was born in Charlwood, Surrey, in 1822. By 1851, Stephen Grey was living in Brighton, working as a porter and messenger at 57 Marine Parade, where William Constable was operating Brighton's earliest photographic portrait studio. It is likely that Stephen Grey was introduced to photography during his employment at 57 Marine Parade. Later that year, Stephen Grey married a nineteen year old local girl named Jane Ann Wood (born c1832, Brighton). By 1852, Stephen Grey was working as a portrait painter and living in Eastern Road, Brighton. |
Grey & Hall In 1854, Stephen Grey entered into partnership with a Scottish-born photographer named William Hall (c1826 Selkirk). By July 1854, the firm of Grey & Hall had established a Photographic Institution at 13 St James' Street, Brighton. In an advertisement dated 13th July 1854, Grey & Hall announced the opening of their "General Photographic Institution", where they made photographic portraits " by all the most recent and improved processes, by License of the Patentees." An advertisement for Grey & Hall's General Photographic Institution in the Brighton Gazette of 3rd August 1854 reads as follows :
Grey & Hall's General Photographic Institution was unusual in that it offered to take portraits using all three of the available photographic processes. - Daguerreotype, Talbotype and Collodion Positive. The patent on the daguerreotype, a positive image on a silver-coated copper plate, had come to an end on 14th August, 1853, and so, strictly speaking, Grey & Hall did not need to hold a licence for this particular method of photography. The Talbotype was a positive print on paper made from a negative using William Henry Fox Talbot's calotype process, which the inventor had patented in 1841. Professional photographers who wished to produce talbotype portraits were required to purchase a licence from William Henry Fox Talbot. In 1851, Frederick Scott Archer had invented a photographic process which involved coating a glass plate with a sticky substance called collodion. Archer had chosen not to patent his invention, but as the collodion process involved making photographs from a negative, Talbot claimed that the process was covered by his earlier patent. The Collodion Positive was a method by which an underexposed collodion glass negative was placed against a black background to give the appearance of a positive photograph. As Henry Fox Talbot had recently started legal action against photographers who were using the collodion process, alleging they were infringing his patent rights, Grey and Hall decided to purchase a licence from Talbot so that they were free to produce both Talbotype portraits and 'collodion positives.' By 1854, there were only nine photographic studios in England holding licences from Talbot and two of these were located in Brighton - Hennah & Kent's Talbotype Portrait Gallery at 108 King's Road and Grey & Hall's General Photographic Institution in St James's Street.
Grey & Hall's Photographic Institution was located at 13 St James's Street, in the eastern part of Brighton called Kemp Town. St James's Street led to the Old Steine and ran parallel to Marine Parade on the eastern seafront and so was reasonably well located for visitors to the seaside town. Folthorp's Directory for Brighton, which was compiled in September 1854, lists the business premises of Grey & Hall at 13 St James's Street, but within a month the two photographers had opened a second studio in the Old Steine. In October 1854, the firm of Grey & Hall was advertising a second studio at 18 Old Steine, but this branch studio was only in business for a short time. The partnership of Grey & Hall was dissolved on 25th November 1858. William Hall retained the studio at 13 St. James's Street and Stephen Grey established a separate studio of his own. |
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A Coloured Collodion Positive Portrait of Two Young Girls by Grey & Hall of Brighton (c1855) |
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Stephen Grey's Family
Stephen Grey
married Jane Ann Wood (born c1833, Brighton) in Brighton in 1851. [Marriage registered in Brighton during Second Quarter of
1851]. The couple's first child, Sarah Jane Ann Grey was born in
the Spring of 1852 and baptised on 1st August 1852 at St Nicholas's
Church, Brighton. Their second child, Charles Stephen Grey, was
born two years later and baptised in Brighton on 1st October 1854.
