Frank Downer, of
Watford, started taking photographs in Watford in about 1863 and developed a thriving business producing pictures in all shapes, sizes and formats including many
view and
news post cards and an early pictorial newspaper, the
Watford Illustrated. I am always interested in reporting on more examples of his work to complement the
online biography I am building up about him.
I have just found (on the
British Newspaper Archives) a 1865 article from the
Hertford Mercury which describes a photograph he had taken of Sarah Rowbottom, who was over 100 years old, and apparently had spent part of her life living in
Bushey.
The article reports "We have before us a portrait of this centenarian, taken by Mr. Frederick Downer, of Watford, an accomplished photographer, whose skill in the art he cultivates has seldom been surpassed. ..." [Copy of Article]
