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Arthur was born in 1827, in Pakenham, the son of James and Mary Elsden. In 1851 he was working in Shoreditch as a carpenter, married Fanny Vincent in 1853, and their first son, Arthur Vincent, was born in Shoreditch in 1854. Their second son, James Vincent, was born in Hertford early in 1857. It is almost certain that he was working in Craddock's Photographic Rooms, as he was advertising his services from the same address in 1859.
Herts Mercury 30th April 1859 |
Herts Mercury 19th December 1857 |
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Herts Mercury 27th April 1861
Herts Mercury 26th April 1862
Herts Mercury 18th July 1863 |
In 1864 a conversazione was held at Hertford Town Hall which was opened by Mr J. Marchant, Junior, reading a paper on "The Magic Lantern among the Sciences." Others showed lantern slides and "a series of photographic negatives, executed by Mr. Elsden, and including portraits of Sir Minto Farquhar (who was very heartily received) and of Mr. Marchant's little boy; and views of Panshanger, Goldings, Ball's Park, and the Castle were afterwards exhibited. They were very effective, and demonstrated in the most satisfactory manner that the accurate pictures of objects taken by means of photography may be advantageously projected by the magic lantern." Herts Mercury 23rd January 1864 |
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Herts Mercury 11th August 1866 |
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Herts Mercury 21st April 1865 |
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Herts Mercury 29th July 1865 |
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AE Elsden Photographist North Crescent Hertford Copies may be had at any time by sending the name
This picture shows a lady in a crinoline, suggesting a date in the early 1860s. The absence of the words "Patronised by H.R.H. The Prince of Wales" suggests the back is earlier than the following example which dates from about 1870. |
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The CDV of William Walter Maynard has the same simple back and was probably taken in the later 1860s. |
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Patronised by H.R.H. The Prince of Wales Copies may be had at any time by Sending the Name
These two cards come from a collection of
carte de visite of pupils at Haileybury School. |
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same back à On 31st August 1872 the following news item appeared in the Herts Mercury:
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Herts Mercury 1st April, 1876 |
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The inscription on the back suggests that these photograph was probably taken between 1872 and 1885. |
Established 1857
Patronised by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales Mill Bridge Hertford Groups & Equestrian Studies at North Crescent
(Arthur or James?) Vincent Elsden December 1874 |
á Same back, but printed in red. Similar "red" card seen dated 1884 |
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THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL. - On Thursday and Friday evenings last week the present and past pupils of this school gave dramatic representations. The pieces selected were "Bombastes Furioso" and "Payable on Demand." The parents and friends of the pupils were invited to be present at the performances, and the large school-room in which the representations were given was well filled each evening. The performers acquitted themselves very creditably, and the entertainment passed off in a most satisfactory manner. Herts Mercury, 26th December, 1874. |
Vincent Elsden as the Marquis of St ????? in ""Payable on Demand" Dec 1874 |
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By 1886 the North Crescent address had been dropped. In 1887 Arthur died and the business was continued by his son Arthur Vincent Elsden from the Bridge Street address until Arthur junior died in 1929.
Circus Elephants in Fore Street, Hertford A photographic slide by
Arthur Elsden From the
HALS Collection Note the large steam traction engine following the elephants. It was normal for circuses to have parades to attract customers to the performances. |
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Hertford Castle & North Road, Hertford Posted 1903 |
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Bengeo Church & Hertford from Brym Alt, Bengeo |
While these cards has no publisher identification all aspects of the cards are identical to the Elsden post card of Port Hill, below, and it is almost certain that they are Elsden cards. |
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Port Hill, Hertford An undivided back card. possibly from about 1904 Note that photographer name is in the bottom right hand corner of the picture. |
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The Prince and Princess of Wales at Hertford July 23rd 1906
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In September 2007 Mr Baden Browne gave a talk on "The Elsden Photographs of Hertford" at the Hertford Museum.
December 2009: Mike Elsden.(mike @t elsden.com) of Caernarfon, Gwynedd, writes: I was very interested in your web page on my great great grandfather Arthur Elsden. I am descended from Arthur Elsden's second son, James Vincent, who went on to forge a career as a Geologist and Military Trainer. .
| October 2009 | Page created | |
| December 2009 | Updated. with correction | |
| February 2013 | Elsden & Son CDV added | |
| August 2013 | Early adverts, etc., added | |
| March 2014 | Two new CDV added | |
| February 2015 | News items from 1874 & 1876 | |
| April 2016 | Vincent Elden CDV |
In 1857 he set up business in Hertford, initially living and working in North Crescent. /// 1827 Baptised 2 september at Pakenham, Suffolk, son of James and Mary /// 1851 census he was a carpenter living in Shoreditch /// 1853 he married Fanny Vincent in Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, Wales /// 1854 Arthur Vincent Elsden birth registeded Shoreditch area /// James born registered Hertford, early 1857 /// 1861 Census North Cresent / Arthur 33 Photographer / 1866 Arthur Elsden, photographer, North Crescent /// 1871 Census, North Crescent, Hertford / Arthur Elsden, 43, photographer,.born
