114 Abbey Street
 

I am trying to trace the history of a camera (Walton's patent Commercial camera) which was made by Tom Walton, at 114 Abbey Street.

This address is now the Chapel Service Station (opposite the Swan, near the police station).

But 114 Abbey Street must have been either a house or factory or workshop or a shop in 1930 when the camera was made and sold.

So, anyone know Tom Walton, or Walton's shop/workshop? Does anyone have the camera!?

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Tom Walton had a shop in Abbey St, the shop doorway was recessed back from the pavement & was tiled, all those premises were demolished circa 1966, when the Wesley Chaplel, and School were razed. There may be photo's in Accy Library
Retlaw.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Thanks, was Walton's a camera shop?

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

This is a photo of the area, looking DOWN Manchester Road. Will try and find another for you. If you look at the left hand side of the photo, by The Wesley Church and Sunday school building, you can see a gentleman standing near an elaborate lamppost. The row of shops just past him will be the block in question, where Waltons would have been.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Maybe someone in the present day Accrington Camera Club may be able to help you. If Garth Dawson attends their meetings, he could have first hand info on the chappie you are after?

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/accringtoncameraclub/

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Yes, I can see the buildings. Do you know what date the photo is - perhaps early 1900s?

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

If you look closly you will see there are tram lines, but no overhead cables, so it was taken when the steam powered trams were still in operation.

Retlaw.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Electric trams came in 1907.
I am in some doubt about Walton being the patentee of this camera. It was commion for big firms to sell small shops a number of cameras and out their name (e.g Walton) on it. I suggest you enquire as to whether Walton took out any patents. I have not come across any.This should be possible on-line. My reference book says TW was at 114 1925-39, but I think it was as late as 1958 when I had my photo taken there. Barrett's Directory shows him there in 1951.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Mostly portrate photo's.
Never saw any camera's for sale in the window, other than display's with photographs.
Retlaw.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

He must have had well built camera's to survive seeing you.:tongueout:tongueout:tongueout:tongueout

Retlaw

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Tom Walton did sell a few cameras and other photographic paraphernalia - I used to go and admire them and talk to him about photography. He also used to develop, print and enlarge photos. I think Bob's right in that he was there until about 1958 or shortly afterwards. Wasn't McNeil's watch repairers next door?

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Yes I'd forgotton about McNeils, his nephew lived in Hargreaves St.
Retlaw.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

My dad was an amateur photographer...he bought all of his supplies from Walton's......and I am pretty sure he bought a camera from there as well......this would be in the early 1950's

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Thanks, that's good information about the shop. I now know when it existed and what it sold, all things I wanted to find out.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

If you read this weeks accy observer you will see theres an interview with garth dawson about a camera thats operated by bellows .... he bought it in the 50s ..

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Snap, I've had this one over 70 years.
Retlaw.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Here's a postcard that you may find interesting. It too suggests that they sold a camera patented specifically to Walton's. Maybe worth looking up patent records for more info? I have no patent number to help you with though sorry.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Here is an advert from around 1920

Attachment 17917

This is the post card that started me off on the trail of the camera and Tom Walton. My version of this is more like a photo than a postcard, it doesn't have any lines to divide the space on the back into the writing side and the address side.

I wondered if it was a sort of publicity shot for the camera to hand out to anyone who might buy one. Is your card the same?

This is a great advert it shows how long a history the shop had. Where does the advert come from? Is it photographic magazine?

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

I don't own the original - I just have the image file unfortunately. The description that went with it described a Real Photographic Postcard, so I'd assume there was either a space for address/message on back, or a pre-printed sales message as was often done on these (although I don't know for sure).

The embossed/debossed text that can be seen shows that it is definitely printed on card - although many non-postcard photographs were printed on card too, so that doesn't really help.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Re Ravenshaw's image above. I think it is an ad from a series of Year Books published by the Observer. 'Cars stop at door' indicates it was in the tramway era, so pre1930.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

The advert was in a programme for an Accrington Amateur Operatic Society production in the 1920's

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Sodding hell, yer didn't do much in the way of opera,when we used to go down ewood.:eek::D

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

We used to sing on the Darwen End didn't we ?

