John Payne Jennings

John Payne Jennings, 1 April 1843 - 25 March 1926

• Professional free-lance photographer
• Father of (John William) Victor, with Mary Ellen Heald, born 1900 and attended Cranleigh School, Possibly died in 1962
• John lived at Gayton House, Park Road off what is now Greville Park Avenue (now Gayton Close?) and was an excellent photographer. An example of his work is "Sun Pictures of the Norfolk Broads" (in which he gives his address as "The Studio, Ashstead, Surrey"). The book, which was reprinted at least 3 times, was first published about 1890. It contains 99 excellent photographs, any of which could be mistaken for a painting. The book concludes with a Great Eastern Railway fares from Liverpool Street or St Pancras to, amongst other places, Norwich, Yarmouth and Lowestoft. Another example is "Summer Holidays in North East England". This time it is for the North Eastern Railway Company and the address is given as "The Art Photo Works, Ashtead, Surrey". This book contains over 140 of his photographs. Other addresses are Permanent Photo Printing Works, Ashtead
  According to the The Photographic Journal his addresses are:
  1877 Dublin
  1878 & 1879 6, Rosendale Road, West Dulwich
  1882 Elm Grove, Rosendale Road, West Dulwich. A studio in West Dolwich is listed in Braden Pritchard's The Photographic Studios of Europe, 1882
  1887 10, Champion Grove, Denmark Hill, S.E.
  A example of his time in Ireland can be see at artnet.com Payne Jennings - THE DARGLE IN SPRING (1880s)
• He was a member of the Royal Photographic Society - RPS from 1878 to at least 1887
• John Payne Jennings, whose property Gayton House at the southern end of Greville Park Avenue, a large Edwardian mansion, still stands today, though now split into three residential units. Jennings was an expert photographer and photographic publisher performing commissions for the London Brighton and South Coast Railway amongst others. His 1911 book Some Beauties in Surrey and Sussex contains a good view taken from the front of Gayton House looking north towards the common, with laurels and poplars framing the scene. Jennings, who was a member of Ashtead's first Parish Council of 1894, died in 1926. [quote actually says 1923]

• John Payne Jennings was a photographer of the late Victorian era, a long-time resident of Ashtead who died here aged 83 in 1926. He arrived in Ashtead about 1890. He took many panoramic and scenic views of various parts of England for use by railway companies in encouraging tourism, and was expert in producing coloured versions for exhibiting in railway carriages and stations. He also produced photographs to accompany the works of famous poets such as The Works of Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1889). The Ashtead base for this commercial activity was the Greville Works where he built his own studio. He became a considerable owner of property and land, including the entire Greville Park Estate. He was still living in Gayton House, in the Estate, at the time of his death.

• William John Jennings 1819-1886 came to Ashtead sometime around 1880 with his family. Following the death of Mary Howard, who owned most of Ashtead, in 1877 and severe agricultural depression at the time, the land was sold in smaller areas in 1879 By 1881 a large housed 'Meadowbank' had been built with records showing William Jennings at 'Meadow Bank' in 1882 By 1887 his son, John Payne Jennings, owned 57 acres of land in Ashtead

• By the death of Mr. Payne Jennings the last of the well-known makers of landscape photographs for publication passes away. Probably many of the present generation have never heard his name, but about the 'eighties or 'nineties of the last century his work was familiar to thousands of travelers and tourists owing to the very wide use made of it by the Great Eastern Railway Company. Mr. Jennings was a pioneer in interpreting by means of the camera the pictorial attractions of East Anglia. The greater part of his work was done in the district of the Norfolk Broads, and he published two collections of reproductions, one entitled "Photo Pictures in East Anglia" and the other "Sun Pictures of the Norfolk Broads." His photography reached an artistic standard which would be called high even in these modern days, whilst at the time of its production his work was many degrees superior to that of the other makers of photographs for commercial purposes. Mr. Jennings had a great eye for the charm of space and sky, and many of his pictures were composed of the slightest material.

• He is buried at St Giles, in grave reference W6 WILLIAM JOHN JENNINGS died in this parish Jany 13th 1886 aged 67 years son of JOHN JENNINGS of Crowan in Cornwall and of ANNA MARIA his wife daughter of ELM STEEL of Coleford Gloucester also ELIZABETH ELLEN JENNINGS his second wife who died at Wimbledon June 21st 1893 where she is interred and also JOHN PAYNE JENNINGS son of the above WILLIAM J JENNINGS and ANN his wife born April 1st 1843 died March 25th 1926

• See also the book Images of England: Ashtead page 54 for a photograph of Ashtead's fire brigade outside his house in 1920.

