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Albert and Victoria’s collection shows photographers’ working methods

Royal Household portraits

Prince Albert and Queen Victoria regularly commissioned photographers to record royal household staff at royal residences. The resulting glass plate negatives shown here depict individuals ranging from equerries and ladies-in-waiting to ghillies and keepers of the Royal Kennels. Among the sitters are Dr Ernst Becker, Carl Ruland and Baron Stockmar who were particularly significant to Prince Albert. The unique visual record these negatives assemble indicates the high regard the queen and the prince held for their employees, regardless of rank, and provides information on the people the royal couple surrounded themselves with at home.

Roger Fenton (1819-69)

A Ghillie at Balmoral

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Victoria Alice and Mary Symons

Attributed to Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Portrait of a young girl

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Victoria Alice and Mary Symon

Attributed to? Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Margaret Monroe, Balmoral

Attributed to? Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Marguerite Stewart

Attributed to? Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Annie Ratrey

Attributed to? Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Jane Keir

Attributed to? Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Jane Keir

William Bambridge (1810-79)

John Elder with Rufus

William Bambridge (1810-79)

John Elder with Bungo

William Bambridge (1810-79)

John Elder with Rufus

William Bambridge (1810-79)

John Elder with Bout

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Johnnie Grant and Waldmann

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

John Grant with two dogs

William Bambridge (1810-79)

John Elder with Nero

Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg & Gotha (1844-1900)

John Brown (1826-83)

Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)

John Brown (1827-1883) and Turnby

Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg & Gotha (1844-1900)

John Brown (1826-83)

W & D Downey (active 1855-1941)

John Brown (1826-83)

W & D Downey (active 1855-1941)

John Brown (1826-83)

After Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)

John Brown (1826-83)

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Group of Ghillies, Balmoral

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

The Queen's and Prince's Ponies

Unknown Person

Group of ghillies

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Group of Ghillies

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Keepers to Prince Albert, Balmoral

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Household staff

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Household staff

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Charles Duncan (1826-1904), Keeper

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

J MacKenzie, Keeper at Balmoral

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Arthur Farquarson

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

John Brown (1827-83)

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Peter Farquarson (d. 1874) - Keeper

Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)

Frank Farquarson

Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg & Gotha (1844-1900)

Carl Ruland (1834-1907)

Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg & Gotha (1844-1900)

Carl Ruland (1834-1907) 

Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg & Gotha (1844-1900)

Bernard Bolingbroke Woodward (1816-69), Royal Librarian

Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg & Gotha (1844-1900)

Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Hardinge (1828-92)

John Jabez Edwin Mayall (1813-1901)

Dr Ernst Becker (1826-88)

Attributed to Frances Sally Day (1815-92)

Dr Ernst Becker (1825-66)

Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)

Sir James Clark (1788-1870)

Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)

Sir James Clark (1788-1870)

Dr Ernst Becker (1826-88)

Lucy Kerr (1822-74)

John Jabez Edwin Mayall (1813-1901)

Charlotte, Viscountess Canning (1817-61)

George Washington Wilson (1823-93)

Group portrait, Balmoral

George Washington Wilson (1823-93)

Family group, Balmoral

George Washington Wilson (1823-93)

Group including Ernst Becker, Balmoral

Dr Ernst Becker (1826-88)

Lord Alfred Paget (1816-88)

Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)

John Cole, Head Keeper

Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)

Royal Park Keepers

Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)

John Cole, Head Keeper

Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)

Thomas Foster, Park Keeper

Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)

Royal Park Keepers

Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)

H. Dudley, Park Keeper

Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)

John Orme, Park Keeper

Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)

H. Dudley, Park Keeper

Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)

Royal Park Keepers

Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)

J. Mortlock, Park Keeper

John Jabez Edwin Mayall (1813-1901)

Fraülein Ottilie Bauer (c.1834-1920)

Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg & Gotha (1844-1900)

Miss Marianne Skerrett 

Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg & Gotha (1844-1900)

Miss Marianne Skerrett

Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg & Gotha (1844-1900)

Miss Sophie Weiss

John Jabez Edwin Mayall (1813-1901)

William Ross, the Queen's Piper (1822-91)

William Bambridge (1810-79)

The Jäger, John Macdonald (d. 1860)

William Bambridge (1810-79)

The Jäger, John Macdonald (d. 1860)

Unknown Person

Horse and groom

William Bambridge (1810-79)

Elk in Windsor Park

William Bambridge (1810-79)

Horses with groom

Attributed to William Bambridge (1810-79)

Man with a bull

Attributed to William Bambridge (1810-79)

Man with a bull