W. & D. Downey
(active 1855-1940), PhotographersArtist 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.
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, circa 1858-1864
NPG P30
Group of fifteen, including Queen Victoria
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 25 May 1868
NPG P22(2)
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 25 May 1868
NPG P22(3)
Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany; Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, Duchess of Argyll
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 1868
NPG P22(7)
Group of eleven, including the Duchess of Atholl
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 1868
NPG P22(24)
Princess Beatrice of Battenberg
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 1868
NPG P22(8)
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 1868
NPG P22(4)
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 1868
NPG P22(9)
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 1868
NPG P22(5)
Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, Duchess of Argyll
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 1868
NPG P22(6)
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 1868
NPG P22(25)
by W. & D. Downey
cabinet card, 1889
NPG P2095
by W. & D. Downey
carbon print, 1890 or before
NPG P429
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 6 July 1893
NPG P1700(2a)
Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 1893
NPG P1700(24b)
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, mid 1890s
NPG P1700(24c)
by Percy Lewis Pocock, for W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 16 July 1894
NPG P1700(8a)
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, circa 1894
NPG P1700(8c)
Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (King Edward VIII)
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 1895
NPG P1700(14d)
Haakon VII, King of Norway; Queen Alexandra; Maud, Queen of Norway
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 1896
NPG P1700(24a)
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 1901
NPG P1700(57b)
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 9 August 1902
NPG P1700(61a)
possibly by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 9 August 1902
NPG P1700(62a)
by W. & D. Downey
albumen print, 1904 or before
NPG P1700(73b)
Royal group in the Crimson Drawing-Room at Windsor Castle
by William Edward Downey, for W. & D. Downey, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd
postcard print, 17 November 1907
NPG P1700(81d)
attributed to W. & D. Downey
sepia-toned platinum print, 1908
NPG P420
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, circa mid-late 1850s
NPG x19150
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x76001
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG Ax8651
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x13263
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG Ax8666
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, early 1860s
NPG x12861
Thomas O'Hagan, 1st Baron O'Hagan
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x12611
George Percy, 5th Duke of Northumberland
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, circa 1860
NPG x21665
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s-1870s
NPG Ax38651
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG Ax39818
Edward Henry Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s-1870s
NPG Ax39909
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s-1870s
NPG Ax68138
Chichester Samuel Parkinson-Fortescue, Baron Carlingford and 2nd Baron Clermont
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG Ax8548
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG Ax8568
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG Ax8627
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x241
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s-1870s
NPG x4734
Prince George William Frederick Charles, 2nd Duke of Cambridge
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x135623
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG Ax39932
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, circa 1860
NPG x139849
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1880s (December 1862)
NPG x6424
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, December 1862
NPG x45950
by W. & D. Downey
albumen cabinet card, December 1862
NPG x131297
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, mid-late 1870s? (December 1862)
NPG Ax38169
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, mid 1860s
NPG Ax29654
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1863
NPG Ax29680
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 29 June 1863
NPG Ax14797
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, circa 1863
NPG Ax17735
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1863
NPG Ax18366
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1863
NPG Ax18368
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1863
NPG Ax18240
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1863
NPG Ax18252
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston
by W. & D. Downey
albumen carte-de-visite, 1863
NPG Ax11938
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.