In-Print books are available, as they say, 'from all good book sellers', including

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		Artistic Photographs of the Rivers and Broads of Norfolk and Suffolk - as seen in the Great Eastern Railway Carriages Payne Jennings: Published c1890 by Jarrold & Sons A set of 100 Albumen prints
		The English Lakes Payne Jennings, a set of 18 mounted photographs, 1875 and possibly 1876
		Furness Abbey and Its Neighbourhood - With Photographs of the Ruins James Payn: Published 1865 by Simpkin, Marshall and Co./ J. Garnett, London and Windemere, fourteen albumen photographs, of which ten are by Payne Jennings from life and four are from artwork, hardback
		Legends and Lyrics - A Book of Verses Adelaide Anne Procter, Introduction by Charles Dickens, Photographic Illustrations by Payne Jennings: Published 1882, 1883, 1884 & 1886 by George Bell and Sons, 364 pages Also published by Henry Frowde
		The Longfellow Birthday Book Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 13 photographs by Payne Jennings: Published by R & A Suttaby
		An Old English Garden The Countess of Warwick: Published 1898 by Arthur L. Humphreys, 71 pages, 26 gravure illustrations from photographs by Payne Jennings, hardback The Countess was probably Frances Evelyn ('Daisy') Greville (née Maynard), 1861-1938
		Photographs of Norfolk Broads and rivers Payne Jennings: Published 1890 by Jarrolds, folder of 12 stuck in photographs: Coldham Hall, On The Yare, Near Surlingham On The Yare, Cantley, On The Yare, Yarmouth, Ormesby Broad, Horning Ferry, Wherry Leaving Acle Bridge, Dyke At Womack Broad, Wroxham Bridge, Dyke At Coltishall, Fritton Lake, Oulton Broad, from the British Library
		Photo Pictures in East Anglia Annie Berlyn, 107 photographs by Payne Jennings: Published c1890 by Jarrold & Sons, 134 pages Also published c1899 by Payne Jennings (Ashtead, Surrey: The Studio, Art Photo Works), 135 pages Published in hardback and paperback
		The Poetical Works of Henry W. Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 10 photographs by Payne Jennings: Published 1877 by R & A Suttaby, 598 pages Also published 1882 by R & A Suttaby, 698 pages Also 7 photographs, Published 1882 and 1886 by R & A Suttaby, 630 pages
		The Poetical Works of Lord Byron Lord Byron, 1 engraving of Byron, 6 Photographic Illustrations by Payne Jennings: Published by Henry Frowde at the Oxford University Press, 668 pages Also Lord Byron, 1 engraving of Byron, 12 Photographic Illustrations by Payne Jennings: published late 1870s through to 1900 by R & A Suttaby, 720 pages
		The Poetical Works Of Wordsworth William Wordsworth, 7 photographic Illustrations by Payne Jennings: Published 1889 by R & A Suttaby, 628 pages Also William Wordsworth, photographic Illustrations by Payne Jennings: Published 1898 by R & A Suttaby
		The Poetical Works of John Milton John Milton, 7 photographs by Payne Jennings: Published by Henry Froude, 581 pages
		The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore Thomas Moore, photographs by Payne Jennings: Published c1890 by R & A Suttaby, 675 pages
		Poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning Elizabeth Barrett Browning, photographs by Payne Jennings: Published 1890 by Smith, Elder & Co
		Port Natal - Illustrated Handbook of General Information Relating to Durban, Port Natal, and Railways in Connection C W Francis Harrison: Published 1905 by Payne Jennings?/Authority of the Government of Natal, 82 pages, 64 illustrations, 6 maps & plans (5 are fold-outs), hardback
		The Roadmender's Country George Bramwell, [The Tramp] Evens (Author), photographs by Payne Jennings and others: Published 1924 by Southern Railway, 64 pages, paperback booklet
		Selections from the Poetical works of Robert Browning Robert Browning, mounted photographic plates by Payne Jennings: Published 1884, 600 pages (2 series in 1 volume)
		Scenic Beauties in Surrey and Sussex With London, Brighton and South Coast Railway coat of arms on the front cover and a route map and information about the company's rail and shipping services photographs by Payne Jennings: Published 1911, 76 pages
		Summer Holidays in North East England Constance Cotterell, 173 photographs by Payne Jennings: Published 1895 by Walter Scott, 143 pages Also published 1912 by Walter Scott, 143 pages Published in hardback and paperback
		Sun Pictures of the Norfolk Broads - One Hundred Photographs from Nature of the Rivers and Broads of Norfolk and Suffolk 99 photographs by Payne Jennings: Published 1891 by Payne Jennings (Ashtead, Surrey: Permanent Photo Printing Works), 103 pages No text
		Sun Pictures of the Norfolk Broads - One Hundred Photographs from Nature of the Rivers and Broads of Norfolk and Suffolk 99 photographs by Payne Jennings, text: Ernest R. Suffling: Published 1892 by Jarrold & Sons, c200 pages Also published c1897 by Jarrold & Sons, 101 pages Also published c1897 by Payne Jennings (Ashtead, Surrey: The Studio, Art Photo Works), 103 pages
		In Memorium Alfred Lord Tennyson, 6 Photographic Illustrations by Payne Jennings: Published 1885 by Suttaby, 214 pages
		Views in Oxfordshire Payne Jennings: Published c1860, six mounted sepia photos
		Wayside Pictures in East Anglia Payne Jennings: Possibly Published, mentioned in the first edition of Sun Pictures of the Norfolk Broads
		With The Poets - F.W. Farrar F.W. Farrar, 7 Photographic Illustrations by Payne Jennings: Published c1883 by R & A Suttaby, 412 pages
		The Works of Alfred Tennyson, Poet Laureate Alfred Lord Tennyson, Artist Helen Haywood, 6 Photographic Illustrations by Payne Jennings: Published 1878 by R & A Suttaby / Kegan Paul, 737 pages Also published 1882 by R & A Suttaby / Kegan Paul Trench & Co, 738 pages
		The Works of Alfred Tennyson, Poet Laureate Alfred Lord Tennyson, Artist Helen Haywood, 6 Photographic Illustrations by Payne Jennings: Published 1884 by R & A Suttaby / Macmillan, 640 pages Also published 1885 by R & A Suttaby, 640 pages Also published 1887 (6th impression) by R & A Suttaby / Macmillan, 640 pages Also published 1893 by Macmillan & Co. Ltd and Copp, Clark

