William Downey
(1829-1915), PhotographerArtist associated with 3 portraits
William Downey, a carpenter from South Shields, originally set up the company W. & D. Downey with his brother Daniel, previously a bootmaker. 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 Downey moved to London to open a studio on Ebury Street, while his brother continued to look after the Newcastle branch. One of Queen Victoria's favourite photographers, he also filmed the Queen at Balmoral in 1896. His son, William Edward Downey, acted as operator for most of the important royal sittings of the Edwardian era.
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Lynn Hilditch
26 October 2021, 11:31
William Downey had a granddaughter called Caroline Maud Downey (Aunt Maud). Born in Chelsea 9th August 1880 and died in Brighton 1974. She married Frederick Lindsay Woods - my great uncle on 17th April 1906. They had no children but travelled. Dr Frederick Woods Adm. at CAIUS, Oct. 1, 1897 ; B.A. 1900; M.B. and B.Chir. 1905; D.P.H. 1911. At the London Hospital; Clinical Assistant there. Practised for a short time at Manningham, Bradford. Assistant Port Health Officer, and Medical Inspector of Emigrants at Hong Kong, 1912-20. Port Health Officer, Amoy, China, and Medical Officer, Chinese maritime customs, 1920-30. Married, 1906, Caroline Maud Donney. Author, Hookworm Disease in South China. Of Hove, Sussex, in 1950. (Venn, II. 554; Medical Directories; Fox-Davies, Armorial Families.)
Before WW11 they retired to the South of France. Apparently they took with them some of the Downey photographic plates. The impending Nazi invasion of France prompted them to leave France for England in a hurry. The photographic plates have never been recovered although there is little information as to where they were kept.