Local Photographers
The social history of an area is difficult to fully capture, unless you have amazing local photographers such as Frederick Percy Wallis (of Oakley & Dovercourt Bay) and Owen Coates (of Harwich), who plied their trade on people, as well as places & events in the early half of the 20th Century.
These studio images, family & group photographs are often very difficult to identify as to location, age and individuals, but sometimes a little detective work pays dividends.
Any additional information on the images across the web site are aways greatly appreciated and well received.
These studio images, family & group photographs are often very difficult to identify as to location, age and individuals, but sometimes a little detective work pays dividends.
Any additional information on the images across the web site are aways greatly appreciated and well received.
~ 01 ~ Mr Pouchee & Family, "Egaton", Main Rd, Harwich (1922) Wallis FW ~
~ Undated, but I managed to locate this to the newly constructed promenade below in 1922. F.Wallis was produced this card ~
~ 02 ~ Dovercourt Bay (1922) F.Wallis, the family were sat at the base of the beach huts ~
~ 03 ~ A family Group, West End Beach, Dovercourt Bay (1936) Pheonix H&D ~
~ 04 ~ Beach Crowd, Dovercourt Bay (1923) H&D ~
Another family shot, at Dovercourt Bay (1923) H&D FW ~ close to the lighthouses, which are both out of sight.
~ 05 ~ A happy couple at Dovercourt Bay, on the West End Beach (1919) F.Wallis H&D ~
~ 06 ~ Family, Dovercourt Bay (1921) F & W .Wallis H&D ~
06 Family, Dovercourt Bay (1921) F & W .Wallis H&D FW ~ This family photo was taken near bandstand. Frederick's early pictures were just signed Wallis or F. Wallis. When his daughter Winifred became a partner in 1918 he signed his pictures F & W Wallis.
07 Girl & Bucket & Doll, Dovercourt Bay (1921) F & W .Wallis H&D FW
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~ 08 ~ Sand Girls, Dovercourt Bay (1922) F&W Wallis H&D FW ~
"Sandcastles" at Dovercourt Beach (1922), by F & W Wallis, Studio, Dovercourt
Between 1918 and 1924, Frederick Percy Wallis and his eldest daughter Winifred, ran a photographic studio, along with a kiosk on the beach at Dovercourt. They managed to produce a vast array of interesting postcards of local importance, covering events and places. However both photographers, were also busy alongside holiday makers and residents alike, drumming up even further business. Their legacy provides a rich array of social history, although identifying, people and places, is sometimes difficult, but not in this instance.
Between 1918 and 1924, Frederick Percy Wallis and his eldest daughter Winifred, ran a photographic studio, along with a kiosk on the beach at Dovercourt. They managed to produce a vast array of interesting postcards of local importance, covering events and places. However both photographers, were also busy alongside holiday makers and residents alike, drumming up even further business. Their legacy provides a rich array of social history, although identifying, people and places, is sometimes difficult, but not in this instance.
~ 09 ~ Pheonix Hotel Bathing Beauty (1910) H&D ~
09 A pose on the Pheonix Hotel Bathing Huts (1910) H&D FW ~ This card was produced by the Pheonix Hotel photographer.
~ 10 ~ Strolling along the Prom, Dovercourt, Essex. (1933) Unknown H&D ~
10 Strolling along the Prom, Dovercourt, Essex. (1933) Unknown H&D FW ~ Orwell Terrace & gardens in the background.
~ 11 ~ F Wallis Oakley Studio, Essex (1919) Wallis ~
~ 12 ~ Unknown children's procession (Wallis 1920) ~ Possibly Empire Day H&D ~
~ 12a ~ #08A ~ Empire Day Festival, Dovercourt, Essex (Wallis 1920) H&D ~
~ 13 ~ Empire Day, Dovercourt (1922) H&D ~
~ 13a ~ No 2 Empire Day, Dovercourt Bay (1924) Wallis H&D FW ~
The photo was taken by the newly built Boating Lakes.
