Hertfordshire Postcard Artists, Photographers, Publishers, etc.
The Photographs & Postcards of Coles of Watford
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Hertfordshire Postcard Artists, Photographers, Publishers, etc. The Photographs & Postcards of Coles of Watford |
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William Coles (1853-1938)
In 1881 William Coles was an assistant chemist working for Theophilus John Piggot, photographer, at Leighton Buzzard. By the late 1880s he was trading as a photographer in Queens Road, Watford, and was still trading there in 1926. For a short time around 1890 he also had a studio on the Broadway, Chesham, and by 1899 had a studio in Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead, which continued for about 10 years. His carte de visite and cabinet cards usually have a negative number and the time line below suggests dates for various backs. Later backs say "by special appointment of Princess Eulalia of Spain - possibly after the Princess's visit to Watford in 1899.
He was selling views of many local towns and villages by the early 1890s, and was producing a wide range of view post cards in the 1900s - some of which may have been from earlier negatives. He also produced a number of post cards of news events, which are normally dated. |
Time Line
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1853 |
FreeBMD |
William Coles born at Great Missenden, Bucks (registered Amersham October-December 1983) |
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1861 |
Census |
William Coles (7) was living with his parents George Coles (44, druggist & grocer) and Jame (38) of High Street, Great Missenden |
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1871 |
Census |
William Coles (17, apprentice, born Great Missenden, Bucks) working for Joseph Herrington(46, chemist) of High Street, Leighton Buzzard. |
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1881 |
Census |
William Coles (27, assistant chemist, born Great Missenden, Bucks) working for Theophilus John Piggott (36, chemist and photographer) of High Street, Leighton Buzzard. [Theophilus later employed James Thomas Newman.] |
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1886 |
Directory |
No entry |
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1888? |
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1890 |
Directory |
William Coles, photographer,60 Queen's Road, Watford |
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1890? |
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1890 |
FreeBMD |
William Coles married Rhoda Isaac (registered Marylebone April-June) |
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1890? |
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1890 |
William Coles, 60 Queens Road, Watford, and the Broadway, Chesham
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1891 |
Census |
William Coles (37, photographer, born Great Misssenden, Bucks) and his wife Rhoda (33, born Kentish Town, Middlesex) living at 60 Queen's Road, Warford. |
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1895 |
Directory |
William Coles, photographer,60 Queen's Road, Watford |
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1899 |
Directory |
William Coles, photographer, 64 Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead William Coles, photographer, The Broadway, 60 Queen's Road, Watford |
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1899 |
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1901 |
Census |
William Coles (47, photographer, employer) and wife Rhoda were living at 119 St Albans Road, Watford. |
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1902 |
Directory |
William Coles, photographer, 64 Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead William Coles, photographer, 60 Queen's Road, Watford |
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| 1905 | By this date he was regularly publishing a large number of local view post cards.- see below | |||||||||||||||||
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1905 |
Photograph |
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1906 |
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1908 |
Directory |
William Coles, photographer, 64 Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead William Coles, photographer, 60 Queen's Road, Watford |
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1911 |
Census |
William Coles, photographer (portrait) and wife Rhoda (married 20 years, no children) now living at 7Granville Road, Watford. |
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1912 |
Directory |
William Coles, photographer, 16 Queen's Road, Watford. TH 149 |
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| 1916? |
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circa 1920 |
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1923 |
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1924 |
FreeBMD |
Death of Rhoda Coles, 68, registered at Watford, Jan-Mar 1924 |
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1926 |
Directory |
William Coles, photographer, 16 Queen's Road, Watford. TN 149 |
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1929 |
Directory |
Reginald. Grenville was photographer at 16 Queens Road, Watford |
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1938 |
FreeBMD |
Death of William Coles, 84, registered at Watford, Apr-Jun 1938 |
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Links to
postcard images - More to be added |
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 Abbots Langley |
 Abbots Langley |
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Aldenham |
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CHIPPERFIELD |
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SARRATT |
Radlett Schools |
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Please tell me if you have any further information on William Coles's photographs & cards.
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June 2011 |
Page updated |
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March 2014 |
Major update |
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June 2014 |
2 more CDV |
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August 2016 |
Major timeline & CDV update |
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