Charles Henry Braithwaite

Charles Henry Braithwaite was born in Harewood near Leeds in 1816. He was the son of George Braithwaite and Jane Woods. George was a farmer.

Charles married Elizabeth Wrigley in 1840 by which time he was working as a butcher in Briggate Leeds. The 1841 census also shows they had a new addition to the family, Emily aged just 2 months old.

By 1851 Charles and the family had moved to 14 Camp Road, he had reached the age of 35 and was now described as a master butcher and employed one boy. His family had expanded to 5 children but unfortunately one of his sons George had died when he was only one year old. Also living and working for the family was Alice Goodam a servant from Ireland.

Charles started his career in Photography when he took up employment with John/Joseph Baume an itinerant photographer who had set up a studio in Leeds in Sept 1855, Baume had previously worked in Oxford, Huddersfield, Bradford, Lincoln and other towns and at one time had been in partnership with Oliver Sarony. (Ref LT 29 4 54) When Charles left Baume’s employment Baume described Charles’s job as that of a canvasser. He advertised for a replacement “ M Baume has a vacancy for a young gentleman of good address and respectable connection, as canvasser for portraits, in place of a person of the name of Braithwaite, who left his service a few weeks ago.” (Ref LT 12 apr 1856.)

Charles having left Baume and no doubt having picked up a few ideas and skills along the way set up in partnership with Joseph Navey, a watchmaker. The opening of their ‘Photographic Rooms’ was announced in the Leeds Times on the 5^th April 1856. The location was described as the top of Albion Street, the actual address was 35 Albion Street, Leeds. Braithwaite and Navey ‘have the confidence that the beautiful, life like and imperishable which they have enabled to produce will deserve and ensure a large amount of public patronage.’ They were advertising their photographs at ‘a much less price’ than normally charged. Prices were from 5s to 55s in elegant case or passe partout (which means mounted).

The partnership was wound up by Navey on the 4^th September 1857 who cited debts by Charles. ¹ This resulted in a court case in June 1858 when Navey tried to recover £50 of the £150 that he was owed. The amount was reduced in order to bring the case to the Leeds County Court, however ‘the a writ of certiorari to remove it to the Queen’s bench’ was obtained on application by Charles solicitors Messrs Ferns and Rooke. ²

By October of 1857 Navey was advertising in his own right and asked for any debts owed to the business to be paid to him. He described Charles as a canvassing partner. Navey went on to say ‘J N begs most respectfully to return thanks to his numerous friends for past favours. Having been from the opening of the partnership the Practical Artist, along with Mr Millard an assistant operator he can assure his friends that first class portraits can be depended upon’ ³

Buffalo Bill's visit to Leeds

In June 1891 Buffalo Bill and his wild west show arrived in Leeds along with the Red Indians, Mexicans, Buck Riders, Cowboys, Riflemen, Horses and 18 Buffalos They were to perform at Cardigan Fields in Leeds from Saturday 20th June with two performances each day at 3pm and at 8pm rain or shine. (Ref YEP 22nd Jun 1891) Braithwaite was lucky enough to be able to capture a portrait of Mr Cody and a copy of this was sold at Auction in 2009.

Charles changed the photo mounts he was using quite regularly and with careful study and enough dated material it should be possible to use this fact to date many of the photographs he took at his studios. Here are four examples of how the designs changed over the years.