The Horner family - photographers in Settle

The story of the several Horner family members who were prominent in photography in Settle deserves recording in detail. Edward (Eddie) Horner started his career in 1905 when he was 15 years old so it is appropriate to review what we know one hundred years later, in 2005. It was Michael Horner and Joseph Jackson, discoverers of Victoria Cave in 1837 where the story really starts and I am indebted to Tom Lord for carefully researched information on these two men and for stereoscopic photographs made by the second Michael Horner, nephew of the cave discoverer. Bill Mitchell is to be thanked for his efforts in recording many of the technical details of taking photographs in the early days, and in telling some of the amusing tales from Eddie associated with his customers. These are to be found in an article in the Dalesman Magazine in 1955 (vol.17, 82-4) which resulted from his own interest in cameras and the artistic side of photography. In addition Bill Mitchell organized a series of local studies meetings in the 1980s in which local people contributed information and their recollections which were tape recorded (now converted to CD mp3 format for preservation). One of the sessions concerned photography. Ken and Jean Jelley who now own the Horner negatives as a result of buying the business in Settle in 1961 suggested that Rachel Cundall, daughter of Eddie Horner, be contacted to ensure that the historical record was correct. Ken and Jean Jelley, Tom Lord, John Walker, Ken Hill and Rachel Cundall have been most helpful and generous with supplying information and pictures. It is from these various sources that this article was prepared with checks made on the 1844 Tithe Apportionment details, the 1851, 1871, 1881 and 1901 census returns and various trade directories.

The first crude photograph was made by Niepce in France in 1826 and better pictures were shown by Daguerre and William Henry Fox Talbot in 1839. The 1851 census shows 51 photographers at work in England and by the 1861 census there were well over 2000 professionals. A fashion developed in the following decades for family photograph albums with the stylized poses known to us all.

It could be said that in Settle it was Michael Horner (born 1813 in Feizor, died 1878, gravestone in Settle Parish Church) who played an important part in local photography. There is some confusion in the stories (Palmer, 1951; Brown, 1908) about the discovery of Victoria Cave first made by Michael in 1837 but the accompanying article by Tom Lord sets the record straight. At this time Michael lived in Langcliffe and was employed by Joseph Jackson a local plumber (1816-1886). Michael told Joseph Jackson about the cave and Joseph took the first photographs of the cave and the artefacts discovered in excavation (as an amateur, not a professional photographer or archaeologist). White's Directory of 1837 states that Joseph Jackson was a plumber and glazier on Back Lane (now Castle Hill). The 1844 Tithe Apportionment shows that Jackson was the occupier of a plumbing shop and garden situated somewhere behind The Old Brew House. In the 1851 census he is described as 34, married, plumber and glazier, born in Melling near Lancaster. His wife Maria was born in Settle, son George and daughter Eleanor were born in Settle, and he had an apprentice William Henry Simpson age 16 born in Leeds. The 1881 census shows him retired and living on Castle Hill. He was buried in Settle Parish Churchyard. A thorough account of this remarkable man has been made by Tom Lord (1997).

In the 1844 Tithe Apportionment Michael (and Thomas Horner thought to be his brother since both were baptized in Clapham) is an occupier of the Town Hall and Offices along with others. The 1851 census shows that Michael is the head of household, aged 38, a tinner from Feizor. His wife Ellen age 28 was from Newhouses, with daughters Mary and Jane and baby twins Margaret and Elizabeth born in Settle. The Post Office Trade Directories of 1857 show that Michael was a tinplate worker and musical instrument maker with premises situated in the Market Place. The Horners occupied the north-west corner of the Town Hall building as seen in a photograph (courtesy J. Walker) with a sign outside showing a trumpet and another instrument, with Michael Horner standing at the corner. Thomas Horner was a painter and paper-hanger also with a shop in the Market Place.

Also taking photographs in the 1850s was John Boardley born 1827, stated in the 1851 census to be a painter. In a later advertisement he was also a photographer. Some of his photographs are in the care of The Folly Museum, Settle and an album of his work is in private hands. John was a Quaker living first in Upper Settle then Townhead, then Kirkgate. The 1901 census indicates that (as John Bordley) he was still working at the age of 74 as a painter and decorator in Settle.

Michael Horner the cave discoverer had a nephew (brother Thomas' son) also named Michael (1843-1869) who presumably was influenced by the photographic interests of Joseph Jackson and perhaps Boardley. In an advertisement in the Settle Chronicle of August 1864 Michael Horner, Junior, Photographer, 'has commenced the business at his father's address, Market Place Settle.' 'Michael Horner having spent four months in one of the leading Photographic Studios in Manchester...' His father Thomas was advertising his painting, gilding and glazing business at the same time. Although the Manchester Photographic Society was founded in 1855 the science was so new and evolving at such a pace that formal training was unlikely to have been available. There were many advertisements in the Settle Chronicle in the 1860s showing that Michael in 1865 'has now received a very complete set of first-rate accessories to his Gallery...' and that stereoscopic and card views of many local places were available at one shilling (5p) each. Tom Lord has five stereoscopic photographs of the places named, printed on the back 'Photographed by M. Horner, and sold by Wildman and Son, Settle.' Michael took a stereoscopic view of Gordale which is extant with the Horner family. Unfortunately a photograph taken in about 1880 of W.T.Walker (born 1879) in his pram outside Ribble Terrace is also labelled M. Horner on the card mount so the imprint is not certain proof of the date of any particular photograph. Sadly, a photograph of Michael himself has not yet been found.

In 1864 (Settle Chronicle) William Pumphrey of York was offering views of Settle and district for sale through Wildman and in 1865 Wildman was advertising photographic views made by various photographers including Horner.