		Photography - A Personal Collection Stephen T. Rose (Curator of the Richard Shack Collection) and Robert Gabriel (Director of The Brevard Art Center and Museum, Melbourne, Florida): Published 1983, 48 pages, paperback A Book of over 110 B&W collectable photographs from Richard Shack's collection, including at least 1 by Payne Jennings
		Round Our Coasts - The Seaside Portfolio - An Album of views from Photographs of the Principal Seaside Resorts in Great Britain and Ireland Published 1895 by George Newnes, 286 pages, 288 Photographic Illustrations, hardback, and Published in c1900 in blue Possibly including at least 1 by Payne Jennings: p193 Weston-Super-Mare 'A summer scene on the sands', approximately 25cm x 18cm
		Round the Coast - An Album of Pictures from Photographs of the Chief Seaside Places of Interest in Great Britain and Ireland Published 1895 by George Newnes, 286 pages, 288 Photographic Illustrations, hardback Also published in 12 x 24 page parts Possibly including at least 1 by Payne Jennings: p193 Weston-Super-Mare 'A summer scene on the sands', approximately 25cm x 18cm
		Sights and Scenes in Ireland Published c. 1896 by Cassell and Co. Including 20 by Payne Jennings A copy of the book is held by the Internet Archive, where it is erroneously given a publication date of 1837. Photography as we know it wasn't invented then and it is definitely post-1877 because the book is dedicated to Victoria ... Empress of India. This book follows on from Sights and scenes in England and Wales (656 pages split over five volumes, 321 full-page single-sided monochrome photographs); Notable Sights and Scenes in England and Wales (143 pages, single volume); Sights and scenes in Scotland (split over four volumes, totaling 225 full-page single-sided monochrome photographs). These works may possibly contain more photographs by Payne Jennings

		Natal - an Illustrated Official Railway Guide and Handbook of General Information C W Francis Harrison: Published 1903 by Payne Jennings, London, 300 pages, 264 illustrations, 6 maps (including large coloured Bird's Eye Map of (Boer) War District in rear pocket), hardback
		Pictures of East Coast Health Resorts Arthur Peaton: Published 1901 by Jarrold & Sons, London, 172 pages, numerous photographs by Payne Jennings and line drawings by Arthur Rackham, hardback with either red or green decorative front board

Art in railway carriages Scott Damant: Published February 1898 in Railway Magazine Vol. II No. 8 p158-64 Quotes from this book: Mr. Payne Jennings's name was even then [1884] a household word in photographic circles. He was the greatest landscape photographer of the time, having carried off the highest awards in both hemispheres and In one year alone Mr. Payne Jennings printed for use in railway carriages no less than 110,000 photographs See also Steam Index - Railway Magazine

		Broadland Photographers C.S. Middleton: Published 1978 by Wensum Books, 96 pages, paperback, ISBN: 0903619237
e book		John Payne Jennings Louise Mijatovic: Published 2003 by Scribblers Inc
		Photomechanical reproduction and reputation: East Anglia in the books of P.H. Emerson, G. Christopher Davies and John Payne Jennings, c.1883-1891 John Taylor: Published in Visual Culture in Britain Journal Volume 4, number 1, 2003 p1-24

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