Jane and Peachy Edwards, Dublin, 1860s

Early cartes-de-visite often have a sparse and simple look which makes them appear quite modern in contrast to the more elaborate backdrops and props from later studio portraits. The posing in this early 1860s portrait by Gottlieb Schroder of 28 Grafton Street, Dublin, is carefully choreographed. One sister looks down pensively at a photo album whilst the other stares directly at the camera. Their raised crinolines are of the same design with three lines of piping along the ruffled bottom of the gored skirts. Ribbon ruffles outline their long low-set coat style sleeves (built-in curves close tightly at the wrist). The fan front bodices meet collars which are also ruffled. One of the girls wears buttoned ankle boots. The sisters are identified on the back of the photo as Jane and Peachy Edwards. So far, I haven’t been able to find out anything further about them as the surname is not unusual.

Gottlieb Shroeder opened his Dublin studio in 1862 and had a presence in the city’s photographic trade until the early 1880s. His adverts appeared regularly in the national press announcing his adoption of new technologies and techniques. In one of his earliest notices he announces, in a somewhat dramatic style, that he has installed a lift (a rarity during the period) and describes it as follows:

“To remedy a long existing evil and to avoid the universal complaints of the trouble and fatigue (especially of aged and invalided persons), of ascending to the top of the building, Mr. J.S. has, at considerable expense, and under the Supervision of an experienced Engineer, built an ‘Ascending Room,’ in which visitors may reach the Galleries safely, and comfortably seated in an armchair.”  Freeman’s Journal, 11^th April 1864.

Photographic studios were located on upper floors in order to avail of the natural light and many were glass ceilinged additions on the rooftop of buildings. The phrase ‘Ascending Room’ didn’t quite catch on!

Schroeder married Emma Raynor in 1865 and they had five children. She died at the early age of 38 in June 1875 and he swiftly remarried later that year. He also outlived this second wife Marion O’Neill who died in 1881 aged 32. Both wives died of tuberculosis an indicator of its prevalence in the city.

Schroeder and his family lived in a variety of locations in the city mainly on the Southside including houses at Camden Street, Harold’s Cross and Rathmines. At one stage his business was such that it could sustain two premises on Grafton Street: one at 28 and another at number 58. A newspaper notice from the 4^th April 1882 states that the Sauvy studio had purchased Schroeder’s negatives. Gottlieb ended his Dublin years with a studio on O’Connell Street before moving to Doncaster sometime in the 1880s where he lived at 15 Frances Street. His studio was at 15 Hall Gate Street. He died in that town in 1897 at the age of 64.

It appears that his son Carl Julius (b.1868) continued in the photographic business in Doncaster for a number of years. Another son, Frederick (b.1870) was in the Royal navy joining up at the age of twelve. I have not been able to ascertain the final fate of his Dublin-born daughters Emma Caroline (b.1863), Ida (b.1865) and Minnie (b.1875) who may or may not have moved to Doncaster with their father. Minie appears in the 1901 London census visiting friends in Stepney.