Frederick Joseph Seaman (1874-1953)

Frederick Joseph (Joe) Seaman was one of the sons of the Chesterfield photographer Alfred Seaman. As a young man he worked along side his brothers and father as part of Seaman and Sons. Their main studio was in Chesterfield, but they had branch studios in Ilkeston, Alfreton, Sheffield and Leeds.

F. J. Seaman had opened his own studio, which was separate from his fathers’ business by 1897 just north of Nottingham in Hucknall Torkard. He married his first wife, Bertha Beatrice Thorpe in Basford, Nottinghamshire in the same year. He was working in Hull by 1903, and also had studios in a number of other places across East Yorkshire, including York, Beverley, Bridlington and Scarborough and some years in Blackpool and Doncaster. By 1826 he was back in the town where his father’s business had been, Chesterfield. It is there that he retired in 1950 and died in 1953.

At least one postcard seen includes the name Wreathall and Wright followed by Seamans Studio in brackets. this may suggest that either Seaman took over an earlier studio or that Wreathall and Wright took over Seamans.

Postcard portrait of two unknown women by F J Seaman Scarborough Photographer
Back of postcard portrait by F J Seaman, Hull and Scarborough photographer
Detail of the back of a postcard by F J Seaman, Hull and Scarborough photographer

Portrait of two unknown women,

Postcard, F. J. Seaman.

Spa Bridge, Scarborough, postcard by Seamans Photographer
back of photographic postcard by Seamans of Scarborough, 1937
detail of back of postcard by Seamans of Scarborough

Spa Bridge, Scarborough

Postcard, Seamans, 1937

Studio probably run by Alfred Seaman

Photographic Practice

  • Postcards

  • Portraits

  • Landscapes

Studios

2 High Street, Hucknall Torkard, Nottinghamshire - 1897-1903

Red Lion Square, Heanor - after 1897 - 1906

44 Prospect Street, Hull - from 1903

89 Holderness Street, Hull - until 1907

43 Toll Gavel, Beverley

Darlington

Bridlington

Davygate, York - 1909-1912

Marine Parade, Scarborough - 1937, run by his brother Alfred Seaman

Blackpool - 1907-1915

Doncaster - 1915-1926

Irongate, Chesterfield - 1926-1950, business taken over by his son Stanley Seaman

31 St Nicholas Cliff, Scarborough - Seaman’s Studios (World War II?)

References

Derbyshire Photographers’ Profiles, Alfred Seaman & Sons

Photo-Sleuth, Old photographs, photographers and their subjects. Frederick Joseph Seaman 2008

Photo-Sleuth, Old photographs, photographers and their subjects. More photographs of and by F. J. Seaman 2008