Camera Workers, 1858-1950

The British Columbia, Alaska and Yukon Photographic Directory, 1858-1950

1839 - 1921 (82 years)

Name	Shakespeare, Noah
Born	26 Jan 1839	Brierley Hill, Staffordshire, Eng., UK [1]
Gender	Male
Business Address/Year	1865-1866	Victoria, BC
	Address: Langley St. corner of Yates Victoria, BC Canada
Business Address/Year	1866-1875	Victoria, BC
	Address: Government St. next door to Theatre Photographic Gallery Victoria, BC Canada
Home Address/Year	1877	Victoria, BC
	Address: Fort St. Victoria, BC Canada
Business Address/Year	1867, 1875-1878	Victoria, BC
	Address: Government St. W. side near View St. Victoria, BC Canada
Died	13 May 1921	Victoria, BC
Association	Gentile, Carlo (Relationship: Employer)
Association	Uren, John Batrel (Relationship: Undefined)
Association	Uren and Hoyt (Relationship: Undefined)
Association	Desmond, Robert Ansley Brittain (Relationship: Employee)
Association	Fardon, George Robinson (Relationship: Employee)
Association	Victoria Theatre Photographic Gallery (Relationship: Leasee)
Association	Robinson, George (Relationship: Employer)
Person ID	I53	Camera Workers \| S, vol. 1, 1858-1900
Last Modified	16 Jan 2017

Photos		Victoria Theatre Photographic Gallery, Government Street, 1875, by Charles Horetzky Magnification of a photograph taken from the Driard Hotel showing the distinctive facade of the Victoria Theatre Photographic Gallery at the time it was leased to Noah Shakespeare by its owner S.A. Spencer. Image courtesty of BC Archives, Visual Records call number A-03456.
Photos		Photographer Noah Shakespeare. Photographed by G.R. Fardon. Image courtesy of BC Archives, Visual Records call no. B-01413.

Documents » Slide Show		Noah Shakespeare's ad, Daily Standard (Victoria) 1870 08 20
		Carlo Gentile's ad, Colonist (Victoria), 1866 08 16. In this ad, Gentile gives notice that he has hired Noah Shakespeare to manage his studio.
		Noah Shakespeare's ad from the First Victoria Directory, Second Issue, and British Columbia Guide (Mallandaine, April 1868). This ad appeared on the bottom of the back cover; F. Dally's ad was on the top of the back cover. The two ads were separated by a third ad.
		Noah Shakespeare's ad from the First Victoria Directory, Third Issue, and British Columbia Guide (Mallandaine, June 1869).
		Noah Shakespeare cartouche from the verso of a carte-de-visite.
		Noah Shakespeare's notice that he has hired R.A. Desmond from Spencer's Gallery. Colonist (Victoria), 1874 10 23.

Notes

STATUS: Commercial.
BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY: He arrived in Victoria Jan 1863 on the Robert Lowe and began his photographic career, so far as is known, with G.R. Fardon in Jul 1865. He managed Fardon's studio for a year and then went on to manage Gentile's gallery. He is believed to have leased this gallery to Uren & Hoyt in May 1874 and to have cancelled the lease in Oct of that year. In 1867 he was also employed by George Robinson in the Victoria Theatre Photographic Gallery, the operation of which he took over in 1875 from S.A. Spencer. He is presumed to have sold the business to J.B. Uren in Jun 1878.

He was married in 1859 to Elizabeth Pearson, a native of New York State and a daughter of Thomas Pearson. Shakespeare is today known outside of photographic circles because of his philosophy and political career as an anti-Asiatic, Member of Parliament, and as Victoria's postmaster and mayor.

According to the Descendants of Edward Shakespeare Web site, he is descended from the English poet and dramatist William Shakespeare, as is his contemporary and one-time employer George Robinson.
IDENTIFYING MARKS: "N. Shakespeare, Artist" in ink on front of carte-de-visite (may not be contemporary with photo). "N. Shakespeare Photographer Government St., Victoria, B.C." on verso of carte-de-visite.
REFERENCES: BVIPA GR-1304, file 182/1921 (probate); MAL68; MAL69; MAL71; MAL74; HIB77; BVIPA Reference Room VF and Visual Records Photographer File; Kerr (1890); Mattison (1980 Winter):9-13; Green (1992): 82-86.

Sources
[S812] Descendants of Edward Shakespeare (Web site), Steve's Family History.
Gives birth date as 16 Jan 1839.

Shakespeare, Noah