JOSEPH WINGRAVE
  Reproduced by permission of: David Fry [email protected] 
  February 1999
  Updated: December 14, 2003 [format only]

This is the only Coventry based commercial photographer from the nineteenth century that took photographs of the city outside his studio. This is an amazing fact considering how many were doing so in the first twenty years of the twentieth century. Most of his photographs date from 1860s and 1870s. Hardly any exist before this time and most of the later ones were taken by interested amateurs.

Most of his photographs were produced in the 'carte de visite' style which was a sepia photograph on thin paper stuck onto a credit card sized piece of card. An advertisement of his for views of Coventry and District was featured in a local newspaper of 1868.

Wingrave was born in Luton in 1821 and moved to Coventry in the 1840s. He opened a Chemist shop in High Street near where Waterstones bookshop can be found today. No doubt his knowledge of chemicals was useful for managing the very complicated method of processing the glass photographic plates used in those days. He was very interested in the history and life of the city, being involved with a number of local organizations. He died in 1897

PHOTO:
             

Miss Edgerton as (Lady Godiva) 1877 http://freespace.virgin.net/d.fry/godivajp/god1887.JPG

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Visit David Fry's Site: at THE COVENTRY WE HAVE LOST
A site dedicated to older photographic images of Coventry

David Fry Email [email protected]

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Additional Information : Webmaster
1881 UK Census

Dwelling:    2 Grosvenor Terrace
    Census Place:    Coventry St Michael, Warwick, England
    Source:    FHL Film 1341733 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 3070 Folio 34 Page 20

                                    Marr     Age    Sex    Birthplace
Joseph WINGRAVE         M       59       M     Luton, Bedford, England
                                                         Occ:   Chemist & Druggist
Jane WINGRAVE             M       57       F     Hemel Hempstead, Hertford
                                                                   England
                                                         Rel:     Wife
Arthur WINGRAVE          U       20       M     Coventry, Warwick, England
                                                         Rel:    Son  Occ:    Chemist
Fanny WYATT                 U       39       F     Aylesbury, Buckingham, England
                                                         Rel:    Sister in Law  No Occupation
Elizabeth SANDERS        U       21       F      Exhall, Warwick, England
                                                         Rel:    General Servant Domestic