Another daughter was born around October 1856 and was Christened with
the name of Frances Mary Grey at Brighton's church of St Nicholas on
2nd November 1856. George Elijah Grey, Stephen and Jane's second
son, arrived during the Second Quarter of 1859. From around 1854, Stephen Grey and his family lived in Park Street, Brighton. When the 1861 census was taken, Stephen Grey, his wife Jane and their four children were recorded at No 19 Park Street, Brighton. Stephen Grey is described on the census return as a "Photographist", aged 39. |
[ABOVE] Details of the Grey Family from the 1861 Census Return |
Stephen Grey's Photographic Career after 1861
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The Carte-de-visite Portrait Not long after Stephen Grey and William Hall parted company, the carte de visite portrait became popular and this led to an increase in the number of photographic studios in Brighton. In 1862, Stephen Grey was one of two dozen photographers who had their own portrait studio in Brighton. In Folthorp's General Directory of Brighton published in 1862, Stephen Grey is listed as a photographer at 20A Norfolk Square. The carte de visite was a small photographic portrait pasted on a card measuring approximately 2 1/2 inches by 4 1/4 inches ( 6.3 cm by 10.5 cm) - the same size as a conventional visiting card, hence its name. Stephen Grey's advertisements in the mid 1860s provide details of the charges he made for his carte-de-visite portraits. At Grey's studio, a single carte-de-visite cost one shilling, while a dozen copies could be had for 5 shillings. Compared to other Brighton studios, these prices were in the middle range. A high class establishment, such as Mayall's Photographic Portrait Studio at 90-91 King's Road, Brighton, charged £1. 1s. for a set of 12 carte-de-visite portraits. * * * * In the mid 1860s, the average earnings of adult male workers was around 19 shillings a week. Adult women earned, on average, 11 shillings a week. |
Part 2 : 1864-1891
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Wells & Grey By 1864, Stephen Grey had joined Francis Ross Wells at 144 Western Road to form the firm of Wells & Grey. Stephen Grey's business partner Francis Ross Wells (c1834-1893) had previously operated a studio at 27, St James' Street, Brighton. The partnership with Wells only lasted about a year and by October 1865, Stephen Grey was the sole proprietor of the studio at 144 Western Road and remained there for the next 10 years.
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Stephen Grey at 144 Western Road, Brighton
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[ABOVE] A carte-de-visite portrait of a seated man by Stephen Grey (Late Wells & Grey), Photographer, 144 Western Road, Brighton (c1865) |
[ABOVE] A carte-de-visite portrait of a young man writing at a desk by Stephen Grey (Late Wells & Grey), Photographer, 144 Western Road, Brighton (c1866). Negative No. 32944 |
[ABOVE] A hand-coloured carte-de-visite portrait of a seated man by Stephen Grey, Photographer, 144 Western Road, Brighton (c1868). Negative No. 55852 |
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[ABOVE] The trade plate of Stephen Grey (Late Wells & Grey), Photographer, 144 Western Road, Brighton, as printed on the reverse of carte-de-visite portrait (c1865). |
[ABOVE] The trade plate of Stephen Grey (Late Wells & Grey), Photographer, 144 Western Road, Brighton, as printed on the reverse of carte-de-visite portrait (c1865). Negative No. 32944 |
[ABOVE] The trade plate of Stephen Grey, Photographer, 144 Western Road, Brighton, as printed on the reverse of carte-de-visite portrait (c1865). Negative No. 55852 |
[ABOVE] Details of the Grey Family from the 1871 Census Return |
