Brett Payne's Victorian & Edwardian
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Benjamin William Botham was baptized at Halesworth, Suffolk on 2nd December 1824, the son of Benjamin Botham (b. c1802 Southwold d. 1877 Halesworth), a tailor and habit maker, and Frances Botham, n�e Whiting (b. c1803 Great Yarmouth). He came from a family of tailors and in the early 1850s he was working as a linen and woollen draper and living in Bridge Street, Halesworth. On 20th April 1853, Benjamin married Ellen Bedwell (born 1831 Halesworth), the daughter of Sarah and John Bedwell, also a tailor. A son and daughter were born in Halesworth, but around 1857 Benjamin Botham set off on his travels as an itinerant photographer. He reached Derbyshire that year, and according to advertisements in The Derby Mercury, was operating as a photographer from premises at London Road, Derby between 1857 and 1858. The Botham's third child, Frances Rosetta Botham, was born at Derby in 1858.
Advertisements in The Matlock Bath Advertiser indicate that B.W. Botham also visited the Matlock area in order to take photographic portraits in September 1857. On the first three Tuesdays of September 1857, he took portraits in a temporary studio in Museum Parade, Matlock Bath, Derbyshire. By the end of 1859, the Bothams had returned to Halesworth in Suffolk, where their son John Andrew Botham was born. By the time of the census in April 1861, Benjamin W. Botham was living with his wife and four children at 23 Egremont Place, Brighton and gave his occupation as a "photographic artist." Later that year, Botham was taking carte-de-visite portraits at 59, North Street, Brighton, the former photographic studio of Robert Farmer (1823-1859). By 1862, he was listed as a photographic artist at 43 Western Road and 33 Clarence Square, Brighton. Botham remained at these premises until the summer of 1868, when he sold his photographic business at 43 Western Road to Charles Nathaniel Wootton of Cambridge.
B.W. Botham then became the proprietor of The New Oxford Theatre of Varieties in New Road, Brighton. His new venture was a success, but around 1874 he became seriously ill. On 18th December 1877, Benjamin William Botham died at his residence, 6 Marlborough Place, leaving "a widow with two sons and two daughters." Mrs Ellen Botham took over the running of the music hall after her husband's death. Ellen and her sons were involved in a court case at the end of 1881, arising from the tragic death of a 15 year old boy, who was killed by a magician's cannon during a performance at the New Oxford Theatre. Her two sons, Benjamin Clayton Botham and John Andrew Botham were the proprietors of the Oxford Theatre of Varieties from 1887. Clayton worked as an architect and designed the Brighton Empire music hall. Initially, John Andrew Botham had a career in the music hall business.
Benjamin William Botham's four children were as follows:
Type I Used c. 1874-1877 Crown, belt & branches motif & two fonts purple text on white card |
Type II Used c. 1877-1878 Crown, belt & branches motif & two fonts, with curved and rectangular frames red text on white card |
PORTFOLIO | Contribute a Photo |
ID #: bwbotham01 Source: Collection of David Simkin Artist: B.W. Botham, of Brighton Negative No. - Size: Carte de visite Card Type: Type I Date: Undated, probably taken c.1865-1867 Notes: Thin card. Square corners. Subject: Unidentified woman, probably in her 20s or early 30s, full length standing portrait. |
ID #: bwbotham02 Source: Collection of David Simkin Artist: B.W. Botham, of Brighton Negative No. - Size: Carte de visite Card Type: Type I Date: Undated, probably taken c.1865-1867 Notes: Thin card. Square corners. Subject: Unidentified woman, probably in her 20s or early 30s, full length seated portrait. |
ID #: bwbotham02 Source: Collection of Rita Giulietti Artist: B.W. Botham, of 43 Western Road, Brighton Negative No. 5100 M Size: Carte de visite Card Type: Type I - Crown, belt & branches motif, purple text on white card. Date: Undated, probably taken c.1865-1867 Notes: Thin card. Square corners. Subject: Unidentified man with beard, probably in his 30s or 40s, full length standing portrait. |
ID #: cnwootton01 Source: Collection of Brett Payne Artist: C.N. Wootton, of 43 Western Road, Brighton Negative No. - Size: Carte de visite Card Type: Type II - Crown, belt & branches motif with curved & rectangular frames, red text on white card; overprinted with "C.N. Wootton & Son" in black ink. Date: Undated, probably taken c.1868-1870 Notes: Thin card. Square corners. Subject: Unidentified young man, probably in his 20s, full length standing portrait. |
Historical Directories from the University of Leicester
Indexed 1841- 1901 Census Images from Ancestry.com
Partial Transcript of the GRO Index from FreeBMD
Photographers in Devon 1842-1939 : a brief directory for photograph collectors, by C.G. Scott, 1985, The PhotoHistorian Supplement No. 101, ISSN 0957-0209
Trade Directory entries
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David Simkin would like to acknowledge the assistance of Debbi and Pete Botham of Braintree, Essex, who provided details of B.W. Botham's early life in Halesworth. Pete Botham is descended from the brother of B.W. Botham's grandfather.
Many thanks to Rita Giulietti and David Simkin for kind contributions of images and information.