The 1867 directories (PO and Kelly) show Michael as a photographer and T(homas) and J(ames) Horner (who were his brothers) as painters and house decorators, all in the Market Place.

The clearest pictures of the shop on the north side of the Market Place, next door on the east side of what is now the NatWest Bank, are in The Ancient Parish of Giggleswick book of photographs (1975). The pictures were taken just before and just after 1898 when the Shambles were altered. The photographic business and painting and decorating business was carried out in the same premises and the family lived there. A photograph thought to be taken at the time of the Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee of 1897 (courtesy K. Hill) shows a paper-hanging, painting and decorating shop on the east side of the Market Square (occupied by William(?) Horner) as well as the tinsmith shop in the Town Hall now in the ownership of Mr Morphet.

The development of plates by the wet chemical method involved noxious chemicals used in the confines of a small tent on a tripod and it is possibly as a result of ingestion of fumes that Michael died so early at the age of 26 (in 1869, gravestone in Settle Parish Churchyard) although the official reason was phthisis (consumption) suffered for the previous two years. A last advertisement appeared in Wildman's Household Almanack of 1869 offering a wide range of products.

Michael's brothers James (born 1849) and Anthony (1853-1923) are described as photographers in the 1871 census. Anthony was only 16 when he took over the business from his brother Michael in 1869 with little experience but succeeded, using a hand cart to transport the heavy equipment using glass plates up to 10 by 8 inches in size. Anthony married Elizabeth Ann Holmes of Bentham (1865-1948). She was a Quaker and Anthony became one too. The PO Directory of 1877 noted Anthony as photographer in the Market Place, as well as uncle Michael the tinplate worker and brother Thomas the painter, paper-hanger, sign writer and general decorator.

The 1881 census shows Anthony and Thomas Horner located in the Market Place. In 1898 Anthony moved the business to New Street, now Station Rd., Settle to a new studio (the shop at no. 7); all the family moved there too. (A photograph of the shop can be seen in the Royal Oak, Settle). There was a studio roof-light with wire rails for curtains. Anthony made excellent portraits and family group photographs. Many of Anthony's pictures are extant (collections in the Folly Museum and in the North Craven Historical Research Group archive, courtesy of Tom Lord). Anthony and Elizabeth were living in Settle at the time of the 1901 census. The gravestones of both are in the Settle Quaker burial ground.

Edward Holmes Horner was Anthony's son (1890-1960). His picture ("Little Eddie") is seen in The Horner Collection (1989). He joined his father in 1905 on a seven year apprenticeship and in due course married Winifred Doris Birchall from Doncaster; their joint gravestone is in the Quaker ground also. He carried on the business for 55 years with the same excellence as achieved by Anthony. He operated the gas-fired (!) lantern used by Frederic Riley during his lectures. Eddie took the photographs in the books of Phyllis Bentley and Marie Hartley who were friends of the family. He also took the Giggleswick School group photographs for many years and some cover photographs for the Dalesman magazine (see April and June 1939, and October 1949 for a picture of 'Old Mick'). He was particularly known for his photographs of weddings, family portraits and prize cattle over a very wide area of the Dales, as well as his local views and pothole pictures. When Eddie died in 1960 Bill Mitchell took wedding photographs for a while until Geoffrey Willey took on the business. In 1961 Mr and Mrs Jelley bought the business and preserved a large collection of glass plates taken by the Horners. The interest in photography still runs in the Horner family and their influence has been widespread. Eddie's son Michael Birchall Horner emigrated to Canada in 1956 and after a career in industry he took up photography and gained recognition in the city of Cambridge, Ontario. One of his pictures was selected to represent his local community at the 1988 Winter Olympics held in Calgary.

[The article in this Journal volume by Dr John Chapman includes an early photograph of Settle, taken from the Horner collection, courtesy of Ken and Jean Jelley.]

Acknowledgements

Sources and photographs

• A biographical sketch of Joseph Jackson (1816-1886): the first cave archaeologist in the Yorkshire Dales, T.C.Lord. Publ. The Lower Winskill Archaeology Centre, (Langcliffe, Settle, N. Yorks. BD24 9PZ), 1997.
• A thousand miles of wandering along the Roman Wall, the Old Border Region, Lakeland, and Ribblesdale. E. Bogg. Publ. Henry Walker, Leeds. 1898. Picture of Settle (with incorrect caption referring to Pen-y-Ghent) taken by Horner.
• On foot round Settle. G.H.Brown. Publ. J. Lambert, Settle. 1896. Photograph 'A general view of Settle' by A. Horner.
• The Ancient Parish of Giggleswick. Publ. Giggleswick School and Settle and District Civic Society. 1975.
• The Craven and North-West Yorkshire Highlands. H. Speight. Publ. E. Stock, London. 1892. Pictures acknowledged to be by A. Horner (Giggleswick, Catterick Force, Settle, Victoria Cave, Clapham, Gaping Gill, Norber, Otterburn, Long Preston Church, Pen-y-Ghent, Ling Gill).
• The Horner Collection. Val Leigh Publications, Langcliffe, 1989
• Victoria Cave. G.H.Brown. Publ. Lambert, Settle. 1908.
• Wanderings in Ribblesdale. W.T.Palmer. Publ. Skeffington and Son Ltd., London. 1951.
• Yorkshire caves and potholes. 1. North Ribblesdale. A. Mitchell. Publ. The Craven Herald, Skipton. 1937. Pictures 'North Ribblesdale from Langcliffe Brow', 'Horton Parish Church and Penyghent' , Hull Pot, by E.H.Horner.