Stephen Grey and his Photographer Children At the time of the 1871 Census, Stephen Grey was residing at 51 Cobden Road with his wife and eight children. Stephen Grey is recorded in the 1871 census return as a "Photographer", aged 48. In 1871, the two eldest children, nineteen year old Sarah Grey and seventeen year old Charles Grey, were both assisting their father in his photographic studio and in the census return each give their profession as "Photographer". As each son became old enough to work, another photographer joined the family business. By 1890, Stephen Grey and all four of his sons were working as photographic artists. Towards the end of 1871, Stephen and Jane's youngest daughter, Emily Grace Grey, died before reaching her third birthday. Early in 1873, Sarah Jane Grey, their eldest daughter, married and left the family home. Sarah's place in the Grey household was soon filled by the arrival of Stephen Grey's last child - Sidney William Grey ( birth registered in Brighton during the Second Quarter of 1873]. Some time before 1876, Stephen Grey had returned to his original studio at 13 St. James's Street. By 1882, Stephen Grey had taken his sons into the family business and from this date the studio at 13 St James's Street went under the name of "Stephen Grey & Sons". |
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[ABOVE] A carte-de-visite portrait of a seated man by Stephen Grey, Photographer, 144 Western Road, Brighton (c1872). |
[ABOVE] A carte-de-visite portrait of a woman and child by Stephen Grey, Photographer, 144 Western Road, Brighton (c1872) |
[ABOVE] A carte-de-visite portrait of Miss Margaret King by Stephen Grey, Photographer, 144 Western Road, Brighton (c1871). |
[ABOVE] The trade plate of Stephen Grey, Photographer, 144 Western Road, Brighton, as printed on the reverse of carte-de-visite portrait (c1871). The Dublin International Exhibition mentioned at the foot of the design took place in 1865. |
Stephen Grey at 13 St. James Street, Brighton
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[ABOVE] A carte-de-visite portrait of a bearded man by Stephen Grey, Photographer, 13 St James Street, Brighton (c1876). See below for the reverse of this carte-de-visite. |
[ABOVE] A carte-de-visite portrait of a boy and a young woman by Stephen Grey, Photographer, 13 St James Street, Brighton (c1876). |
[ABOVE] A carte-de-visite portrait of a bearded man in a top hat by Stephen Grey, Photographer, 13 St James Street, Brighton (c1877). See below for the reverse of this carte-de-visite. |
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[ABOVE] The trade plate of Stephen Grey, Photographer, 13 St James's Street, Brighton, as printed on the reverse of carte-de-visite portrait (c1876). The Brighton Aquarium mentioned in the address was opened in 1872. |
[ABOVE] A carte-de-visite group portrait of three men by Stephen Grey, Photographer, 13 St James's Street, Brighton (c1878). |
[ABOVE] The trade plate of Stephen Grey, Photographer, 13 St James's Street, Brighton, as printed on the reverse of carte-de-visite portrait (c1877). |
1881 CENSUS: 51 Cobden Road, Brighton |
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Stephen GREY | Head | Photographer | age 58 | born Charlwood, Surrey |
Jane A. GREY | wife | age 48 | born Brighton, Sussex | |
Charles S. GREY | son | Photographer | age 26 | born Brighton, Sussex |
Ann. E. GREY | daughter | Dressmaker | age 18 | born Brighton, Sussex |
Walter J. GREY | son | Photographer | age 16 | born Brighton, Sussex |
Alice H. GREY | daughter | Scholar | age 13 | born Brighton, Sussex |
Sidney W. GREY | son | Scholar | age 8 | born Brighton, Sussex |
[ABOVE] Details of the Grey Family from the 1881 Census Return
Stephen Grey & Sons
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By 1881, George Elijah Grey had
left the family home, but two of Stephen Grey's photographer sons, Charles and
Walter, worked alongside their father in the family business. From around 1882,
the studio at 13 St James Street went under the name of Stephen Grey & Sons.
Stephen Grey ran a second studio at 48 Preston Road, but these premises were
taken over by the photographer Henry Spink junior after only a year. By 1885,
Grey & Sons had opened another studio at 67 Lewes Road and around 1890, Stephen
Grey vacated the St James Street studio, which passed to the photographer Alfred
James. In 1890, Stephen Grey left Cobden Road and set up home at his new
business premises at 32 Caledonian Road. By this date, Stephen's three eldest
sons had married and were operating their own photographic studios.
Charles S.
