Thomas Bennett 1824 – 1877
Photographic Business
Thomas opened his first studio in Worcester in 1856. At different times, he operated at five studios in Worcester and three in Malvern under his own name and the business continued under the name of Bennett & Son and Bennett & Sons until at least 1916.
Census
1841 | Apprentice painter at St Andrews Hill, Cambridge |
1851 | Master painter employing 1 man & 3 apprentices at Regent St., Cambridge |
1861 | Lay clerk and photographer, 46 Foregate St., Worcester |
1871 | Artist, painter & photographer, 45 Foregate St., Worcester |
Thomas Bennett was born in Ely, Cambridgeshire in 1824, the son of Thomas Bennett senior, a schoolteacher, and his wife Harriett. Thomas senior was Lay Clerk and Master of the Choristers at Kings College Choir, Cambridge from about 1800 until Sept 1805.
Thomas junior was a member of the Ely Cathedral Choir Boys from 1833 to 1840.
In 1841, at the age of 17, he was learning his trade as a painter’s apprentice in residence with Frederick Hills at St Andrews Hill, Cambridge
On 25th July 1850, Thomas married Elizabeth Jane Gray at St. Andrew’s The Great, Cambridge.
By 1851 Thomas was a master painter employing an assistant and three apprentices working from 3 Regent Street in Cambridge, whilst his wife Elizabeth was a dressmaker employing an assistant and 3 other people.
Thomas and Elizabeth had three children whilst living in Cambridge, Elizabeth Harriett (b. 1852), Thomas Jewell (not to be confused with his uncle’s son and namesake, Sir Thomas Jewell Bennett – 1852-1925) and William Sterndale born in 1855. Shortly afterwards the family moved to Worcester.
In 1856, Thomas founded their photographic business at 46 Foregate Street.
Five more children followed. They were Robert Gray, Arthur J G, Agnes, Sarah Emily and finally Harry S in 1865.
In 1866 Thomas Bennett advertised in The Worcestershire Chronicle on 12 September that he was selling photographs of the late Sir Charles Hastings. His studio address at that time was 46 Foregate Street, Worcester (see the advert below kindly provided by Dave Bennett).

Thomas Bennett Advertisement from 1866

Sir Charles Hastings 1864
In 1868 Thomas opened an additional studio at 2 Priory Mount, Worcester which remained open until 1885.
Also in 1868 the business was expanded to nearby Malvern and operated at three different addresses in that town until 1914.
By 1876 he had moved from 46 Foregate to both 9 Foregate Street and Pierpoint Street and by 1880 he closed both studios and moved again to 8 Broad Street where the business remained in various guises until at least 1916.
This was truly a family-run business – see Appendix A. Firstly Elizabeth, his wife, became involved on the photographic printing side. In 1861, Elizabeth was listed in the census as a photographic printer and in 1871 as being employed in the photographic business.
Later, three sons and two daughters became involved in all aspects of the business and Emily looked after the book-keeping.
This proved to be a sound policy as upon his death in 1877 Elizabeth took over the running of the business and in 1881 and 1891 was listed as a photographer. On her death in May 1899, at the age of 72, it fell to Thomas Jewell to carry on, ably assisted by his brothers and sisters.

Postcard picture of the T Bennett & Sons studio at Gazebo House, Church Street, Malvern about 1900. Courtesy: Allan Collier
The studio pictured above was open between 1888 and 1914. Interestingly, the postcard was photographed and published by a different photographer called Tilley & Son from the nearby town of Ledbury; a town about 15 miles away to the South West.
Their clientele included many important people of the day including Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Family
Father | Thomas Bennett –born ? in ? |
Mother | Harriett ? – born ? in ? |
Thomas | |
Born | 4 Mar 1824, Ely, Cambridgeshire |
Baptized | 8 Apr 1824, Holy Trinity, Ely, Cambridgeshire |
Married | 25 Jul 1850 at St. Andrew’s The Great, Cambridge to Elizabeth Jane Gray |
Child 1 | Elizabeth Harriett born 1852 Cambridge |
Child 2 | Thomas Jewell born 1854 Cambridge |
Child 3 | William Sterndale born 1855 Cambridge |
Child 4 | Robert Gray born Aug 1857 Worcester |
Child 5 | Arthur J G born 1860 Worcester |
Child 6 | Agnes born 1863 Worcester |
Child 7 | Sarah Emily born Feb 1864 Worcester |
Child 8 | Harry S born 1865 Worcester |
Died | 1877, Worcester, Worcestershire |
Appendix A – Census information on Thomas’ children
Compiled by Ron Cosens © www.cartedevisite.co.uk
Sources
- David J Bennett (great/great nephew of Thomas Bennett), family historian, who provided the information for the life story above
- Marcel Safier for additional research and census data
- Sandy Barrie for trade directory information
- Ron Cosens for images from the Victorian Image Collection
Thomas Bennett – Gallery
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Thomas Bennett & Son – Gallery
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Thomas Bennett & Sons – Gallery
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