John Gay
(1909-1999), PhotographerSitter in 5 portraits
Artist of 295 portraits
Born Hans Gohler in Karlsrühe. He left Germany in 1933, and moved to England where he settled in Yorkshire and found work as a photographer. In 1939 he joined the Pioneer Corps with whom he served throughout Word War II. He decided to change his name to John Gay, after the poet and dramatist of Beggar's Opera fame. From 1942 he based himself in Highgate, London, and worked as a professional photographer. His work encompassed regular contributions to Country Fair and the photo-essays in The Strand magazine for which he also produced a number of portraits of literary personalities in the 1940s. He was celebrated as a photographer of railway stations, graveyards and country scenes.
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