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| John Lovell
Hart was
born in Worcester in 1865, second son of a stone mason Alfred Samuel
Hart
(1837-1906) and his wife Mary Ann. In the early 1870s, they
moved
to
Ashbourne in
Derbyshire, and by April 1881, when John was only 15, he already
described
himself
as a photographer! It is probable that he was employed by one
of
the two other photographers operating studios in Ashbourne at that
time, Robert
Bull (Railway Station &
Compton) or Frank
Simpson
(St.
John
Street). However, a carte de visite of a young lady dated
tentatively in
the
early 1880s (see below), suggests that he was already operating under
his own
name at a
relatively young age.
By 1887,
J.L.
Hart had
himself opened a studio in Market Place, Ashbourne, and continued
operations there
until at least 1891. John married Mary Elizabeth Taylor in
1889. The census of April 1891 shows that they were living at
Clifton, just
outside
Ashbourne, with their first son. Between then and 1895,
however,
Hart's
commercial premises moved to Butchers' Row. He was still
operating as a
photographer
in Ashbourne as late as 1901. The Victoria Studio premises in
Victoria Square, Butcher's Row were taken over by R.
& R. Bull in 1905
(Adamson, 1997). |
| Portfolio |
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Mary
Tipper (1839-1890) and family by J.L. Hart of Ashbourne, Undated, but probably taken c. 1887-1889 Format: Carte de visite Image © & courtesy of Martin Jackson Notes (MJ & BP): Mary (surname unknown) was born at Normanton-on-Soar, Nottinghamshire in 1839 and died at Hollington on 9 Oct 1890 (see Martin's web site for more details). She married John Tipper (1841-1931) in about 1863. They lived at Hollington, Derbyshire - where John worked as a wheelwright - and had ten children including four surviving sons, all born at Hollington: Arthur (b. 25 Sep 1864), Horace Roland (b. 1868), Herbert (b. 12 Feb 1872), John (b. 1878) and Edgar W. (b. Jan 1881). The three younger sons appear to be included in this photograph, and it was probably taken c. 1887-1889. |
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Unidentified
man by J.L. Hart of Victoria Studio, Ashbourne, Undated, but probably taken in the late 1880s Format: Cabinet card Size: Mount 110 x 167 mm Photo 102 x 145 mm Image © & courtesy of Brett Payne Notes: This older man appears to
have
a large growth on his nose. Perhaps the photograph was taken
as medical curiosity. |
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Unidentified
young woman by J.L. Hart of Victoria Studio, Ashbourne, Undated, but probably taken in the early 1890s Format: Carte de visite Image © & courtesy of Ellen Oakley Nothing further is known about this photo |
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Unidentified
young girl, possibly in
christening dress by J. Lovell Hart of the Victoria Studio, Ashbourne Undated, but probably taken in the late 1880s to early 1890s Format: Carte de visite, with gilt edges Size:Mount 64.5 x 103 mm Photo 59.5 x 91 mm Image © & collection of Brett Payne Notes: |
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Unidentified
elderly gentleman by J.L. Hart of Ashbourne Undated, but probably taken in the early 1890s Format: Cabinet card Size: 106 mm x 167 mm Image © & courtesy of Ian Ward Notes: This photograph is from an album which contains several members of the family of Ashbourne photographer Henry Hinge, and was inherited by Ian Ward from his aunt, a niece of Henry. Ian has speculated that this gentleman was Henry's father William Absalom Hinge (c1831-1881), but I believe he may have died too early to have been pictured in this photo. |
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Group
of four unidentified gentleman by J.L. Hart of Ashbourne Undated, but probably taken in the early 1890s Format: Cabinet card Size: Mount 108 x 168 mm Photo 102 x 143 mm Image © & courtesy of Brett Payne Notes |
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Unidentified
child by J.L. Hart of Ashbourne Undated, but probably taken in the mid-1890s Format: Cabinet card Size: Mount 107 x 166 mm Photo 96.5 x 142 mm Image © & courtesy of Brett Payne Notes |
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Mary
Louisa Hinge (b. 1872) by J.L. Hart of Ashbourne Undated, but probably taken in the early to mid-1890s Format: Cabinet card Size: 96 mm x 139 mm Image © & courtesy of Ian Ward Notes: Mary Louisa Hinge was one of four children of William Absalom Hinge (c1831-1881) and his wife Mary Ann Hurd (1832-1889), and a younger sister of Ashbourne photographer Henry Hinge (see below). She was born at Ashbourne in 1872, and married Thomas Ward in 1904. At the time of the 1891 Census, Mary Louisa was employed as a domestic cook in the house of magistrate Thomas O. Farmer, at Derby Road, Sturston. Later photos of Mary Louisa Hinge may be found in the Henry Hinge profile. |
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Henry
"Harry" Hinge (b. 1861) by J.L. Hart of Ashbourne Undated, but probably taken in the early 1890s Format: Carte de visite Size: 62 mm x 103 mm Image © & courtesy of Ian Ward Notes: Henry Hinge was one of four children of William Absalom Hinge (c1831-1881) and his wife Mary Ann Hurd (1832-1889), and an older brother of Mary Louise Hinge (see above). At the time of the 1891 Census, Henry was living with his wife Henrietta and three daughters at St John Street, Ashbourne. A later photo of of Harry may be found in the Henry Hinge profile. |
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Charles
Williamson (1870-) by J.L. Hart of Ashbourne Undated, but probably taken in the early to mid-1890s Format: Carte de visite Image © & courtesy of Martin Jackson Notes (MJ & BP): Charles "Charlie" Williamson was born c. 1870 at Mickleover, Derbyshire (see Martin's web pages for more details). |
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Unidentified
young woman by J.L. Hart of Ashbourne, Undated, but probably taken in the early to mid-1890s Format: Carte de visite with plain tissue protector Size: Mount 63.5 x 103 mm Photo 61 x 90 mm Mount: Stiff card, dark green on the front, grey on the reverse, with bevelled gilt edges, gilt printing on the front, brown printing on the reverse Image © & collection of Brett Payne Nothing further is known about this photo. |
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Unidentified
young man by J.L. Hart of Ashbourne, Undated, but probably taken in the early 1890s Format: Carte de visite Mount: Dark green card with bevelled gold edges Image © & courtesy of John Bradley Nothing further is known about this photo. |
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Unidentified
young woman by J.L. Hart of Ashbourne, Undated, but probably taken in the early to mid-1890s Format: Carte de visite Size: Mount 65 x 105.5 mm Photo 58.5 x 89 mm Mount: Dark green card with bevelled edges Image © & collection of Brett Payne Nothing further is known about this photo. |
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| References
Images provided by Brett Payne, Ian Ward, Martin Jackson, Ellen Oakley and John Bradley 1841-1901 UK Censuses - online from Ancestry.com 1901 UK Census index - online from the PRO FreeBMD International Genealogical Index - online from the LDS church Anon (1887) Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire, Kelly & Co., London. 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 |
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