“Roll up, roll up, get yourself the latest camera! There’s a camera especially for you madam, a camera for you sir and even a special camera for young people” – That’s how one Victorian salesman may have plied his trade, and it paid for the development of an historic Carshalton landmark – Honeywood house. Here’s the story of that Victorian salesman.
Born in 1834 in Alston, a pretty English village in Cumbria, by the age of 40 John Pattinson Kirk had become a travelling salesman.
The year was 1871, and aspiring photographers needed the latest equipment and paper to hone their craft.
Photography had become big business and there was money to be made. People would buy special postcards called Carte De Visite. This was perhaps the earliest form of social media, and people would have portraits taken, and post images of themselves in new mass produced ‘envelopes’.
We don’t know exactly when he made it to London, but by 1888 Mr Kirk had been made a managing partner of, at that time, the largest photographic equipment distributors in Europe – Marion & Co.
He was riding the wave of popular photography and making plenty of money to buy this country home overlooking a scenic pond.
Mr Kirk purchased his Carshalton residence in 1883. The image below is between 1886 and 1898 and shows the house before he added an extension to the left, and rebuilt the wooden structure/old mill to the right (currently a cafe).
Was this photo taken by Mr Kirk using Marion & Co equipment?
Marion & Co was on the up. Mr Kirk would travel to their prestigious office, which was on Soho Square. It faced what is now a vibrant public garden in the heart of Soho, in London’s West End. Shown below, to the right of St Patrick’s Church.
As well as photographic equipment, Marion & Co were publishing informative booklets and sales documents.
In August 1901 and at the age of 67, Mr Kirk was still a partner at Marion & Co Ltd, and this is the date of the hand-coloured magic lantern slide below photographed showing his Carshalton home.
The typographic sign advertises the hotel over the road. It looks like a couple of cylists have stopped off by the water.
The photo was taken shortly before Mr Kirk added, in 1902, a fine Edwardian snooker room (still in tact and viewable at the museum). Behind the snooker room was once a small door leading to his own dark room – pictured below.
Considering his trade, the only photo we know of to show Mr Kirk, is on display inside his old home. Along with a chair marked Marion and Co, and one of the old company cameras (both purchased later by the museum).
Sadly the office building in Soho Square, London is no longer there, but the area is still a popular location for image makers. Mr John Pattinson Kirk died in 1913. In April 1939 the building came under council ownership.
KEY:
A. Marion & Co Youth Camera Kit, 1885
B. Magic lantern slide featuring Honeywood, 1901
C. Marion & Co office on Soho Square, 1909
D. Honeywood house, 2024
E. Advert for Marion & Co, March 1896
F. Marion & Co Perfection 10×12″ Mahogany Field Camera, 1892
Various sources:
• www.historiccamera.com/cgi-bin/librarium2/pm.cgi?action=app_display&app=datasheet&app_id=2442
• www.gracesguide.co.uk/Marion_and_Co
• www.friendsofhoneywood.co.uk/history-of-honeywood.html
• www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/M602468/St-Patricks-Soho-Square
• www.gracesguide.co.uk/Marion_and_Co
• www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/companies2.html
• www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/M602468/St-Patricks-Soho-Square
• www.flintsauctions.com/auction/lot/380-a-marion–co-perfection-10×12-mahogany-field-camera/?lot=587&sd=1
Honeywood is a delightful place to visit. The area around Carshalton ponds is very photogenic so it was interesting to learn more about the previous owners links with the photographic industry. I believe there is still an active photography club in the local area too.
Yes it’s really interesting to hear the link to photography, especially given how many times his house has been photographed over the years…
More on the photography club, along with other local old clubs: https://www.secretcarshalton.com/three-suprisingly-old-institutions-that-keep-carshalton-ticking-who-founded-them-and-when/