tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post9174022718471418373..comments2024-03-04T06:12:38.695+13:00Comments on Photo-Sleuth: Spotlight Photos Ltd. – “Walking pictures” in DerbyBrett Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07706734864792449845noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-25448865905563559082017-07-23T02:44:30.193+12:002017-07-23T02:44:30.193+12:00Hello.
My name is Michael.
I have just located, wi...Hello.<br />My name is Michael.<br />I have just located, within my vast collection of postcards, a "Spotlight Photos Ltd." - Regd.No.728037. - series of three photographs of two women walking the street toward the camera. Their period dress is probably 1930.s style. The code on the visible sprocket line is "9635 H". Regards, Michael R Squires, squires50@msn.com 22/07/17 1545hrsAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16253251406671786376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-67987118996490892542011-03-09T08:19:54.284+13:002011-03-09T08:19:54.284+13:00Hi Paul - Interesting to know for sure, then, that...Hi Paul - Interesting to know for sure, then, that they weren't just a Derby operation. I'll be in touch by email. Regards, BrettBrett Paynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07706734864792449845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-33128787537548082732011-03-09T01:20:26.852+13:002011-03-09T01:20:26.852+13:00Hi Brett have just found some walkies by Spotlight...Hi Brett have just found some walkies by Spotlight that were taken in about 1937 in Hamilton Road, Felixstowe. Paul.Paul Godfreynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-25574274346308943722011-03-06T10:14:15.101+13:002011-03-06T10:14:15.101+13:00Hi Angela. Yes, I'd be very keen to see your ...Hi Angela. Yes, I'd be very keen to see your Derby family photos, please, if you are able to get scans. The best way I think is to send detailed scans to my <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/07706734864792449845" rel="nofollow">email address</a>. Regards and best wishes, BrettBrett Paynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07706734864792449845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-87546312487166310012011-03-06T02:12:29.704+13:002011-03-06T02:12:29.704+13:00My Mum and Dad come from Derby (I was born there t...My Mum and Dad come from Derby (I was born there too). My Mum has walking photos and they may well have been taken by Spotlight. In fact the first image on your montage looks suspiciously like my grandm and granddad. Anyway, there are photos of my mum, gran and grandad and some of my mum's brothers and sisters taken in the 1920s in Derby. They also holiday'd in Skegness and there are walking photos of them there. Later, my mum and Dad were taken walking when they were courting - much later in the late 40s. Is this of any use to you? I'm sure Mum would let you see the photos.Angela Elliotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17024082560530998109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-89187228284562867192010-10-04T06:21:45.574+13:002010-10-04T06:21:45.574+13:00Fabulous post!Fabulous post!Dorene from Ohiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05371522353987796175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-28281719787969119562010-09-25T01:47:43.102+12:002010-09-25T01:47:43.102+12:00Very nice picture of you and your blog is a pleasa...Very nice picture of you and your blog is a pleasant read and considered. I like very much for your blog. Come see the pictures Teuvo blog and tell your friends Teuvo pictures blog. A very good continuation of the autumn to you. Teuvo Suomi FinlandTeuvo Vehkalahtihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17009341271797179634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-5729120767117114402010-08-30T08:23:27.470+12:002010-08-30T08:23:27.470+12:00Hi Brett, thanks so much for all the information y...Hi Brett, thanks so much for all the information you left on my blog about street photography. I am sure once everyone starts looking through their family photo collections that a few more of these photos will come to light. I do have one more myself.<br />Thanks also for your kind comment about my own photography.Marilyn & Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00851884880790561276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-87630800281151085552010-08-27T21:36:53.323+12:002010-08-27T21:36:53.323+12:00You're very welcome, Marilyn, and thank you fo...You're very welcome, Marilyn, and thank you for the kind comments. Sepia Saturdays is a recent discovery for me, and I've enjoyed looking at and reading your contributions. There seem to be rather a lot of contributors, and I can see I'm going to have difficulty keeping up with the reading, let alone considering a contribution.<br /><br /><br />Your photographs, by the way, are stunning!<br /><br />Regards, BrettBrett Paynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07706734864792449845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-79961528692212247812010-08-27T21:23:33.875+12:002010-08-27T21:23:33.875+12:00I am in awe of all your research and knowledge.
