The photographs below have been given to the society, when Sudbury professional photographers were recording peoples images. These pictures were taken by 3 of those such photographers, but no indication of whom the sitters were is indicated on the photograph. Do you know any of them? If so then please email us at info@sudburyhistorysociety.co.uk
To view the photographs click on the name of the photographer, more details on these photographers and when they were operating can be found here .
The abbreviations refer to trade directories: KS = Kelly’s Suffolk, WS = White’s Suffolk.
Ambrose Copsey
8 Sepulchre Street, Sudbury
KS 1883, WS 1885
Additional information from local historian Lyn Boothman: Copsey was born 1831/2 in Glemsford, Suffolk, and married in the Bury St Edmunds district in 1855. By 1857 he was working as a cabinetmaker in Long Melford. The 1861 census finds him in Long Melford as a photographic artist with four children. A fifth child was baptised there later that year.
Miss Susanna Berry
78 Cross Street, Sudbury
KS 1879, KS 1883
Thomas C Partridge
8 Sepulchre Street, Sudbury
KS 1888, KS 1892, KS 1896
In December 2021, Michael Hooper writes about the subjects sitting for the Sudbury photographer TC Partridge in late 19th Century photos taken by him.
I can confirm that TC Partridge’s Image 1 is of my maternal great grandfather Frederick Harman Oates, his wife Elizabeth, plus children – Doris, Jack (John), Claris and Phyllis.
When this photo was taken (around 1895) my great grandfather had just bought Salters Hall for £500. He moved there from Eltham, Kent. About 4 or 5 years later he sold Salters Hall for £1500 and moved into a Georgian house in the town. At the time he worked in the Timber trade, but was a keen amateur antiques collector. He went on to be Assistant Curator at the time of the founding of the Museum of London and became Curator and Keeper of the King’s Armoury in later life. He died in 1928 in his grace and favour apartment in Windsor Castle.
If you know anything more about my Great Grandfather during his time in Sudbury, then, of course, I would be delighted to hear about it.
In March 2022, Michael French, of Friends of Histon Road Cemetery, Cambridge, contacted us about A Copsey image 3.
He thought the portrait was of John and Mary Goldsmith. Read more here .