The following series of postcards of Royston and area were published by Robert Henry Clark, High Street, Royston, and form a series of postcards issued by one local photographer over a period of perhaps 20-30 years. [The family continued the tradition - but I am only looking at the early examples.]

Interior of Royston Church
Undivided back so possibly about 1902

The above three cards (of a number I have) show minor variations in format but all are "Robert H Clark's Series". There are minor variations on the back, and all were printed in Germany or Saxony. An earliest date of about 1904 is not unreasonable. A card of the Fox and Hounds, Barley, with an early divided back was posted 1st January 1905. Other early (pre-numbered series?) cards are of Ashwell Spring, Dalnyveed, Barley, and Chipping

Typical early Back (18. Buntingford)

• Royston, The Grove (shown above) unnumbered - white space on picture side suggest it may be earlier than the rest

• Royston, Church from S.E. (q.v.) is unnumbered and similar to the above. I have a copy posted in 1907.

• Buckland Church (q.v.) has identical back

Numbered Series

• 1. Royston - The Cross (shown above)

• 2. Barkway Church (ebay sale) - Unnumbered version posted 1909

• 6. Therfield (ebay sale) Posted 1904

• 7 Barkway (ebay sale) Posted 1906

• 18. Buntingford (q.v.) [picture kindly provided by Theresa Smith]

• 19. Royston, Newmarket Road

• 22. Royston, Baldock Street. (shown above) - later back that the rest and the only one printed in Saxony - may be a reprint at a later date.

• 23. Royston Church  (ebay sale)

• 29 Royston, Kneesworth Street   (ebay sale)

• 42 Royston Church from N.E.

• 67 Royston, London Road  (ebay sale) Posted 1907

• 77. Royston High Street (ebay sale) Posted 1907

• 85. Royston, The One Hill

• 100. Souvenir of Buntingford

• 109 Royston, Queens Road

• 112. Royston, Lovers Walk

• 116 Royston, Melbourn Street (ebay sale)

• 118 Royston, High Street (ebay sale)

• 126 Royston, Kneesworth Street (ebay sale)

• 131. Royston, The Green Drift

• 134 Royston, Melbourn Street (ebay sale)

• 135. Royston Church. Rev J Harrison, Vicar 1872-1907 (q.v.) is a multi-view card with space for a message on the picture side.

• 136 Royston - Kneesworth Street (info from Brian Stuart)

• 139. Royston. The Home for little girls (q.v.) The subject is very different to the others - but the back is the same. The picture is said to be the first class held in the school, which opened in 1908. Old Royston Volume 1

• 141 Royston Church (Choir & altar)

Another early card of his shows Nuthampstead Village (q.v.). It is not numbered and the back would appear to be of a similar age to the above but of different design, and the title is in script. Might even be earlier.

A card with a later back, printed in Saxony (so presumably before World War 1) is numbered 505 and shows the Royston Home for Little Girls (q.v.). It was posted in 1916, and from the vegetation is several years later than on taken in about 1908. Old Royston Volume 1

The above card, showing the Royston Crow and a view of London Road, Royston, was printed in Saxony and has a simple back, suggesting a later date than the previous cards. It was posted in July 1909. The number is unreadable - but is at least over 500, as the first digit could be 5,6,8, or 9.

The above souvenir card is "Published by R. H. Clark, High Street, Royston" but the highly decorated back (below) shows that it was printed in England by Radermacher, Aldous & Co., who published many cards for other people. Date uncertain but perhaps early 1920s. An uncoloured version was also published.

The following two monochrome cards have similar backs and may have been published at about the same time.

Barkway Road, Royston

Kneesworth Street, Royston

The above photograph of Kneesworth Street illustrates a way of comparing the date of photographs by the telegraph poles. As more phones were connected more lines were needed - and more cross-bars were added to the poles. This photograph shows 4 larger cross-bars on each pole and seven shorter ones. This makes the photograph quite a bit later than the photograph of Kneesworth Street in 1907 in Old Royston Volume 2 which only has the 4 longer cross-bars.

I also have other cards with a very simple back showing Therfield Rectory (q.v.) and Anstey (q.v.). They are un-numbered and I am not sure where they fit into the series.

The Royston Cave postcard (q.v.) is an early card (back circa 1904) in the "Real Photographic Series" while all the above are printed.

Westmill Simple back - posted 1922   A copy of this card has been seen, posted 1980, presumably using up old stock, with a stamped message : R. H. Clark & Son, Photographers, 4 High Street, Royston, Telephone 41226 Dear Sir/Madam, Your photographic work/repair is ready and awaiting your Collection

Most of his cards are of Royston and nearby villages in Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire but Colin has located an early card of Wrestlingworth, Bedfordshire, which is not far from Royston. Did he also publish any cards of the nearby parts of Essex?

Some Other Robert H Clark cards
Anstey - The Church circa 1904? Robert H Clark's Series	Anstey - The Church posted 1906 Real Photographic Series	The Springs, Ashwell posted 1906 Robert H Clark [very faint]
Barley - The Homestall posted 1906 Real Photographic Series	Barley - The Rectory posted 1905 Real Photographic Series	Parish Church Royston  posted 1912 Robert H Clark's Series
Congregational Church Royston  circa 1920 Robert H Clark's Series	Therfield Church (and other cards of Therfield)

There is a web page for Royston

If you can can provide further dating information on  the above cards, or others by Robert H Clark, please tell me.