Camera production started around 1886.

Van Neck, established in 1897, are described as opticians and photographic cabinet workers, he specialised in repairs and special orders. In 1919 he joined with R.E. Peeling to form Peeling & Van Neck.

Vanguard was established in 1897 or late 1896. W. Ethelbert Henry founder of Vanguard died in 1938.

Vergara sold an early film having a hardened bichromated gelatine base for use in either ordinary dark-slides or Vergara's slide which held a double length of film wrapped around a central partition. The film, patented by F.H. Froedman, was advertised in sizes of quarter-plate to 10" x 12", whole-plate film cost 7/6 per dozen.

F.J. Vergara had earlier patented a film base with W.B. Woodbury consisting of gelatine coated paper (BP 9575/1885). Development of the film probably ended with Woodbury's death in 1885 leading to Vergara using Froedman's process. Java House was Woodbury's home address.

F.J. Vergara died late 1894 or early 1895.

Vevers were wholesalers of cameras, fittings and lantern equipment. They were probably established around 1887.

Vevers was made bankrupt in 1903 when the business was at 13 North St. (probably not photographic).

Primarily retailers but also marketed re-badged products under their brand name of Zodel.

The company, founded in 1839, originated in Sheffield. In 1903 Wallace Heaton, previously the manager of Hardcastle in Brighton, took over an existing retailer - Watsons & Norris (from where the 1839 date originates). In October 1918 they became a limited company with a capitalisation of £10,000. In 1919 they opened the first branch in London. In 1925 the Sheffield part of the business was separated to become Wallace Heaton (Sheffield) Ltd. In 1927 the manager William McIntosh took over the Sheffield operation running it under his own name. In Sheffield shops were at 19 Change Alley, 84 High St. and Norfolk St. The address of 17-29 Change Alley is also mentioned. A further outlet was in Rotherham.

H.S. Newcombe was with Wallace Heaton for 23 years, he moved to Ross in 1945.

Manufacturers of shutters and the Penna strut camera.

The company was jointly owned by Austin Edwards and Nelson, Dale & Co.

The Warwick Trading Co. was registered with capital of £25,000, J.D. Baucus was president, Charles Urban was secretary (later described as M.D.). G.A. Smith of St. Anne's Well Brighton was taken over by the Warwick Trading Co. in 1899, (George Albert Smith was an early film maker).

Charles Urban left the Warwick Trading Co. to start his own business - Charles Urban Trading Co. Ltd. at 48 Rupert St. London - in 1903. That company was wound up in 1921.

Maguire and Baucus opened the first Kinetoscope parlour in London at 70 Oxford Street in 1894. They were then using the name of the Continental Commerce Company.

The manufacture of the early Standard meter was by R. Field & Co. in Birmingham. In late 1900 production was taken over by the Watkins Meter Co. William McKaig was works manager prior to running the company in 1931. McKaig assisted Watkins with his book 'The Old Straight Track'. Alfred Watkins (b. 1855, d. 1935) was elected a member of the RPS in 1894.

Manufacturers of cameras and apparatus to the trade. In 1891 the partnership between Benjamin Taylor Watkinson and Henry Lonsdale trading as Watkinson and Lonsdale was dissolved. In 1895 the partnership between B.T. Watkinson and William Abbott Daniel, trading as Watkinson & Company was dissolved. In 1899 B.T. Watkinson left the firm, William Barker Mason continued the business. Established around 1878 according to advertisements.

The Henry Lonsdale referred to above is possibly one of the partners in Lonsdale Brothers who started trading in 1891.

W.B. Mason was connected with Taylor & Co., chemists, of Leeds later to become Taylor's Drug Co. retailers of cameras (much later this firm merged with Timothy Whites). Watkinson probably made for Taylor's Drug company.

Advertised as manufacturers in the 1887 YBP and in the early 1890s.

Thomas William Watson, gunmaker, started the firm around 1875. For a time he worked for the firm of William Watson at 313 High Holborn. T.W. Watson's father was Thomas Watson (b. 1818) the brother of William Watson. In 1884 he was joined by his brother, Arthur Henry, the firm was renamed Watson Brothers. Around this time they diversified from gunmakers into optical and mathematical instrument manufacturing later they also moved into electrical equipment. In 1893 they opened a second shop at 31 Cockspur Street, this was closed in 1898 and from then the firm concentrated on gunmaking at new premises at 29 Old Bailey.

Listed in the LPOD photographic section for 1886 only as an operative chemist and photographic dealer.

The establishment date is given as 1837, the earliest definite reference is for 1841 when William Watson was a 'general dealer' at City Road. In 1868 William was joined by one of his sons and the firm moved into gun making, optics and, later, photographic supplies. Camera making started in the early/mid 1880s, an advertisement of 1886 says that they now have a larger factory.

