Photograph album

London. 1866.

A photograph album containing thirteen heavy card leaves into which are inserted (on each side of the leaf) four small 'carte de visite' photographs. There is a total of 104 photographs. Leaves measure 282x200mm and the photographs in their frames 84x50mm. On a blank preliminary is written in coloured ink with gold highlights: "Presented to Mr B.B.Toussaint by the Teachers & Friends of Holloway Ragged Schools with much esteem & regret at parting. Nov 1866". In a heavy green morocco binding decorated with relief patterns, with brass clasps. All edges gilt. Silk endpapers. Some rubbing to extremities and some marks to the boards but overall in very good condition.
A rather wonderful period piece. The Holloway Ragged School was established in 1846 and continued to educate the most deprived children of the community until 1872. Mr Toussaint remains a mystery although we think he may have been the headmaster of the school. Ragged Schools were a popular cause among the wealthy and well-connected which is certainly how the subjects of these photographs appear. Accordingly, we think that they are almost certainly of patrons and supporters of the school although perhaps some of the teachers are present. There is a photograph of Gladstone who may have been involved in the school although we can find no evidence. There is certainly room for photographic research to identify the portraits. This splendid album is a fascinating testament to a web of patronage that helped some of London poorest children.