Oliver Francois Xavier Sarony (1820-1879)

Perhaps the most well known and researched of all Scarborough photographers is Sarony. Born in Quebec in 1820 before moving to New York, he began his early working life selling beaver skins for hats and carrying contraband silk between New York and Canada. Photography entranced Sarony after he apparently watched a daguerreotypes at work in New York, after which he trained in the technique himself before heading to the UK.

He worked across the country before settling in Scarborough in 1857, his first studio was set up on Alfred Street, before he commissioned the building of his large photographic studio in the Louis XV style, it functioned as the centre for operations for 20 years, and was made up of photo studios, galleries, reception rooms and workshops. His studio and what he offered expanded over the years and by 1876 he had even build a permanent circus in St Thomas Street. He died in August 1879.

Sarony and his wife Elizabeth (1822-1903) had no children and they largely ran the business together, Elizabeth working as the business cashier. Following Sarony’s death Elizabeth she married less than two years later in 1881 to Thomas Dawes (1852-1894) who was soon to take the name Thomas Dawes Sarony. Dawes had been married to Napoleon Sarony’s daughter Ida (1849-1878) who had died in 1878. They continued the business until Thomas died in 1894. The husband of another of Napoleon’s daughters Jennie (1851-1905) was Samuel Waind Fisher (1855-c.1910?). Fisher had managed the business for Sarony and again took over initially working for Elizabeth and after her death he turned the company into in 1905. Fisher moved the business to 17 St Nicholas Street and the grand old studio fell in to disrepair and was demolished in 1924. Sarony and Co was sold the following year to Ralph William Clarke (d.1974) who continued to run the company under the name of Sarony and Co until 1960 when he retired from the business and it finally closed.