Lizzie Caswall Smith
Encyclopedia
Lizzie Caswall Smith was an early 20th century British
photographer
who specialised in society
and celebrity
studio
portraits, often used for postcards
. She was associated with the Women's Suffrage movement
and photographed many suffragette
s including Flora Drummond
, Millicent Fawcett
and Christabel Pankhurst
. She also photographed actors including Camille Clifford
, Billie Burke
and Maude Fealy
.
Caswall Smith operated the Gainsborough Studio at 309 Oxford Street
from 1907 until 1920 when she moved to 90 Great Russell Street
where she stayed until her retirement in 1930 aged 60. She exhibited at the Royal Photographic Society
in 1902 and 1913 and her bromide copies of photographs of Peter Llewelyn Davies and J. M. Barrie
are in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery.
On 19 November 2008 a rare black-and-white photograph of Florence Nightingale
taken in 1910 by Lizzie Caswall Smith was auctioned by Dreweatts auction house in Newbury, Berkshire, England, for £5,500. On the back of the photograph Caswall Smith had noted in pencil "Florence Nightingale taken just before she died, House nr Park Lane (London). The only photograph I ever took out of studio – I shall never forget the experience."
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
photographer
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
who specialised in society
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
and celebrity
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
studio
Photographic studio
A photographic studio is both a workspace and a corporate body. As a workspace it is much like an artist’s studio, but providing space to take, develop, print and duplicate photographs. Photographic training and the display of finished photographs may also be accommodated in a photographic studio...
portraits, often used for postcards
Postcard
A postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope....
. She was associated with the Women's Suffrage movement
Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom
Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom as a national movement began in 1872. Women were not prohibited from voting in the United Kingdom until the 1832 Reform Act and the 1835 Municipal Corporations Act...
and photographed many suffragette
Suffragette
"Suffragette" is a term coined by the Daily Mail newspaper as a derogatory label for members of the late 19th and early 20th century movement for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, in particular members of the Women's Social and Political Union...
s including Flora Drummond
Flora Drummond
Flora McKinnon Drummond , , was a British suffragette...
, Millicent Fawcett
Millicent Fawcett
Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett, GBE was an English suffragist and an early feminist....
and Christabel Pankhurst
Christabel Pankhurst
Dame Christabel Harriette Pankhurst, DBE , was a suffragette born in Manchester, England. A co-founder of the Women's Social and Political Union , she directed its militant actions from exile in France from 1912 to 1913. In 1914 she became a fervent supporter of the war against Germany...
. She also photographed actors including Camille Clifford
Camille Clifford
Camilla Antoinette Clifford was a Belgian-born stage actress and the most famous model for the "Gibson Girl" illustrations. Her towering coiffure and hourglass figure defined the Gibson Girl style....
, Billie Burke
Billie Burke
Mary William Ethelbert Appleton "Billie" Burke was an American actress. She is primarily known to modern audiences as Glinda the Good Witch of the North in the musical film The Wizard of Oz. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance as Emily Kilbourne in Merrily We Live...
and Maude Fealy
Maude Fealy
Maude Fealy was an American stage and film actress who appeared in nearly every film made by Cecil B. DeMille in the post silent film era.-Early life:...
.
Caswall Smith operated the Gainsborough Studio at 309 Oxford Street
Oxford Street
Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, United Kingdom. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, as well as its most dense, and currently has approximately 300 shops. The street was formerly part of the London-Oxford road which began at Newgate,...
from 1907 until 1920 when she moved to 90 Great Russell Street
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
where she stayed until her retirement in 1930 aged 60. She exhibited at the Royal Photographic Society
Royal Photographic Society
The Royal Photographic Society is the world's oldest national photographic society. It was founded in London, United Kingdom in 1853 as The Photographic Society of London with the objective of promoting the Art and Science of Photography...
in 1902 and 1913 and her bromide copies of photographs of Peter Llewelyn Davies and J. M. Barrie
J. M. Barrie
Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM was a Scottish author and dramatist, best remembered today as the creator of Peter Pan. The child of a family of small-town weavers, he was educated in Scotland. He moved to London, where he developed a career as a novelist and playwright...
are in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery.
On 19 November 2008 a rare black-and-white photograph of Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale OM, RRC was a celebrated English nurse, writer and statistician. She came to prominence for her pioneering work in nursing during the Crimean War, where she tended to wounded soldiers. She was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp" after her habit of making rounds at night...
taken in 1910 by Lizzie Caswall Smith was auctioned by Dreweatts auction house in Newbury, Berkshire, England, for £5,500. On the back of the photograph Caswall Smith had noted in pencil "Florence Nightingale taken just before she died, House nr Park Lane (London). The only photograph I ever took out of studio – I shall never forget the experience."
External links
- http://www.maudefealy.vispa.com/mflcs.htmlGallery of Lizzie Caswall Smiths photographs of Maude FealyMaude FealyMaude Fealy was an American stage and film actress who appeared in nearly every film made by Cecil B. DeMille in the post silent film era.-Early life:...
] - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2776782/Rare-photograph-of-Florence-Nightingale-for-sale.htmlDaily Telegraph article about a rare photograph of Florence NightingaleFlorence NightingaleFlorence Nightingale OM, RRC was a celebrated English nurse, writer and statistician. She came to prominence for her pioneering work in nursing during the Crimean War, where she tended to wounded soldiers. She was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp" after her habit of making rounds at night...
taken by Caswall Smith.]