Charles Henry Watson son of William joined the firm in 1883, he was elected a member of the RPS in 1900. Other sons were George F. Watson and Thomas Parsons Watson. William Watson, the founder, died in 1881, the firm then passed to T.P. Watson, on his death, in the late 1890s, the firm was run by C.H. Watson and Frederick William Watson Baker. In the 1880s the Watson family were living at the 313 premises. A photograph of C.H. Watson is contained in the Photographic Dealer for June 1902.

From 1888 parts for Watson cameras were made to standard sizes making lost or damaged parts easier to replace, these cameras had serial numbers above 6000. Patents were issued to T.P. Watson. See the BJA 1892 for an illustration of the premises.

In 1889 the British Journal of Photography made a visit to Fullwood's Rents, it describes a large highly-mechanised factory on four floors with around 100 people working there. Woodworking machines included saws, planners and moulders. Wood and brass parts for cameras were made on spec and stored, it was noted that it took two weeks for a workman to assemble and finish a whole-plate camera from parts that have already been machined. As well as woodworking they made brass work for cameras at the factory. Lens grinding and brass work for lenses was carried out at 313 Holborn.

A.E. Conrady joined the firm as chief optician and adviser in 1902.

313 High Holborn is on the south side between Chancery Lane and Southampton Bldgs. Fullwood's Rents was on the north side of Holborn opposite 313 Holborn, it is now Fulwood Place.

Watson & Sons and Watson Brothers

Watson & Peacock

The company was founded in 1839, in 1903 Wallace Heaton (the person), previously the manager of Hardcastle in Brighton, took over the firm. In 1918 the limited company of Wallace Heaton was formed and Watsons is for a short time shown as part of Wallace Heaton Ltd. The Watson name was dropped by 1920. In 1925 the Sheffield part of the business was separated to become Wallace Heaton (Sheffield) Ltd. In 1927 the manager William McIntosh took over the Sheffield operation running it under his own name.

Founded by J.B.B. Wellington and H.H. Ward in 1894. In July 1922 they acquired Leto Photo Materials (1905) Ltd, in 1930 they became part of the Ilford Group. Wellington previously worked for Elliott & Son and Kodak at Wealdstone. The Photographic Dealer for September 1900 has a report of a visit to the factory, it notes that there are nearly 100 people employed there. In 1922 the partners are given as James Booker Blakemore Wellington, Harry Whitworth Hall and Harold Hunter Ward.

Roll-film production started in 1902.

John Werge (b. 1825) describes himself in the 1881 census as 'Dealer In Photographic Materials Employs One Boy'. He was living at the Berners St. address at this time. Werge was previously manager for Jabez Hughes, Hughes moved here from Oxford Street but shortly afterwards the business was under the Werge name.

Werge was manager or owner of the Monteith Rooms studio in Glasgow from 1855. Earlier that year, shortly after he arrived from America, he was working for Jabez Hughes at the Glasgow studio.

For a short while around 1874 the 11a Berners St. address was listed as Berners Portrait Co. with Werge as manager. The premises were later occupied by other photographers.

An entry in the British Journal of Photography for November 1892 states that the remaining stock of the business was disposed of by auction. The items in the sale included Daguerreotype equipment. The BJP suggests that such items should be in a museum collection.

Books by Werge: Pictorial backgrounds and how to produce them: to which is added, How to produce Opaltypes with ivory black, 1875. How to produce Opaltypes without silver, 1875. The Evolution of Photography, 1890.

Established in late 1902 by A.J. Leather (ex Army & Navy Stores and City Sale & Exchange) and E. Evans.

The firm of Richard James Whitehead and John Cox, camera makers, was reported as having debt problems in 1898.

Both William Leck Tattersall and Joseph Arthur Wilby worked for Watkinson & Co. of Leeds, they left that company in the late 1890s to form Tattersall & Wilby. The firm was renamed on Tattersall's death. The firm probably manufactured for the trade but also sold cameras under the Wilco brand. Tattersall and Wilby were issued patent 6775 of 1899 covering the clamping of the front and rear standards of field cameras.

Manufacturers to the trade. They were established in 1825 and started to manufacture photographic items around 1888. A visit by the Photographic Dealer in 1904 notes that cameras are under construction and that 50 men are employed.

John and Alfred Wilkinson. The manufacture of photographic items started around 1890, at first this included cameras but later the firm concentrated on niche areas such as darkroom equipment. Extensive use was made of specialised machinery in the manufacture of the products.

