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Derbyshire
Photographers' Profiles by Brett Payne, of Tauranga, New Zealand Percy Rowbottom of Matlock Bath |
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| Percy Rowbottom worked as a
photographer in Matlock
Bath from at least 1908 to 1912. |
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| William Percy Rowbottom was born
in Derby in 1865. As a teenager, he worked as a butcher's
shop
boy in West Derby, Lancashire, but by 1891 he was working as a draper's
assistant at Scarthin, Matlock in Derbyshire. At about this
time,
he started painting landscapes, perhaps under the tutelage of his
uncle, Frederick F. Foottit, who is described as a landscape and figure
artist in the 1871, 1881 and 1891 censuses. His mother Ann
and
uncle Fred were children of Derby attorney & solicitor, James
Foottit (1807-). In 1897, Percy married Edith Mary Baker, who
was
also an artist, and they settled at Glenmore Cottage, Dale Road, Matlock. The 1912 Kelly's trade directory listed him as a photographer, operating "by the Royal Hotel, Matlock Bath." A mounted, large format photo dated 1908 shows him working from a studio in Temple Walk, Matlock Bath, and an example of a postcard has been submitted (see below), probably produced c. 1901-1904 for the tourist industry. |
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| "Three
little maids" and onlookers, probably in Derwent Gardens, on the bank
of the Derwent River by Percy Rowbottom of The Studio, Temple Walk, Matlock Bath Dated (on the reverse) 1908 Format: Other Size: Mount 250 x 200 mm Photo 150 x 110 mm Image © & courtesy of John Palmer |
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| Notes: This photograph features on John Palmer's Wirksworth web site, and I am very grateful for his permission to reproduce it here. John suggests that the three girls dressed in Japanese kimono-style dresses may have been advertising or taking part in "The Mikado," Gilbert & Sullivan's popular light opera, first staged in 1885. | |
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| "Royal Museum Petrifying Well" by Percy Rowbottom of Matlock Bath Undated, but probably taken before 1904 Format: Post Card Image © & courtesy of Michael Greatorex |
| References
Images & information kindly provided by Michael Greatorex and John Palmer 1841-1901 UK Census - online from Ancestry.com FreeBMD International Genealogical Index - online from the LDS church Anon (1891) Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland & Nottinghamshire, Kelly & Co., London. University of Leicester's Digital Library of Historical Directories Anon (1895) Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire, Kelly & Co. Limited, London. Anon (1895) History, Topography, and Directory of Derbyshire, T. Bulmer & Co. - by kind courtesy of Sonia Addis-Smith Anon (1912) Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire 1912, Kelly's Directories Ltd., London. |
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