Joseph Byron (January 1847 – May 28, 1923) was an English photographer who founded the Byron Company in Manhattan.[1][2]
Joseph Byron | |
|---|---|
 Byron in a self portrait circa 1909 in a distorted wide angle lens | |
| Born | January 1847 |
| Died | May 28, 1923 (aged 76) |
| Occupation | Photographer |
| Employer | Byron Company |
| Spouse | Julia Lewin |
| Children | Percy Claude Byron (1878–1959) Mrs. Herbert Horne Mrs. David Stott Florence Mabel Byron |
Biography edit
He was born in England in January 1847.[3] His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were photographers.[2] He received a commission from the British government to photograph the conditions in English coal mines. He emigrated to the United States in 1888 with his children, Percy Claude Byron, Florence Mabel Byron (1880–?), and Georgina Byron (1883–?).[3][4] In 1892 he opened his commercial studio in Manhattan.[5] Byron's specialty was photographing Broadway shows and other stage productions.[4] His son was the photographer Percy Claude Byron.[6] Percy was "the premier maritime photographer of his generation". Joseph Byron worked for The New York Times in the 1890s.[4] He died on May 28, 1923, in Manhattan.[7]
Archive edit
- 22,000 photos at the Museum of the City of New York from between 1890 and 1942.[8]
References edit
- ^ The Oxford Companion to American Theater. Oxford University Press. 2004.
Byron, Joseph (1844 [sic]–1923). photographer. One of the leading photographers of the American stage, he was born in Nottingham, England, and came to this country in 1888. Three years later he began to photograph theatrical productions. Many of the most famous stage pictures of the early 20th century were his. Byron's heirs continued to operate the firm until 1942.
- ^ a b "Byron Photography". Byron Photography. Archived from the original on 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
Founded by Joseph Byron (1847-1923), the son of an English commercial photographer, the Byron Company of New York specialized at first in making still photographs of theatrical productions and later, under the leadership of Joseph's son Percy (1878-1959), in photographing ships, especially big ocean liners. Together, this father and son team documented the turn of the century in New York City.
- ^ a b "Byron family in the 1900 US census". 1900 US Census. Retrieved 2009-02-12 – via Wikimedia Commons.
- ^ a b c "Joseph Byron". University of South Carolina. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
London born, Joseph Byron was the son and grandson of photographers.
- ^ "The Apple". New York Daily News. May 17, 1999. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
The Byron family came to New York from England in 1888. Once here, Joseph Byron began taking photos for newspapers and doing other freelance projects before opening his own studio in 1892. ... His son Percy became interested in ocean liners, cultivating the crews of the great ships the way his father had done with theater people, and was made the official photographer of the maiden voyage of the legendary Normandie in 1935. Several of his images are in the show.
[permanent dead link] - ^ To, Leca! (July 11, 1959). "Percy Byron Dies. Photographer, 80. Recorder of Turn-of-Century New York Scenes Aided in 'Once Upon a City'". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
It stood then either for Joseph Byron, the father, or Percy Byron, the son. ... Since 1917, Mr. Byron had made the photography of ships his specialty. ...
- ^ "Joseph Byron". The New York Times. May 29, 1923.
Joseph Byron, a photographer, died yesterday at his home, 1695 Broadway. He was 77 years old.
- ^ "Byron Company Collection On Line". Museum of the City of New York. Archived from the original on 2009-01-29. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
Museum of the City of New York: Byron Company Collection On Line. This database contains digital images and descriptive information about individual works in the Byron Collection. The collection consists of over 22,000 photographs of New York City and its environs taken by the Byron Company between 1890 and 1942.
External links edit