Opticians and manufacturers of photographic apparatus. Thomas Willats was apprenticed to Edward Palmer in 1832.

Books by Thomas Willats: Plain directions for obtaining photographic pictures by the Calotype and Energiatype processes, 1844, 1845.

Books by Thomas & Richard Willats: Photographic Manuals No 1. Part II. Plain directions for obtaining photographic pictures upon albumenised paper and glass, collodion and albumen, including a second edition of 'A Practical treatise on Photography' by Gustave LeGray, of Paris, 1851. Photographic Manuals No 2. Practical hints on the Daguerreotype, being simple directions for obtaining portraits, views, copies of engravings and drawings, sketches of machinery etc. by the Daguerreotype process, including the latest improvements in fixing, colouring, and engraving the pictures, with a description of the apparatus, 1845. Other editions with slight changes to the title.

Williamson opened a chemist shop in Hove in 1886. Retail of photographic goods and services became the dominant part of the business and the pharmaceutical side was dropped. An important aspect of the business was providing services such as processing, printing and perforating to film makers in the area.

Williamson started making and showing films in 1897. In 1902 he opened a dedicated studio for film production. In 1910 he gave up film production the firm then concentrating on distribution and manufacturing.

Between the two dates given above F.R. Window was with Henry Gawler Bridge trading as Window and Bridge at the Baker Street address, the partnership was dissolved 1/12/1866. Window was later in partnership as Window and Grove.

F.R. Window introduced the cabinet size mount (6 ½" x 4 ¼") which was popular from the time of its introduction in 1866. Window is also given credit for introducing a card having four small portraits, called a Diamond Cameo. Frederick Richard Window (d. 1875).

The studio is described in The Photographic Studios of Europe (pub. 1882), at the time of the visit it was noted that the studio preferred wet collodion plates during the summer months but used gelatine dry plates during the winter. An exposure of between 8 - 10s was required for a carte on dull winter days.

At one time E.G. Wood employed 15 men, making this a relatively large concern. He is described as an optician in the 1881 census living at 74 Cheapside. In 1880 a book by A.A. Wood on Magic Lanterns was being sold by the company. Mr. A.A. Wood (son of Edward George Wood), then running the firm, died in 1900, the business was taken over in 1901 by F.S. Horsey.

The Woodburytype process was developed by Walter Bentley Woodbury (b. 1834, d. 1885) based on a series of patents from 1864. The process sits between being photographic and photo-mechanical; it can be thought of as producing carbon prints mechanically, on an industrial scale. It is a continuous-tone process, no screen or ground is used.

In Britain Disdéri & Co. obtained the right to use the process, that company, however, was wound up in 1868. From then the process was operated by 'The Photo Relief Printing Co. Ltd' at Hereford Lodge, which was Disdéri's former studio; Woodbury was the Managing Director. That company was wound up in early 1869 to be replaced by the 'The Permanent Printing Co.' and later by the Woodbury Permanent Photographic Printing Co. (the two were possibly operating in parallel). The partnership between Walter Bentley Woodbury, George Corpe Whitfield, Joseph Cundall and Samuel Robert Lock which formed the Woodbury Permanent Photographic Printing Co. was dissolved in December 1876 when Woodbury left the partnership, the others carried on the business. The firm was taken over by Eyre & Spottiswoode in 1891. The patent shown in advertisements, 1791 of 1865, is for Swan's Photo-mezzotint process, and is not any of Woodbury's patents.

In 1872 Charles Ranson is shown as manager of The Permanent Printing Co. and later of the Woodbury Permanent Photographic Printing Co, in 1875 the secretary is Frank William Fry, in 1876 the secretary is Thomas William Fry. The works were later moved from Castlebar to Downs Park Road, Hackney.

An earlier firm, the Woodbury Photo-Relievo Printing Company Ltd of 60, Market Street Manchester, was dissolved in April 1867.

A separate company, Woodbury Treadaway & Co. Ltd, was formed to operate Woodbury's related Stannotype process, the company was registered in 1883 and operated until the late 1880s.

Founded as a retail chemists in Market St. The business developed as wholesale and manufacturing chemists, there was also a retail outlet at Market Street. They were one of the first wholesale chemists to supply general photographic goods including apparatus, this was in 1885. From around the late 1890s they supplied cameras under their own name though there is no evidence of manufacture. For many years the photographic side was run by T.C. Twining.

Wratten & Wainwright was founded in 1877 by F.C.L. Wratten and Henry Wainwright. In 1912 it was bought by Eastman, production was moved to Wealdstone and the Croydon plant closed. Prior to starting Wratten & Wainwright F.C.L. Wratten was working for Joseph Solomon in Red Lion Square.