~ 14 ~ The funeral procession of the late Alderman W.Groom, Harwich (1910) H&D ~
The funeral procession of the late Alderman W.Groom coming down Main Road, from Harwich (1910) H&D FW. The redoubt is up on the right, with the photo taken from the window of 76 Main Road "Sea View" which at this time was being used as the Y.M.C.A.
~ 15 ~Manor Road, Neighbourly Club Outing (1947) H&D ~
~ 16 ~ Promenade Steps, Dovercourt, Essex (1910) Unknown H&D ~
16 Something to smile about on the promenade Steps, Dovercourt Bay, Essex (1910) H&D FW
~ 17 ~ Fronks Lane, Dovercourt (1918) Wallis H&D ~
17 An early Wallis postcard of an Oakley Lane, Gt Oakley or Little Oakley ? (1912) Wallis H&D
~ 18 ~ Owen G Coates, Music & Photography Shop, Church St, Harwich (1911) H&D ~
This photograph of Owen G Coates store in Church Street, Harwich was probably taken during the coronation celebrations of King George V.
The shop sold musical instruments, sheet music, gramophones, photographic equipment and many postcards (Owen was a prolific photographer producing many local postcards, with subject matter around naval shipping and military equipment, most probably due to his personal naval history).
The photographs of the surrendered German submarines at Harwich in 1919 are particularly well documented.
The premises were demolished after world war two (see final colour postcard) being replaced by flats.
Owen Stokes lived locally and moved to Dovercourt at the turn of the century, residing at 19 Lee Road, Dovercourt.
The shop sold musical instruments, sheet music, gramophones, photographic equipment and many postcards (Owen was a prolific photographer producing many local postcards, with subject matter around naval shipping and military equipment, most probably due to his personal naval history).
The photographs of the surrendered German submarines at Harwich in 1919 are particularly well documented.
The premises were demolished after world war two (see final colour postcard) being replaced by flats.
Owen Stokes lived locally and moved to Dovercourt at the turn of the century, residing at 19 Lee Road, Dovercourt.
~ 19 ~ Naval Studio Photos, Harwich & Dovercourt ~ Owen Coates (1910) H&D ~
~ 20 ~ Kerby & Son, Harwich & Ipswich (1906) H&D ~
~ 21 H.Walter Studio Photo, Ipswich (1905) H&D ~
Harwich Coal Trimmers (1910) H&D F
~ "Coal Trimmers Gang" on the loading barge, Harwich, Essex, (1910) H&D ~
This group photo of the coal trimmers gang at Harwich, shows the men taking a well earned rest away from the hard labour. The job of a coal trimmer or trimmer is a position within the coal-fired ship which involves all coal handling tasks, starting with the loading of coal into the ship and ending with the delivery of the coal to the stoker or fireman.
Most of the coal arriving at Harwich came via the railways and had to be unloaded by these men and then transferred to barges and stored in coal depot ships, until it was required at a later date by the ships, particular the Royal Navy during WW1. In the 1920s, virtually all of the world's steam-powered ships burned coal.
However, in the 1950s oil emerged as a cheaper, cleaner, less bulky alternative, and the coal-fired ship became just about obsolete.
Also in the photograph is Mr Hill (2nd from left, with glasses) who was the owner and local coal merchant.
This group photo of the coal trimmers gang at Harwich, shows the men taking a well earned rest away from the hard labour. The job of a coal trimmer or trimmer is a position within the coal-fired ship which involves all coal handling tasks, starting with the loading of coal into the ship and ending with the delivery of the coal to the stoker or fireman.
Most of the coal arriving at Harwich came via the railways and had to be unloaded by these men and then transferred to barges and stored in coal depot ships, until it was required at a later date by the ships, particular the Royal Navy during WW1. In the 1920s, virtually all of the world's steam-powered ships burned coal.
However, in the 1950s oil emerged as a cheaper, cleaner, less bulky alternative, and the coal-fired ship became just about obsolete.
Also in the photograph is Mr Hill (2nd from left, with glasses) who was the owner and local coal merchant.