I ...I am in awe of all your research and knowledge.<br />I do hope that you don't mind as I made a link to your blog in my Sepia Saturday post as it included two photos taken by street photographers here in NZ, I quoted you saying that street photography was quite common from the 1920's until the 1950's.<br />Thank you so much for visiting my blog.Marilyn & Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00851884880790561276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-76895581064238632052010-08-04T10:51:18.543+12:002010-08-04T10:51:18.543+12:00Hi Evelyn,
If your father can remember the circum...Hi Evelyn,<br /><br />If your father can remember the circumstances surrounding the taking of that photograph, that will add so much more to it. I look forward to hearing about it.<br /><br />Regards, BrettBrett Paynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07706734864792449845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-91785553414856448402010-08-04T05:59:09.599+12:002010-08-04T05:59:09.599+12:00Thanks for this informative article. I have a mid-...Thanks for this informative article. I have a mid-forties image of my father striding along St-Catherine Street (downtown Montreal) and I was so struck by the different feel of the picture that I remember thinking that it couldn't have been taken by a family member. I'm going to check back with my father and see if he remembers whether it was a street photographer!<br />EvelynEvelyn Yvonne Theriaulthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04512331037467548666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-79204366748918637282010-08-03T22:52:01.519+12:002010-08-03T22:52:01.519+12:00Simon - Thanks for the kind comments. As a former...Simon - Thanks for the kind comments. As a former geologist, current trainee geographer (of sorts) and apparently also a collector of old maps, I'm keen to use whatever I can to help give the picture, so to speak. Let's hope we encounter more Spotlight walkies ion due course. There must be plenty out there.<br /><br />Nancy - Nice to have your comments, and yes, this is an intriguing genre of photographs. I like the fact that their character is often so different from others in the family album. Not only are they not posed, but they are taken by someone who doesn't know the subject, and usually without the subject's prior knowledge. Although not strictyly walkies, I have other similar types in my collection which I will feature in due course.<br /><br />Regards, BrettBrett Paynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07706734864792449845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-28967539473045725182010-08-01T08:41:03.759+12:002010-08-01T08:41:03.759+12:00This was really interesting to learn, especially b...This was really interesting to learn, especially because walking pictures are new to me. I think they are interesting especially because they can put a person at a particular place, and though the viewer may not know the "time", one can always guess/estimate the year. Thanks for sharing your knowledge about these.Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12136584654825212359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-67521513109271610212010-07-29T00:15:29.561+12:002010-07-29T00:15:29.561+12:00Brett, fascinating and detailed piece. I love the ...Brett, fascinating and detailed piece. I love the way you've done the maps. I shall check any new Spotlight images carefully. I have a number by the company but many seem to be coastal towns, as the subjects (or at least their children!) are often carrying buckets and spades. I could supply scans if you wanted to see what others thought. The only coastal town I can confirm Spotlight operating in is Lytham St. Annes. It may that the company aspired to operate in a number of towns (as some Walking Pictures companies clearly did) but as their images are all from a fairly narrow time frame, they probably closed fairly quickly. Another possibility is that they were based in Derby, and operated elsewhere seasonally, which would explain why several Derby subjects show up. <br />While Spotlight closed pre WW2, a few Walkie operators did struggle on right into the seventies, and I have a small number of colour Walkies dated 1972. Interestingly these are from a photographic company called Wrates who offered a lot of other services, so could keep going that way. Indeed they are still in business, now doing corporate and school portrait work (albeit ignoring all my attempts to talk to them!). Simonsimon robinsonhttp://www.easyontheeyebooks.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com