Edwin Alfred Debenham (1844-1925)

Edwin Alfred Debenham was born in Bury St Edmunds, in Suffolk. His father Samuel (1807-1887) and mother Salome Warren (1809-1880) ran a bakery and confectioners. They moved to London in the year of Edwin’s birth and later to Hertfordshire where he established his photographic business in 1862. Three of their sons became photographers with their own businesses William Elliott (1839-1924), Edwin and Arthur (1845-1936). William Elliott Debenham had a successful business in Regent Street in London, both Edwin and Arthur were employed there. Edwin’s first business was in partnership with his brother Arthur in Ryde on the Isle of Wight first recorded in 1867. When his brother married after a year Edwin left the partnership and began a business as photographer in his own right. He never settled down in one places and continually moved from place to place staying for a few years before moving on. Some times he entered a short lived partnership and at other times on his own account, assisted by his wife Marie or one of his children. He may be the Edwin Debenham who is declared bankrupt in 1889 in Huddersfield (Yorkshire Gazette). The family seems to have arrived in Scarborough in about 1895 and were still advertising at their studio in the Esplanade in 1897. A photograph of Mr V. Fowler in chair and robe of the Mayor of Scarborough taken in 1895 was registered for copyright purposes under the names of both Edwin and his son Arthur Jules (1870-1958).

Samuel and Salome had eight children in total, four sons and a daughter survived into adulthood. The eldest son William Elliott Debenham (1839-1924) established his studio at 158 Regent Street (1863-1883). He also had studios at 4 Powis Place, Haverstock Hill (1865-1876), 188 Regent Street (1871-1872), 46 Haverstock Hill (1877-1904 and Massingham House, Haverstock Hill, Belsize Park. He married Amanda Southwell who was also from a family of photographers, the Southwell Brothers studio was in Baker Street. Arthur Debenham (1845-1936) had studios at 6 the Arcade, Ryde, Isle of Wight (1868-1871), 28 Union Street, Ryde (from 1871), 72 High Street, Cowes, 71 High Street, Sandown, Palmerston Road, Southsea (Debenham and Co), 50 High Street, West Cowes, and 108 Kings Road, Brighton. He also gave the addresses of both of his brothers studios and the brothers often seem to have worked from each others studios. Their sister Lucy married the artist Edwin Wensley Russell. Samuel Debenham (1807-1887) had a number of studios, Tilehouse Street, Hitchin (1862-1863), Harpur Street, Bedford (1863) and 10 King Street, Luton (Debenham & Co and Debenham & Son) (1864-1869).

Edwin Debenham (1844-1925) married Marie Lachenal in 1868. Their children included Lucy Alice, Arthur Jules, (1870-1958), Edwin Holford (c.1872-1936), Leonard (b.1874), Frederick William (1876-1956), Philip Eugene (b. c.1877), Leonard Coleman (1879-1937), Josephine (b.1880) and Elsie Linda (1882-1967). Arthur Jules (in Darlington), Edwin Holford (Edinburgh) and Leonard Coleman (the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire) all became photographers. At least three of Arthur’s sons also became photographers Arthur William (1875-1944) on the Isle of Wight, John Worley (1876-1958) in Willesden, London and Walter Edwin Ashley (1880-1965) in Owasco County, New York State, USA.