Yeovil people
Frederick Christopher
Photographer
|
|
Frederick George Christopher was born in 1851 at Upwey, Dorset, Much of his early life was spent on the railways and in the 1881 census he was listed as a Railway Guard living with his family in Bedminster, Bristol. He became a professional photographer around this time and had a photographic studio at 131 Victoria Street, Bristol, certainly between 1885 and 1887 (the carte de visite at left dates from this period). By 1891 he was lodging in Crewkerne (without his family) but established his studio there during the following decade in Abbey Street. |
Probably
in the
early
1890s,
but
certainly
by 1893
he had
established
a studio
at 38a
Middle
Street,
Yeovil,
managed
by
Walter
Pead and most
likely
the
former
studio
of
Adam
Gosney.
He was listed in Whitby's Yeovil Almanack Advertiser from that year until 1903. Collins' Yeovil Directory listed him in 1907 and the Post Office Directory of 1919 was his final trade listing.
Frederick Christopher died in Crewkerne on 22 February 1925. His son, Frederick James, also became a photographer.
GALLERY
From my
collection
A cabinet card by Frederick Christopher ‘of Crewkerne & Yeovil’. The registered back of the card dates to the early 1890s by CE&G and this date is reinforced by the nascent ‘leg of mutton’ sleeves of the sitter which are typical of this period.
From my
collection
An attractive, yet very unusual portrait in landscape format, dating to between 1900 and 1910.
From my
collection
Two cartes de visite by Christopher, again dating to between 1900 and 1910. That to the right is from the latter part of the decade when Christopher opened a studio in Chard.
From my
collection
During the Edwardian period (1901-1910), Christopher slowly stopped producing cartes de visite and cabinet cards, moving almost exclusively to the postcard format, as in these two examples - that at the left showing a fashionable young lady, while at the right are two members of the Yeovil Temple of the Salvation Army in uniform..
