Photographers M

Charles & Mrs Monson, Northampton

Charles (1830 or 31 to August 1904) and Mrs Monson, photographers, 12 Bridge Street, Northampton, opposite the George Hotel.

James and Susannah Monson of Colchester, Essex, had four sons who became photographers:Edward, (born 1821/2), Benjamin, (born 1824), Philip (born 1829) and Charles.

In the eighteen-fifties Charles was drawing master but in 1853 he shifted the main focus of his activity from portrait and miniature painting to photography and set up a temporary studio at Mr Francis’ Nurseries in Hertford, in partnership with his brother Philip.

His advertisement of that period, described him as “Professor of Writing, Artist, Photographer, Drawing Master, &c…. Pupils systematically instructed in different styles of Writing, Bookkeeping, Oil Painting, Free Sketching, Perspective Drawing, and Photography.” By 1855 he had left the partnership with Philip.

In 1859 the Monsons had a studio at 53 Leicester Road, Northampton. Between 1861 and 1872 there were regular trade directory entries for a studio at 12 Bridge Street, Northampton. They produced albumen cartes-de-visite in the 1860s and in 1863 Charles was summoned to Althorp to photograph Edward VII who, then Prince of Wales, was visiting Earl Spencer.

The Monson’s advertisements of 1869 (and this card) boast thede patronage of the Prince of Wales. In the sixties they removed to 12 Bridge Street, and were for a long time established as one of the leading photographers of the town.

Mrs Monson died, and with her Mr. Monson “lost his business hand” according to the obituary in the Northampton Mercury. In 1873 he sold the business to Mr. Law, who was still there when Monson died in 1904.

In the 1881 census Manson was listed as a portrait painter and photographer, widower, living in Belgrave, Leicestershire. By 1891 he was living at 6 Semilong Place, Kingsthorpe, Northamptonshire and there is an 1893 trade directory entry for a studio at 39 Overstone Road, Northampton.

The Mercury of 26 August 1904 recorded his death the previous week at Northampton Workhouse, describing him as a former prominent tradesman in the town: “He returned, poor and old, a year ago, and went into the Workhouse to end his days.”

Sources: Early Photographic Studios by Robert Pols; Halstead/Halsted Family History