Many early photographs in Oxfordshire History Centre's Picture Oxon collections are the work of local commercial photographers from a time when few individuals had access to a camera.

Although Henry Taunt (1842-1922) is perhaps Oxfordshire’s most celebrated photographer, many other local photographers have flourished in the county.

Verso of one of Henry Taunt's cartes de visite - from his High Wycombe branch, late 1870s

Lists of Photographers

You can download our lists of known photographers in both city and county:

• List of Oxford photographers, 1844-1922 (.pdf)
• List of Oxfordshire photographers, 1845-1928 (.pdf)

The Culham Ticket Office website also offers a short article on Victorian Oxford photographers.

Helping Us

If you have any information about the photographers listed - or any examples of their work - that you would like to share with us please let us know. Equally, if you know of any Oxfordshire commercial photographers who are not listed, please help us fill the gaps in our record.

Carte de visite from Anthony Beales studio in Banbury, undated

References to published material

Copies of the following books and journal articles about local photographers are available for consultation at Oxfordshire History Centre:

• ABINGDON - Abingdon Area Archaeological & Historical Society, A century of photography in Abingdon: catalogue (Oxfordshire Rural Community Council local history competition catalogue, 1980).
• ABINGDON - Mervyn L Smith, Photographers in Abingdon 1863-1909 (Royal Photographic Society. Historical Group, 1979?)
• BANBURY - Sarah Gosling, From daguerrotype to dry plate : the growth of professional photography in Banbury, 1850-1920, Cake & Cockhorse, vol.9, no.6, Summer 1984, 158-164. [See also online facsimile: Banbury Historical Society].
• OXFORD - Bryan Brown (editor), The England of Henry Taunt, Victorian photographer : his Thames, his Oxford, his Home Counties and travels, his portraits, times and ephemera (Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1973).
• OXFORD - Malcolm Graham, Henry Taunt of Oxford : a Victorian photographer (Oxford Illustrated Press, 1973).
• OXFORD - Mervyn L Smith, Professional photographers in Oxford, compiled from local directories (Royal Photographic Society. Historical Group, 1982).
• OXFORD - Michael Seaborne, Cyril Arapoff : a short biography (Offprint from: British journal of photography, 28 November 1980, pp. 1192-1193).
• OXFORD - Stephanie Jenkins, Cyril Arapoff and Headington (Headington History website)
• OXFORD - Jessica Sutcliffe, Face : shape and angle : Helen Muspratt, photographer (Manchester University Press, 2016).