Frith, Francis, 1822 -1898 (photographer)
Biography
Francis Frith was born on December 7th 1822 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England, to a Quaker family (Sackett 1994). He was educated at Ackworth School and Quaker Camp Hill School in Birmingham (Browne and Partnow 1983, p.212). After serving an apprenticeship with a Sheffield cutlery firm, he began a wholesale grocery firm, Liverpool, and later a printing firm (Sackett 1994). He took up photography in 1850 and in the mid-1850s retired from his successful business career. In 1853 he was one of the founders of the Liverpool Photographic Society (Turner 1995, p794). He made his first photographic visit to Egypt in 1856-57. He travelled on the Nile and photographed from Cairo to Abu Simbel. On his return he published a series of views which were enthusiastically received. He made a second trip with his assistant Frank Mason Good in late 1857. A third photographic trip was made in 1859 when Frith travelled beyond the Sixth Cataract. On his return from this third trip Frith set up as a photographer and publisher. His company produced a detailed record of English villages and towns, eventually becoming the largest mass production company in Europe. For a list of Frith photographic publications see: Gernsheim, Helmut (1984), 'Incunabula of British photographic literature : a bibliography of British books illustrated with original photographs'. London: Scolar in association with Derbyshire College of Higher Education.
In 1860 Frith married Mary Ann Rosling. They had five sons and three daughters. Frith died on February 25th 1898. His sons Eustace and Cyril continued the business (Sackett 1994). The firm survived until the 1960s.
Sources:
Browne, Turner and Partnow, Elaine (1983), 'Macmillian biographical encyclopedia of photographic artists and innovators'. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
Sackett, Terrance R. (1993) 'Francis Frith'. In: Dictionary of National Biography [CD-ROM]. [S.l.]: Oxford University Press, 1996.
Turner, Jane ed. (1996), 'The dictionary of art'. Volume 11. New York: Grove.
Found in 64 Collections and/or Records:
Absalom's Tomb, Jerusalem, 1857
150 x 212 mm. A view showing the square stone sepulchre with a spine standing on the rocky hillside in the Valley of Jehosphaphat east of Jerusalem.
Albums by Francis Frith
Baalbec [Ba`labakk], from the south, 1860
230 x 153 mm. A general view looking towards the massive remains of the temples of Baalbek, 35 miles north-west of Damascus. The photograph shows the six standing columns of the Great Temple, with the more complete smaller Temple at the right of the print.
Baalbec [Ba`labakk], from the south, 1857
235 x 157 mm. A general view looking towards the massive remains of the temples of Baalbek, 35 miles north-west of Damascus. The photograph shows the six standing columns of the Great Temple, with the more complete smaller Temple at the right of the print.
Banias, the ancient Caesarea Philippi, 1857
229 x 162 mm. A view showing overgrown and crumbling ruins at Banias, forty miles south west of Damascus, with hills in the background.
Banias, the ancient Caesarea Philippi, 1860
222 x 158 mm. A view showing overgrown and crumbling ruins at Banias, forty miles south west of Damascus, with hills in the background.
Bethany, 1857
231 x 157 mm. A view looking over the village of Bethany and showing small fields enclosed by stone walls with the houses of the inhabitants beyond.
Bethlehem, with the church of the Nativity, 1857
226 x 156 mm. A view looking up the hillside towards the church built by the Empress Helena on the supposed site of the nativity, with terraced fields and the low square houses of Bethlehem at the right of the print. Frith considers Bethlehem and its situation 'truly picturesque and beautiful. It is one of the few places in Palestine which will not disappoint the imaginative traveller.'
Church of the Ascesion, Mount of Olives, 1860
227 x 161 mm. A view looking up the western slope, dotted here and there with olive trees, towards the church and tower of the Ascension.
City wall and mosque of Omar, etc, Jerusalem, 1857
226 x 160 mm. A view looking along the city wall towards the dome of the mosque of Omar and 'El Haram-esh-Sherif', the Holy Sanctuary, with the houses of the city beyond. With wasteland and cactus in the left foreground.
Convent of Mar-Saba, 1860
226 x 121 mm. A view looking over the convent rooftops towards the sheer cliffs in which the caves of ascetics can be seen.
Convent of Mar-Saba, near Jerusalem, 1857
Damascus, 1857
214 x 161 mm. A view taken from a rooftop near the east gate, looking over the flat rooftops of Damascus towards a distant mountain. The commentary contains a disquisition on the romanticism of writers' and artists' views of the east and the counterbalance provided by photography.
Distant view of Damascus, 1857
222 x 152 mm. A view looking towards the distant city from Salihiyeh with a ruined church (unidentified) in the foreground.
Distant view of Damascus, 1860
223 x 158 mm. A view looking towards the distant city from Salihiyeh with a ruined church (unidentified) in the foreground.
Egypt and Palestine - Frith - Volume I, 1857
An album of photographs of scenes within Egypt and Palestine.
Egypt and Palestine - Frith - Volume II, 1857
An album of photographs of scenes within Egypt and Palestine.
Entrance of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, 1860
Frith India Series Vol. I
Gaza (the Old Town), 1860
224 x 158 mm. A view looking over small fields and gardens towards the dilapidated buildings of the Old Town, with the mosque and its tower at the right of the print.
Hebron with the mosque covering the Cave of Macpelah, 1860
255 x 158 mm. A view looking over the town from a slope at its northern end with the mosque prominent among the small square houses at the left of the print. The area around the mosque is the business centre and bazaar of Hebron.
Jerusalem, from Mount Scopus, 1860
Jerusalem, from the city wall, 1857
128 x 155 mm. A view looking from the city wall, over an area of waste ground towards the dome and minaret of the Mosque of Omar.
Jerusalem, from the Mount of Olives, 1860
226 x 156 mm. A view looking west from the Mount of Olives, over the Valley of Jehospaphat and towards Jerusalem, with the prominent dome of the Mosque of Omar in the centre. In the foreground are olive trees beside which stand two Arabs.
Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, No 1, 1857
231 x 160 mm. A view, taken from just below the Church of the Ascension, looking down on the city showing the densely packed buildings surrounded by the high city wall. The prominent domed building is the Mosque of Omar. The Garden of Gethsemene lies outside the walls at the right of the print.
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