Alfred Brothers (1826-1912)

Artist associated with 7 portraits
Born in Kent, Alfred Brothers' lifelong interest in photography and astronomy began in his youth. Following his marriage, he moved to Manchester to work insurance, but by 1856 he had given this up to establish a portrait studio in St Anne's Square. He photographed at the Manchester Art Treasures Exhibition of 1857, and experimented with magnesium as an illuminant in around 1864. His photographs of the solar eclipse on 22nd December 1870 helped astronomers advance their understanding of the sun's corona.