Collections

Charles Hodder's Painting Class

Photographer: Howie (junr), J

Charles Hodder's Painting Class

The photograph was accessioned as by T Bowie, however there is no record of any Edinburgh photographer of this name, and it is more likely that it is…

The photograph was accessioned as by T Bowie, however there is no record of any Edinburgh photographer of this name, and it is more likely that it is the work of the business J Howie junr at 60 Princes Street, Edinburgh, which details are printed on the support card to which the photograph itself is adhered.

James Howie (1791-1858) started as a Portrait and Animal Painter but began taking daguerreotypes in 1839 and established his photographic business on Princes Street in 1839 or 1840 (both dates appear on the printed backs of his photographs; newspaper adverts give 1840 as the date of foundation. His shop front, and open-air roof studio are captured in Joseph Ebsworth's 1848 engraving Looking north from the Scott Monument (vide RSA 1994.068.1-2). In 1811 he married Mary Winter by who he had two daughters and a son James junr.

James junr was also a photographer who married Isabella Fraser (c.1822-73) in St Andrew's Parish, Edinburgh 1841-04-06, by whom he had Mary Winter Anne Howie (1842-73) who married John J H Jansen in 1868; Marjory Margaret Howie (1845-1882); James (b.1846); John Fraser (1848-1878) and George Frederick [James] Lindsay (1854-90). James Howie junr died in 1855 aged just 34. Press adverts for 1876 announce the opening of a further premises at 16 Princes St by John Howie who styles himself son of the late J Howie junr. The 60 Princes Street premises continued to operate. John married Margaret Brass at Stromness in Orkney in 1872 and was found drowned at St Margaret Hope Bay on South Ronaldsay on 1878-05-02.

The business had been continued since the death of James Hosie junr by his widow Isabella Howie (nee Fraser). Her will names her eldest son James, Photographer, as one of her Trustees and references the photographic business which she has operated successfully and is to be continued for the benefit of all of her children. James Howie, son of James Howie junr would appear to be the sole surviving member of that family who could continue it, and assuming it still to have been in the hands of the Howie family by 1885 when this photograph was taken, he would be the photographer. R H Rodger, RSA Documentation Officer, 2022-02-15