H W Lane, Photographer in St Albans for nearly 50 years

Henry William Lane was a photographer in St Peters Street, St Albans from about 1890 until at least 1937 and I have started to collect information about at least his earlier activities. I would be very interested to hear of other examples of his work, .

Click Here for Time line and examples of his work.

Update of South Mimms Page

I have update the page containing information and higher resolution pictures of South Mimms & Potters Bar

See Web Pages

Dating Hertfordshire Photographs & Postcards

I am currently sorting out my large collection of Hertfordshire post cards and earlier CDV & Cabinet photographs and plan to expand this area of the web site to help you to date old photographs and post cards. Over the last three month I have updated the following pages - in some cases adding significant new material while in others simply add an earlier postal date for a post card. 

For more information

Hertfordshire Post Cards & other pictures

Expect many further updates over the coming months

If you can let me know of other relevant material to include do not hesitate to contact me.

Earliest Hertfordshire Photographers - 1851-65
Avery - photographer - Hitchin (1864-70) & Kent
Barnard - portraits - Bedford & St Albans 1878-94
Bedwell - Bedford post card publisher 1903-4
Blum & Degan - National post card publisher - to 1908
Boots Chemists - National post card publishers
Brown -  Rickmansworth - pre WW1 post cards
Clarendon Series - Watford - early post cards
Coles - photographer - Watford - portraits & post cards - from 1890
Craddock - photographer - Hertford (1857) and India
Crown Publishing (Karaktus)- comic postcards - St Albans 1908-9
Cull - photographer - Watford - particularly First World War
Darrah - photographer - Rickmansworth - post WW1 post cards
Downer - photographer - Watford - from 1862 - early post cards
Dyke - ventriloquist & photographer - Watford - c1890
Elsden - photographer - Hertford - from 1859 - early post cards
Garrood - photographer - Hertford - 1860s
Hartmann - National post card publisher - to 1909
Hill - Berkhamsted - early post cards
Knight Brothers - National post card publisher 1904-08
Loosley - Berkhamsted - post cards
Loosley - Watford - early post cards
London View Company - National post card publisher - 1905-8
Payne - photographer - Aylesbury, Thame & Tring - 1864-1912
Photochrom - National post card publisher
Rawlings- Watford - early post cards
Richardson (Richardo Studios) - St Albans - early post cards
Shaw - photographer - Watford & Hemel Hempstead 1869-82
Shurrey - National magazine publisher - early post cards
Smith - National post card publisher
Southwood - photographer - Watford - portraits & post cards 1900-30s
Stengel - National post card publisher - undivided backs
Thridgould - National post card printer
Valentine - National post card publisher - from 1886
Vipond - travelling photographer - visited Hertford 1859
Wrench - National post card publisher 1902-1904

The Herts Imperial Yeomanry at Berkhamsted in 1906

Military Training Camp, Berkhamsted, May 1906

Berkhamsted

Military

The above card, and its partner, show the Herts Imperial Yeomanry Training Camp, which was held at Berkhamsted in May 1906, and many on the men shown would undoubtedly been fighting in the First World War a few years later. However card had some other interesting features relevant to this site. Both were taking by Frederick Downer, a pioneering Watford photographer - and I have opened up a new page to bring together his military photographs.

Watford

In addition the cards carried hidden messages in mirror writing, so that they could not be so easily read in transit, and prove to be affectionate letters from Jessie Louisa Smith, and her husband to be Thomas Lance Simmons, a Watford hairdresser. 

What did couples do before the back row at the Cinema was invented?

I have just added some new post cards by Karaktus to the Crown Publishing Co, St Albans,  page and the two illustrated here suggest that in the very early years of the 20th century a seat in one of the Victorian Public Parks was the place to go for a snog!

I am trying to identify all the comic cards Karaktus published - and ideally get good images of all. Can you help me fill in any of the gaps (titles in red are ones where I am looking for a better image).

01  It is better to have loved and lost, than to have loved and married
02  ??
03  Expulsion from Eden
04  Everything in the garden is lovely!
05  The early bird catches the worm but the late bird catches it from the wife
06  ??
07  ??
08  ??
09  Scotland! With all thy faults, I love thy still
10  Oh! Cheese It!
11  Money talks! but alas I'm speechless
12  ??
13  Who objects walking 6 miles for a drink? I'd walk 20
14  The Officer's Mess!
15  What's the use of all these things without a girl inside

16  Come off at once Jimmy" Do you want to get intoxicated
17  It isn't love that makes the world go round. It's Beer
18  Blow, blow, thou winter wind
19  ??
20  I don't care if there's a girl there
21  ??
22 ??
23  The Old Bachelor's Wish - Oh Heavens! That clothes would but make the woman
24  The Old Maid's Wish - Oh Heaven! That I but had the jewel that was in this case!
25  ??
26  Two pennyworth of dog biscuits, Please
27  Milkman - It looks very much like rain today
28  ??
29  I want you to see my girl
??   All Bachelors should be taxed £50 (probably one of the missing numbers)

In addition I have still made no progress in identifying Karaktus

More High Resolution Post Card Images

Post Cards

Over the last few weeks I have been adding additional post cards to the web site and updating information about others.

• I have collected some more data on cards by the school photographer Percy Buchanan, including a card of Queenswood School which may well have been taken by him circa 1904 when he was working for the Photo Tourists Association.

Ickleford

• A Frith post card of Ickleford posted in 1939 has a number suggesting it was taken in 1902 - but the image is the same as one published circa 1906 by Blum & Degan - suggesting some business arrangement between the firms. - But what?
• I have posted an attractive view of Watford High Street, by Hartmann, published circa 1903.
• I have posted two additional "Children" cards by the Misses M & A Austin of St Albans



High Leigh House

• I have posted a view of the North Front of High Leigh House, Hoddesdon, (no publisher identified) with an interesting frank mark advertising the use of telephones.

• The post card of Ludgrove School, Handley Common  is now known to have been in circulation in 1910 - so cannot be later.
• I have recorded that the post card of Aston village with two girls was also issued in a tinted form.

Click here to see all recent post card images.