Alfred Hugh Harman
Encyclopedia
Alfred Hugh Harman was a pioneer of photography and founder of Ilford Limited
.
Harman established a photography business in Peckham
in 1862 using William Fox Talbot
’s Calotype
negative/positive printing process. In 1864 he was advertising enlargements using solar cameras and artificial light.
In 1879 Harman abandoned his photographic studio and moved to Ilford
village where he began manufacturing dry gelatine plates in the basement of his new home in Cranbrook Road on the corner with Park Avenue. As business grew he expanded his workplace into the ground floor and employed two men and three boys. His early processes were rudimentary—he applied his emulsion formula with a teapot— but the huge growth in the photography market gave him the revenue he needed to build purpose built premises in 1883. These 'Britannia Works' went public in 1891, was relaunched as The Britannia Works (1898) Limited in 1898, and was renamed Ilford Limited in 1900 despite objections from Ilford Urban District Council who argued that being the area's largest employer did not give the company the right to assume the town's name.
Harman retired from the company in 1897 due to ill health but returned around the time of the renaming having retained a substantial shareholding in the interim. Indeed, it was this shareholding that was considered to be the basis of his support for a proposal by George Eastman
that Kodak and Ilford should merge in 1902. Ultimately, the directors of the much smaller Ilford rejected what amounted to a takeover by the US bidder and Harman was persuaded to reject the proposal.
Harman married a Dublin-born widow named Nina Knobble who had a son George from her first marriage.
In 1894 Harman moved to Grayswood
, Surrey
and in 1900 he offered to finance a church in Grayswood on land given by Lord Derby, on condition that a parish was created. The new parish of Grayswood was formed from parts of the old parishes of Witley
, Chiddingfold
, Haslemere
and Thursley
in 1901.
Ilford Photo
Ilford Photo is a manufacturer of photographic materials known worldwide for its black-and-white film and papers and chemicals, as well as its range of Ilfochrome and Ilfocolor colour printing materials. Ilfochrome was formerly called Cibachrome, developed in partnership with the Swiss company...
.
Harman established a photography business in Peckham
Peckham
Peckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
in 1862 using William Fox Talbot
William Fox Talbot
William Henry Fox Talbot was a British inventor and a pioneer of photography. He was the inventor of calotype process, the precursor to most photographic processes of the 19th and 20th centuries. He was also a noted photographer who made major contributions to the development of photography as an...
’s Calotype
Calotype
Calotype or talbotype is an early photographic process introduced in 1841 by William Henry Fox Talbot, using paper coated with silver iodide. The term calotype comes from the Greek for 'beautiful', and for 'impression'....
negative/positive printing process. In 1864 he was advertising enlargements using solar cameras and artificial light.
In 1879 Harman abandoned his photographic studio and moved to Ilford
Ilford
Ilford is a large cosmopolitan town in East London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Redbridge. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It forms a significant commercial and retail...
village where he began manufacturing dry gelatine plates in the basement of his new home in Cranbrook Road on the corner with Park Avenue. As business grew he expanded his workplace into the ground floor and employed two men and three boys. His early processes were rudimentary—he applied his emulsion formula with a teapot— but the huge growth in the photography market gave him the revenue he needed to build purpose built premises in 1883. These 'Britannia Works' went public in 1891, was relaunched as The Britannia Works (1898) Limited in 1898, and was renamed Ilford Limited in 1900 despite objections from Ilford Urban District Council who argued that being the area's largest employer did not give the company the right to assume the town's name.
Harman retired from the company in 1897 due to ill health but returned around the time of the renaming having retained a substantial shareholding in the interim. Indeed, it was this shareholding that was considered to be the basis of his support for a proposal by George Eastman
George Eastman
George Eastman was an American innovator and entrepreneur who founded the Eastman Kodak Company and invented roll film, helping to bring photography to the mainstream...
that Kodak and Ilford should merge in 1902. Ultimately, the directors of the much smaller Ilford rejected what amounted to a takeover by the US bidder and Harman was persuaded to reject the proposal.
Harman married a Dublin-born widow named Nina Knobble who had a son George from her first marriage.
In 1894 Harman moved to Grayswood
Grayswood
Grayswood is a small village to the North of Haslemere and to the west of Witley, Surrey.In 1894, Alfred Hugh Harman moved to Grayswood and in 1900 he offered to finance a church in Grayswood on land given by Lord Derby, on condition that a parish was created. The new parish of Grayswood was formed...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and in 1900 he offered to finance a church in Grayswood on land given by Lord Derby, on condition that a parish was created. The new parish of Grayswood was formed from parts of the old parishes of Witley
Witley
Witley, in Surrey, England is a village south west of Godalming. The village lies just east of the A3 that runs from Guildford to Petersfield. Witley together with the neighbouring area of Hambledon have a population of about 4,000. Neighbouring villages include Milford, Chiddingfold and...
, Chiddingfold
Chiddingfold
Chiddingfold is a village and civil parish in the heart of The Weald in the Waverley district of Surrey, England. It lies on the A283 between Milford and Petworth...
, Haslemere
Haslemere
Haslemere is a town in Surrey, England, close to the border with both Hampshire and West Sussex. The major road between London and Portsmouth, the A3, lies to the west, and a branch of the River Wey to the south. Haslemere is approximately south-west of Guildford.Haslemere is surrounded by hills,...
and Thursley
Thursley
Thursley is a small village in Surrey. It lies just west of the A3 running between Milford and Hindhead. Neighbouring villages include Rushmoor, Bowlhead Green and Brook. Thursley is in south-west Surrey, in south-east England...
in 1901.