Hastings-Whiteman
Professional Photographers in Hastings : The Whiteman Family of Hastings
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Edwin Whiteman (c1834-1876) - Mrs Jane Whiteman (c1835-1919) - Edwin Henry Whiteman (born 1857-1917)
William Whiteman (1861-1911) - Walter Whiteman (born 1863)
Edwin Whiteman (1834-1876) Edwin Whiteman (born 1834 - baptised 20th July 1834 - Udimore, Sussex ) was a bookseller & stationer by trade. Edwin Whiteman was the son of Sarah and William Whiteman, an agricultural labourer of Udimore, Sussex. William Whiteman (born 1793, Udimore, Sussex) worked as a farm labourer for most of his working life. William Whiteman's wife Sarah was born in 1801, either at Ewhurst or Bexhill in Sussex. At the time of the 1851 census, Edwin Whiteman was living in Hastings with his parents, his sister Sarah Whiteman (born c1837, Udimore, Sussex) and younger brother Albert Whiteman (born 1842, Winchelsea, Sussex). In the 1851 census return, Edwin Whiteman is recorded as a "House Servant", aged 16. Sometime in the 1850s, Edwin Whiteman moved from Sussex to Cambridge. In 1856, Edwin Whiteman married Jane Fanny (Frances) Grout (born c1835 Cambridge). Two sons were born in Cambridge - Edwin Henry Whiteman (born 1857, Cambridge) and Albert Whiteman (born 1859, Cambridge). By 1861, Edwin Whiteman senior had returned to Sussex and by the mid 1860s he had established a bookshop and stationery business at 52 High Street, Hastings. Edwin Whiteman's business premises was known as "The Library". In 1866, Godbold & Co., a firm of photographers, opened a branch establishment at Mr. Whiteman's Library, 52 High Street, Hastings. The founder of the firm, the photographer Henry James Godbold (born 1842, Islington, London), had established a photographic studio in Hastings at 2 Robertson Street, the year before. Around 1868, Edwin Whiteman senior purchased the studio at 52 High Street from Messrs. Godbold & Co. The new owner Edwin Whiteman employed an experienced photographer from London, John T. Lane ("from Gush & Ferguson's, Regent Street, London") to manage the studio at Whiteman's Library. John Lane left Whiteman's Library to set up his own studio at Belle Vue House, Marine Parade, Hastings around 1869. From this date Edwin Whiteman senior operated the studio at 52 High Street, Hastings himself, and after 1869, the carte-de-visite portaits produced at the studio carry the trade plate "E. Whiteman, Photographer, 52 High Street, Hastings", rather than the words "Photographed at E. Whiteman's, High Street." However, Edwin Whiteman did employ a young professional photographer named Edward Bex (1846-1928) to manage his studio On 13th October 1876, Edwin Whiteman senior died, aged 42. From this date, the Whiteman studio was run by his widow Mrs Jane Whiteman and her three photographer sons - Edwin Henry Whiteman (born 1857, Cambridge), William Whiteman (born 1861, Hastings) and Walter Whiteman (born c1864, Hastings). At the time of the 1881 census, Edwin Whiteman senior's widow, Mrs Jane Whiteman is recorded at 52 High, Street Hastings with seven of her children and Mrs Sarah Whiteman, the eighty year old mother of her late husband. Jane Whiteman is described as a "Stationer", aged 45. Two of Jane Whiteman's sons, nineteen year old William Whiteman and Walter Whiteman, aged 17, are entered on the census return as photographers. Also residing at 52 High Street, was Mrs Whiteman's fifteen year old daughter Jane and four Whiteman children of school age - George (aged 10), Frederick (aged 8), Frank and Ellen (both aged 5). Edwin Henry Whiteman, the eldest son, was living with his wife and two young daughters at 7 Carlton Terrace in Egremont Place, Hastings. Edwin Henry Whiteman, like his two younger brothers, gives his profession as "Photographer".
Edwin Henry Whiteman (born 1857, Cambridge) By 1887, Edwin Henry Whiteman, the eldest son, had become the proprietor of the studio at 52 High Street, Hastings. In 1876, Edwin Henry Whiteman had married Annie Wilkinson (born c1857 Woodchurch, Kent ) . By 1881, the couple had produced two daughters - Grace Annie (born 1876, Hastings) and Lily (born 1879, Hastings). Two more daughters followed - Gladys May (born 1884, Hastings) and Edith (born 1887, Hastings). By 1890, Edwin H. Whiteman had vacated the studio at 52 High Street, Hastings. Edwin Whiteman left Hastings and established a studio at Landgate in Rye, Sussex. Edwin's brother, William Whiteman (born 1861, Hastings) moved to London where he found employment as a "Photographer's Assistant". The photographic studio at 52 High Street, Hastings was taken over by Henry Lea (born 1853, Southwark, London). In 1891, Lea sold the studio to Richard Hill (born 1855, Islington, London). Finally, the studio at 52 High Street, Hastings passed to Harry Bartram Boyd (born c1869, Holloway, London), who occupied the studio until 1901. Edwin Henry Whiteman in Rye Edwin Henry Whiteman moved to Rye, Sussex around 1890. Annie Whiteman gave birth to a son in Rye during the March Quarter of 1890. The boy was named Edwin Henry Whiteman, after his father. From 1890 to 1894, Edwin Whiteman operated the studio at Landgate, Rye. When the 1891 census was taken, Edwin Whiteman, his wife Annie, and their five children were living at 15 Ferry Road, Rye. Edwin Whiteman is recorded as a "Photographer", aged 34. By 1895, Edwin Whiteman had opened a new studio in Cinque Ports Street, Rye. Edwin Whiteman worked as a photographer in Rye until around 1915. |
[ABOVE] No 52 High Street, the flint-faced building at the extreme right of this photograph, was the location of Whiteman's Bookshop and Photographic Studio in Hastings. [ Photo by F. J. Parsons, 1911 ]
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[ABOVE] A portrait believed to be that of Edwin Henry Whiteman (1857-1917), a photographer who worked in the Sussex towns of Hastings and Rye between 1876 and 1917. This portrait, which has been passed down through the Whiteman Family, probably dates from around 1876, the year of Edwin's marriage to Annie Wilkinson. (See portrait on the right) | [ABOVE] A portrait believed to be that of Mrs Annie Whiteman (born c1857, Woodchurch, Kent), the wife of the Sussex photographer Edwin Henry Whiteman. This portrait, which dates from the late 1880s, was one of a pair in matching frames which have been passed down through the Whiteman Family. |
PHOTOGRAPHS: Courtesy of Mrs Anne Webb, the great grand-daughter of Annie and Edwin Henry Whiteman |
To read about Edwin Henry Whiteman's photographic career in Rye, click on the link below: |