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W. & D. Downey

(active 1855-1940), Photographers

Artist associated with 938 portraits
William Downey originally set up the company with his brother Daniel. They opened a portrait studio in South Shields in 1856 and in 1861-2 operated from 111 Northumberland Street, Newcastle, before moving to Eldon Square. In 1872 William moved to London to open a studio on Ebury Street, while his brother continued to look after the Newcastle branch. Among Queen Victoria's favourite photographers, the firm photographed at Balmoral and Frogmore throughout the late 1860s, particularly for the Prince of Wales. Their carte-de-visite portrait of the Princess of Wales with Princess Louise was one of the most popular ever issued, with sales of 300,000. William Downey's son, William Edward Downey, acted as operator for most royal sittings of the Edwardian era.

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The children of King George V, by Arthur James Hope Downey, for  W. & D. Downey - NPG x21160

The children of King George V

by Arthur James Hope Downey, for W. & D. Downey
platinum print, 1910
NPG x21160

The children of King George V, by Arthur James Hope Downey, for  W. & D. Downey - NPG x136041

The children of King George V

by Arthur James Hope Downey, for W. & D. Downey
platinum print, 1910
NPG x136041

Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (King Edward VIII), by Arthur James Hope Downey, for  W. & D. Downey, published by  Rotary Photographic Co Ltd - NPG x138839

Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (King Edward VIII)

by Arthur James Hope Downey, for W. & D. Downey, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd
bromide postcard print, 1910
NPG x138839

Queen Mary, by W. & D. Downey, published by  Rotary Photographic Co Ltd - NPG x138851

Queen Mary

by W. & D. Downey, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd
bromide postcard print, 1910s
NPG x138851

King George V; Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood; Queen Mary, by W. & D. Downey, published by  Rotary Photographic Co Ltd - NPG x196993

King George V; Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood; Queen Mary

by W. & D. Downey, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd
bromide postcard print, 1910
NPG x196993

Queen Mary; King George V; Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood, by W. & D. Downey, published by  Rotary Photographic Co Ltd - NPG x196994

Queen Mary; King George V; Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood

by W. & D. Downey, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd
bromide postcard print, 1910
NPG x196994

Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood; King George V; Queen Mary, by W. & D. Downey, published by  Rotary Photographic Co Ltd - NPG x196995

Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood; King George V; Queen Mary

by W. & D. Downey, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd
bromide postcard print, 1910
NPG x196995

King George V, by W. & D. Downey, published by  Rotary Photographic Co Ltd - NPG x196450

King George V

by W. & D. Downey, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd
bromide postcard print, circa 1910
NPG x196450

Lady Beatrice Adeline Lister-Kaye (née Pelham-Clinton) as Court Lady in 'Twelfth Night', by W. & D. Downey, published by  Hudson & Kearns Ltd - NPG Ax135797

Lady Beatrice Adeline Lister-Kaye (née Pelham-Clinton) as Court Lady in 'Twelfth Night'

by W. & D. Downey, published by Hudson & Kearns Ltd
photogravure, 20 June 1911, published 1912
NPG Ax135797

King George V, by W. & D. Downey, published by  Rotary Photographic Co Ltd - NPG x138846

King George V

by W. & D. Downey, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd
bromide postcard print, circa 1911
NPG x138846

Queen Alexandra, by W. & D. Downey, published by  J. Beagles & Co - NPG x196865

Queen Alexandra

by W. & D. Downey, published by J. Beagles & Co
bromide postcard print, (15 October 1913)
NPG x196865

Queen Alexandra, by W. & D. Downey, published by  Raphael Tuck & Sons - NPG x196866

Queen Alexandra

by W. & D. Downey, published by Raphael Tuck & Sons
bromide postcard print, published circa 1925-1928 (15 October 1913)
NPG x196866

Queen Mary, by W. & D. Downey - NPG x196451

Queen Mary

by W. & D. Downey
bromide postcard print, 1920s
NPG x196451

Queen Alexandra, by W. & D. Downey, published by  J. Beagles & Co - NPG x196485

Queen Alexandra

by W. & D. Downey, published by J. Beagles & Co
bromide postcard print, published circa 1925
NPG x196485

Sinico, by W. & D. Downey - NPG Ax39899

Sinico

by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite
NPG Ax39899

King George V, by Percy Lewis Pocock, for  W. & D. Downey - NPG x1577

King George V

by Percy Lewis Pocock, for W. & D. Downey
bromide print
NPG x1577

Alexander II, Emperor of Russia, after a photograph by W. & D. Downey - NPG D3408

Alexander II, Emperor of Russia

after a photograph by W. & D. Downey
stipple engraving, probably 1860s
NPG D3408

Richard Cobden, by Mason Jackson, after  W. & D. Downey - NPG D33665

Richard Cobden

by Mason Jackson, after W. & D. Downey
wood engraving, published by Illustrated London News 15 April 1865
NPG D33665

Abdul Hamid II, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, published by Cassell & Company, Ltd, after  W. & D. Downey - NPG D47407

Abdul Hamid II, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire

published by Cassell & Company, Ltd, after W. & D. Downey
chromolithograph, circa 1876-1878
NPG D47407

George Robert Canning Harris, 4th Baron Harris, by Joseph Brown, after  W. & D. Downey - NPG D17966

George Robert Canning Harris, 4th Baron Harris

by Joseph Brown, after W. & D. Downey
stipple engraving, published 1880
NPG D17966

Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield, by Maclure & Macdonald, after  W. & D. Downey - NPG D21542

Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield

by Maclure & Macdonald, after W. & D. Downey
chromolithograph, published 23 December 1882 (1868)
NPG D21542

Sir Drury Curzon Drury-Lowe, by Maclure & Macdonald, after  W. & D. Downey - NPG D35590

Sir Drury Curzon Drury-Lowe

by Maclure & Macdonald, after W. & D. Downey
chromolithograph, published 18 November 1882
NPG D35590

Algernon George Percy, 6th Duke of Northumberland, printed by Maclure & Macdonald, published by  The Pictorial World, after  W. & D. Downey - NPG D39311

Algernon George Percy, 6th Duke of Northumberland

printed by Maclure & Macdonald, published by The Pictorial World, after W. & D. Downey
chromolithograph, published 7 April 1883
NPG D39311

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