489
printing studio at his home in Notting Hill, London
ostensibly to print from his landscape negatives but
continued to travel throughout Europe, and at his peak,
England was regarded as one of the leading landscape
photographers in Europe. However this did not help him
during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, when he was
arrested in the Rhine region of Germany and accused
of being a French spy. England was eventually released
but not before the authorities had initially confi scated
his lenses, though these were later returned. England
is perhaps one of an elite band of photographers who
spanned the whole evolution of photography from the
daguerreotype to the roll-fi lm and seemingly adapted to
each phase with relative ease. Throughout his career his
advice and patronage was much sought after and he was
a member of several photographic societies. England
died in August 1896, at the age of 80 and is arguably the
greatest of a number of unsung British photographers of
the Victorian era whose work is often overlooked.
A great proportion of England’s work—the views
taken on behalf of London Stereoscopic Company—are
currently in private hands and housed in west London.
Together with the stereoscopic negative plates, the col-
lection also includes the original day books, contact
prints and catalogues. Taken as a whole, the collection
constitutes an invaluable photographic document of the
period—not only for their historical signifi cance but
also for their image clarity, striking detail and technical
brilliance. A unique view of the Victorian era...and all
in glorious stereo.
Matthew ButsonBiography
William England was born around 1816 in London,
England. Ran a daguerreotype portrait studio from- Abandoned portraiture in 1854 and joined
London Stereoscopic Company. First overseas trip on
behalf of London Stereoscopic Company to Ireland in - In 1859 traveled to USA and Canada producing
the America series. In 1860 (approx) joined London
Photographic Society. In 1861 visited Paris and in
same year invented camera with variable shutter open-
ings. Photographed International Exhibition of 1862 in
London and the Dublin Exhibition of 1863 last major
commissions for London Stereoscopic Company. 1863
onwards focused on freelance career producing his
fi rst views of Switzerland. Between 1863 and 65 took
views all over Europe, though chiefl y in France, Italy
and Switzerland—specialising in Alpine views—with
patronage and fi nancial support of British Alpine Club.
In 1865 published fi rst major album containing seventy-
seven panoramic views of Switzerland, Savoy and Italy.
Erected a printing studio in Notting Hill, London in - In 1867 published second album—seventy-two
views of the Rhine. In 1871, England made a member of
the London Photographic Society and in 1886 became
President of the Photographic Society of Great Britain.
In 1889 was one of the judges at the Universal Exhibi-
tion and later became vice-president of the jury. Later
the same year he became chairman of the West London
Photographic Society. In 1890 he ran the Solar Club of
Great Britain. Died in London on 13th August 1896.Exhibitions
1865 Dublin International Exhibition, Ireland.
Eleventh Annual Exhibition of the Photographic
Society of London.
1867 Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Exhibition—Pho-
tographic Dept., Cornwall, England.
Paris Universal Exposition, Palace of the Champs de
Mars, Paris, France.
Thirteenth Annual Exhibition of ther Photographic
Society of Great Britain, London.
1868 Fourteenth Annual Exhibition of the Photo-
graphic Society of Great Britain, London.
1870 Neuvieme Exposition de la Societe Francias
de Photographie com Palais de I’Industrie Aguado,
Paris, France.
1872 Seventeenth Annual Exhibition of the Photo-
graphic Society of Great Britain, London.
1873 Eighteenth Annual Exhibition of the Photo-
graphic Society of Great Britain, London.
1874 Dixieme Exposition de la Societe Francias de
Photographie com Palais de I’Industrie Aguado,
Paris, France.
1875 Nineteenth Annual Exhibition of the Photo-
graphic Society of Great Britain, London.
1876 Centennial Exposition, New York, USA.
1877 Twenty-second Annual Exhibition of the Photo-
graphic Society of Great Britain, London.
1878 Twenty-third Annual Exhibition of the Photo-
graphic Society of Great Britain, London.
Exposition Universelle, Paris, France.
1881 Photographic Society of Great Britain Exhibi-
tion, London.
1883 Photographic Society of Great Britain Exhibi-
tion, London.
Exposition Internationale de Photographie, Palais
des Beaux-Arts, Paris France.
1884 Photographic Society of Great Britain Exhibi-
tion, London.
1888 Royal Photographic Society Exhibition, Lon-
don.
1890 Royal Photographic Society Exhibition, Lon-
don.
1892 Photographic Society of Great Britain Exhibi-
tion, London.
1893 Thirty-eighth Annual Exhibition of the RoyalENGLAND, WILLIAM
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