Grey had taken over the family studio at 67 Lewes Road and George Elijah Grey
had set up a studio at 70 Islingword Road. When the 1891 Census was taken, the only child living with his parents at the family home was 18 year old Sidney William Grey, who was assisting his father in the Caledonian Road studio. Over the last twelve years of his life, Stephen Grey suffered from an inguinal hernia. In April 1891 it was discovered that the hernia had become strangulated and that an operation was essential. Stephen Grey was admitted to the Sussex County Hospital and underwent surgery lasting three hours. Stephen Grey did not survive his ordeal and, on 29th April 1891, he died. He was sixty-eight years old at the time of his death. Stephen Grey had been active as a photographer in Brighton for nearly 40 years. Five of his children had worked as photographers in Brighton and three of these had operated their own photographic studios in the town. Stephen Grey's second eldest son George Elijah Grey (born 1859, Brighton) had established his own studio at 70 Islingword Road, Brighton around 1889. In 1891, George Grey and his wife Louisa were living in London. He returned to Brighton, but early in 1892, George Grey died at the relatively young age of 32. Stephen Grey's eldest son, Charles Stephen Grey (born 1854, Brighton) ran what he called the Military Photographic Studio at 67 Lewes Road, Brighton until about 1896, when it was sold to Ernest H. Jones. Another son, Walter James Grey (born 1854, Brighton) worked as a photographer in Stephen Grey's Brighton studio from the age of sixteen, but after his father's death he appears to have abandoned photography. In 1901, Walter Grey was working as an "Assurance Agent" in Willesden, Middlesex. Stephen Grey's youngest son, Sidney William Grey (born 1873, Brighton) took over the family studio at 32 Caledonian Road, Brighton, after his father died in 1891. Sidney (who went by the name of "Sydney W. Grey" in adult life) worked as a photographer throughout the 1890s. Around 1899, Sydney W. Grey opened a new studio at 172 Lewes Road, Brighton which he operated until the end of the First World War. By 1921, S. W. Grey's studio at 172 Lewes Road was in the hands of the London photographer Henry Brabazon. |
George Elijah Grey
(1859-1892) George Elijah Grey, Stephen and Jane Grey's fourth child and second eldest son, was born in Brighton during the 2nd Quarter of 1859. George Elijah Grey married Arabella Edwards (born 1856, Horringer, Suffolk) in Fulham, London, in 1887. Arabella Edwards, George's bride, was the daughter of Susannah and Valentine Edwards, a carpenter from Horringer (Horningsheath), a Suffolk village 2 miles south-west of Bury St. Edmunds. Mrs Arabella Grey gave birth to a daughter named Mabel Olive Grey in 1888, when she and her husband were living in Fulham. A second daughter, Elsie Hilda Grey, arrived the following year. George Grey and his family were still living in London at the time of the 1891 census. Sadly, George Elijah Grey died early in 1892 at the age of thirty-two. Following George Grey's death in 1892, his widow Mrs Arabella Grey placed her children in the care of her parents in Horningsheath and went back to work as a cook in London in order to financially support her two young daughters. Around 1908, Mrs Arabella Grey and her two grown-up daughters emigrated to New Zealand.
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The Family of Stephen Grey Stephen Grey (born 1822, Charlwood, Surrey - died 29th April 1891, Brighton, Sussex ). Photographer. Married 2nd Qtr 1851 = Jane Anne Wood (born c1832, Brighton) Jane Ann Grey ( born c1832 Brighton - died 1910, Steyning District ) CHILDREN
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Photographic Studios in Brighton belonging to members of the Grey Family |
GREY & HALL |
13 St James Street |
1854-1858 |
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18 Old Steine |
1854 |
GREY Stephen & SONS |
13 St James Street |
1882-1887 |
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67 Lewes Road |
1885-1889 |
GREY Stephen & SON |
32 Caledonian Road |
1890-1891 |
GREY Charles S |
67 Lewes Road |
1889-1896 |
GREY George |
70 Islingword Road |
1889 |
GREY Sidney W |
32 Caledonian Road |
1891-1892 |
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5 ? Caledonian Road |
1890s? |
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172 Lewes Road |
1899-1918+ |
GREY Stephen |
144 Western Road |
1865-1875 |
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13 St James Street |
1876-1889 |
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48 Preston Road |
1887 |
Acknowledgements & Additional Information |
Thanks to Gill Clayton, a great, great grand daughter of Stephen Grey, for providing additional information on Stephen Grey's family. Thanks also to Alan Fry of Lincolnshire for extra information on Stephen Grey's family. Alan Fry is a great, great grandson of Stephen Grey. Alan's great grandmother was Elizabeth Annie Grey (aka Anne Elizabeth Grey), one of Stephen Grey's daughters. Elizabeth Annie Grey married Elias Richard Patching (1857-1889) in 1884 and together they ran The Bridge Inn at Upper Beeding, where Alan's grandmother was born in 1885. I am grateful to Jenny Harnett of Auckland, New Zealand, for providing further details relating to the family of George Elijah Grey, the second son of Stephen Grey. Jenny Harnett is the great grand-daughter of George Elijah Grey (1859-1892). |
Click on this link to go to : Stephen Grey - Brighton Photographer |
Click on this link to go to : Charles Stephen Grey - Brighton Photographer |
Click on this link to go to : Sidney W. Grey - Brighton Photographer |
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