Issue 26-3 cover shot showing some of the Micklethwaite cameras
Toronto. It’s a new year and a post on an article in a new issue – issue 26 – issued under the very capable hands of editor Robert Lansdale. Both Bob and wife Marge are now deceased. Both were retired professional photographers.
Bob added a short blurb on page 2 describing these cameras and referring to the main article, Bill Belier’s column, “A Treasure From My Collection”. The cameras, initially in the late Harold McNutt collection, moved to Bill’s collection after Harold reached an advanced age.
Bill starts his column on these cameras thusly, “For almost a century, the name Micklethwaite was prominent amongst Toronto photographers. The work of this three-generation studio survives to this day in our National Archives in Ottawa, the City of Toronto Archives, private collections and other repositories too numerous to mention.
“Frank W. Micklethwaite, born the son of a photographer in England, emigrated to Canada from Ireland in 1875 and worked briefly for the Mail newspaper in Toronto before opening his first studio at 22 Queen St. West in 1878.
“He had three sons, John, Percy and Fred, all of whom joined the family business specializing in portrait, commercial and industrial photography. The studio relocated several times… always within the downtown business district of this fast growing city.
“After Frank’s death in 1925, Fred continued to operate the studio until 1942. The last Micklethwaite to be involved was Fred’s son, Jack, who revived the business in a west-end location after returning from overseas in 1945 following the end of WW II. He engaged only in commercial and industrial photography, retiring in 1974. He died in 1983… the end of the Micklethwaite photographic era.” …
The story tells why the cameras are of historical importance and how they fell into Bill’s hands, Members read all of Bill’s story and saw the additional illustrations. Not yet a member? It’s really easy to join – see ‘Membership’ above and at right. Joining is inexpensive and you become part of the dedicated group of camera and photo collectors. Questions about membership may be emailed to member@phsc.ca.