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Thanks Jeff, it's good to put a date to the advert - can you get any closer than "the 1920s"? I am trying to find out when he became a photographer, and I know that in the 1911 census he was a textile machine fitter (I think at Howard & Bullough's).

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

A reference book I have shows him at 114 between 1925 & 1939, though we know he was there much later.
He called the shop Walton's Imperial Studios

There was a William Walton in a studio 74 Geoffrey St & 1 Hill Place, Fishergate, Preston between 1898 & 1939 in the same book

The best books to check are the various Barrett's directories 1915,1925 1930,1935

Also look for ads in the Year books published by the Observer.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

The advert shows the sale of oxygen for medical and "lantern" purposes. Anyone know what this was about?

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

I think I can now answer my own question. Early magic lanterns used "limelight" - a very powerful light produced by burning a pellet of lime in oxygen - hence the term "in the limelight". Sounds very dangerous to me.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

I have just been going through some old newspapers for the 1920's and found the advert in the paper in 1928. I will work back to see if I can find any others but they do appear in the telephone directory for 1922 at 114 Abbey Street.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

I think we are now close to establishing when Walton's was established. I understand that Joseph Harrison, also a photographer, was at 114 Abbey St from 1901 - 1921.
Does Harrison disappear and Walton appear in Tel Directory in 1922 at 114 Abbey St? I wonder - perhaps he took over Harrison's business??? Do tel directories or adverts say Tom (or Thomas) Walton or just 'Walton'?

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

The advert is dated 1920

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Dear 'Retlaw': I see from another forum that you were a pattern maker at Langbridges (was its 'Sunday best' name Lang Bridge & Co Ltd?).

The camera this discussion thread is all about, the 'Walton Commercial Camera' has a cast lens panel. I have been told by a Walton family member who saw the camera in the 1940/50s, that the casting was done at Langbridges around 1935. I now have the wooden patterns, and they are in a sort of wooden tray/crate with "Tom Walton, Accrington" written in pencil along two sides.

Does that ring any bells?

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

I didn't start at Langs until 1945, never saw any patterns like that, things like camera mounts & panels would have been cast in aluminiun.
More likely Langs made the patterns for Walton, & the castings were done elsewhere, can't say I ever saw aluminium being cast at Langs, cast iron, brass, & bronze yes, but aluminium new one on me.
If the casting was done else where thats probably why the patterns have survived.
Retlaw.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

In 1931 Mr T Walton presented a shield to the Accrington Camera Club to be presented annually for snapshot competitions. It ws hoped it would stand as a lasting tribute to the Walton family.
Wonder if it still exists?

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

FAO Ravenshaw -
In this weeks Observer (page 7) it tells about a display of images by local photographers, held at The Haworth Art Gallery. It also mentions that on display, in some of the glass stands, is the historic WALTON SHIELD, one of the town's top awards, and a collection of cameras through the years. (exhibition, during gallery hours, is on until July 22nd)

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Know is slightly off-thread, but this is a picture of the Accrington Camera Club in 1920.

My grandad was the one on the 3rd row up, far right. Suspected he took this shot on a timer, have one or two with him leaning slightly inward where he hasn't had time to stand up straight. :)

Just wondered if the gentlemen mentioned above were on this photograph, don't suppose anyone would know, I suppose.

Attachment 21087

Click to enlarge.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Thanks for letting me know about the shield. Although I don't think I'll be able to get over to see it I will ask a friend to pop in and photograph it for my project. I do see on the Accrington Camera Club website that the Walton Shield is awarded annually for "... Best Mono Print from any class" (Accrington Camera Club: Annual Competition)

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

This is very interesting and I think their is a good chance that the man 3rd from the left on the back row, with the big moustache, is Tom Walton. I could ask two of Tom's relatives if you were willing to send me the photo by email? Neither knew him in the 1920s, but they do have photos they could compare.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Ravenshaw. Bear in mind please to let the library have copies of these photos

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

Of course I will, my pleasure.
P.M. me your E-mail details and it will be on its way.

Re: 114 Abbey Street
 

I used to visit Mr Walton in the mid fifties(my dad was an amateur photographer and bought all his supplies from the shop)......by that time the Mr Walton I knew had a fine head of white hair and glasses....and I never knew his first name...he was always Mr Walton to me.