Thomas Richard Williams
They have published several biographies in various journals and on the web, notably on the London Stereoscopic Company website[2] and in their 2009 book, A Village Lost and Found, which details 59 of TR Williams' stereo photographs.
Thomas Williams, his father, co-owned and operated a family coach-driving business with service from London to Reading, a company which was eventually dissolved.
It seems reasonable, however, that he may have spent good portions of his childhood in the village of Hinton Waldrist in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire), which later became a favourite subject of many of his surviving photographs, and a place for which he expressed in his work and writing a great deal of fondness.
[4] May and Vidal write: “Williams’ talent soon became apparent, and he quickly worked his way through the ranks, from book-keeper and assistant in the reception room to operator.
It is speculated he worked for renowned photographer Richard Beard after leaving Claudet, but research has yet to turn up anything definitive on that point.
"Williams, with his characteristic discretion and low-key approach, did not advertise his business or put up large signs to attract clientele.
May and Vidal write: “The still life studies, with their fine detail and careful composition, showed a clear influence from the 17th century Dutch painting tradition, and a profound knowledge of the iconography surrounding this genre.
Another remarkable group of images in this series, entitled “The Launching of the Marlborough”, taken on 31 July 1855, was highly praised in the Victorian press, since they embodied the achievement of ‘instantaneous’ photography, executed as they were from a moving boat, and managing to ‘freeze’ the waves on the surface of the sea.” [13] The second series was "The Crystal Palace," this time at Sydenham, as the original Palace in Hyde Park had been dismantled.
"The quality of Williams' original daguerreotypes from this event are such that, though they contain images of hundreds of people, individual facial features of Queen Victoria and her party are clearly discernible.
This was a series of fifty-nine hand-coloured albumen prints on cards similar in shape and size to a modern postcard, containing images of village life ranging from idyllic scenes of trees and brooks to scenes of gossip or marriage proposals, children posing for portraits or sleeping, cottages, bridges, granaries and other buildings.
From storm and rain The garnered grain Is housed, and come what may, In his granary stored, The farmer's hoard, Lies snug till market day.
It "was clearly a very personal undertaking for Williams; the tone of the poems shows an unmistakable familiarity with the subject and deep involvement with some of the described situations.
"[17] Another curious and interesting feature of the series is that Williams frequently appears in cameo in his own photographs, in a top hat and tails, facing away from the camera.
However, despite his popularity and fame—or perhaps because of it—Williams ceased production of these types of images after this series, stating they had become “vulgarized by imitation.” [18] In 1856, Williams’ fame had grown to the point he was commissioned to photograph Princess Victoria on her sixteenth birthday, the first of a number of Royal portraits over the course of his career.
"[19] After his series with the London Stereoscopic Company, he moved on to other works such as cartes de visite, stating on the reverse his status as "Photographer to the Queen.