W&W sold photographic chemicals but quickly moved into the manufacture of gelatine dry plates, they introduced the London Ordinary Plate in 1877 with a speed of 15 times that of wet-plates, the London Instantaneous Plate in 1879 at about 40 times wet-plate speed and in 1882 the Wratten Drop Shutter Plate. During these years plate manufacture was by hand with the emulsion being poured from a teapot. In 1890 the firm opened a factory in Croydon and purchased a plate coating machine from Dr. J.H. Smith of Zurich.

The retail of photographic apparatus and sundries ceased with the closure of the Gt. Queen St. premises.

C.E. Kenneth Mees joined the company in 1906, in 'From Dry Plate to Ektachrome' he describes the early years of W&W and the absorption by Eastman. Wratten Panchromatic plates were introduced in 1906, the colour sensitivity dye was based on products from Meister, Lucius & Brüning.

To accompany panchromatic plates W&W produced colour filters which reduced blue light reaching the plate. These started as K-1, K-2 and K-3, 'K' came from the name of the dye that was used in their production. The range of filters produced increased rapidly, the Wratten number used to describe the filter is still in use. K was a Trade Name registered by Wratten & Wainwright in 1911.

F.C.L.s two sons, F.P. Wratten and S.H. Wratten were involved in the company, S.H. moving to Kodak London after the takeover. A photograph of F.C.L. Wratten is in the BJA 1926.

Wray was formed in 1850, by which time William Wray, the founder of the firm, had moved from Whitby to London. For a short period he was living, and possibly working at Commercial Road Limehouse, in 1851 or 1852 the firm was located at Windmill St. Tottenham Court Rd. Wray was especially interested in astronomy and during the early period of the firm they concentrated on the manufacture of telescopes and microscopes, photographic lens production started in 1885. The period at Highgate is most interesting, two of William Wray's sons - William James and Henry joined the firm along with his brother-in-law James Turnbull. For most of the time the Wray family together with several members of the Turnbull family lived at Laurel House in Highgate, the workshops were located in the grounds of the house. On the death of William Wray the business was carried on by the two sons, James Turnbull and Eliza Wray. In 1893 the firm employed around 2 dozen workmen, as well as glass and brass work they produced their own iris diaphragms.

In 1908 Wray came under the control of James Aitchison and Albert Smith, Smith had been recruited from Ross to run the company. Optical products (mainly binoculars) sold by Aitchison were made by Wray. Following the merger of Aitchison & Co. and Dollond & Co. in 1927 Dollond & Aitchison became leading shareholders in Wray, they sold their stake in the company to Hilger & Watts in 1962 (Wray became part of H&W, D&A received shares in H&W). Subsequently (1968) along with H&W they became part of the Rank Organisation. In 1971 the company was placed into administration.

C.G. Wynne worked for the company from around 1942.

Opticians and engineers, early manufacturers of cinematographic equipment.

In the 1881 census Wright (b. 1819) is described as a cabinet maker and living at the Studd St. address. A William Wright, possibly this one, made dark tents for Rouch and James How, he was called to give evidence in a court case for infringement of Rouch's registered design.

Benjamin Wyles were photographers and Miniature Painters. An address label on a camera has printed on it: 'Prize Medal 1875', this may refer to the RPS exhibition of that year where Wyles exhibited several photographs.

Zeiss had an office in London at 29 Margaret St. from c. 1894. In 1910 they set up a subsidiary company, Carl Zeiss (London) at Gt. Castle St. In 1912 a factory at Bittacy Hill, near Mill Hill, was established. The company traded until 1916 but was wound-up at the start of 1917 under the Trading with the Enemy Act. The assets were taken over by Ross Ltd. who moved their London office to Gt. Castle St. Ross also operated the Mill Hill factory until it was sold in 1919 to United Kingdom Optical Company Limited.

In 1926 the London office was re-established when J.W. Atha & Co. was acquired, Atha were until then the distributors for Carl Zeiss and probably wholely owned by Carl Zeiss. The Atha name remained in use and the two principles - J.W. Atha and Albert Frederick Degenhardt joined the Carl Zeiss (London) board.

The 10,000th lens was produced at the start of 1895.

After the separation of Chas. Zimmermann this side of the business was run by Richard Zimmermann. At one time the firm was the agent for Leto products, Schering chemicals and from 1898 Agfa.

This branch of Zimmermann was formed when the partnership of A & M Zimmermann was dissolved at the end of 1901. At one time they were the agents for Agfa, Kindermann and Ernemann (1903). Following World War I the company briefly advertised as agents for Agfa and was probably the basis of the Agfa company in the UK.