In the 1861 census, William Lane, his wife Caroline, and his two daughters, are recorded at 213 Western Road, Brighton. William Lane is entered on the census return as a "Photographic Artist", aged 43. Kate Lane, William Lane's seventeen year old daughter, is described as an "assistant" to her father.
Around the time of the 1861 census, William Lane was acting as the Manager of the Carte de Visite Company, a firm that specialised in the production of carte de visite portraits (small photographic portraits on card mounts the size of visiting cards - roughly 2 1/2 inches by 4 1/4 inches or 6.3 cm by 10.5 cm). Lane's studio at 213 Western Road carried the title of the Carte de Visite Company for only a year or so and by the end of 1862, the studio name reverted to that of the proprietor - "W. Lane".
By the end of 1861, William Lane was renting an additional studio at 401/2 North street, Brighton. Trade directories of 1862 list William Lane as a "photographic artist" with studios at 213 Western Road, Brighton and 401/2 North street, Brighton. Around 1863, William lane ended his business operations in Western Road and North Street and opened a new studio at Talbot House, 32 Queen's Road, Brighton. An advertisement in a Brighton Trade Directory of 1864, declared that "Mr. Lane has much pleasure in announcing his removal to more convenient and commodious premises" at Talbot House, 32 Queens Road.
[ABOVE] The trade plate of the Carte de Visite Company, 213 Western Road, Brighton (c1862). The Carte de Visite Company was managed by William Lane in the period 1861-1862.
