Dates

• Existence: fl. 1850 - 1895

Biography

Perez M. Batchelder was originally from Boston, USA. He was active in Australia from the 1850s to the 1890s. He operated studios in Melbourne (1852-57), Sydney (1858-60) and Bendigo (1866-67) with his brothers Benjamin and Nathaniel. In 1857 he went into partnership with Daniel O'Neil. As well as operating a studio, Batchelder and O'Neil imported photographic goods. The company occupied several different locations in Melbourne and appears to have lasted until 1865. The Photographic Society of Victoria, Australia's first formally constituted photographic society, had it's initial meeting in Bachelder and O'Neil's rooms in 1860. From 1867 Batchelder was operating as Batchelder and Co. and had a variety of studios on Collins Street until 1895 (Davies and Stanbury 1985, p.44 and p.129). Cato notes that Foster and Martin were both pupils of Batchelder's (1955, p.162).

Sources:

Cato, Jack (1955), 'The story of the camera in Australia'. Melbourne: Institute of Australian Photographers.

Davies, Alan and Stanbury, Peter (1985), 'The mechanical eye in Australia: photography 1841-1900'. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Melbourne Almanac 1868.

Tanner's Directory 1859.