Stories of James Edward Bruton - Born 6 April 1838 - Youngest Son of Settler
Research Article 1
On 11 February 1858, at age 19, he opened his first photographic studio opposite
the Lyceum in Port Elizabeth and in
December 1859, moved to Jetty Street where he also traded as a tobacconist. In
1874 he left for CapeTown and set up
a well known studio. He visited Europe regularly - introducing the Worthlytype
process to the colony and for some years
was the only photographer to enlarge photographs. His photographs were much
sought after, (still are).
Two of his views of Port Elizabeth appeared in the illustrated London News of 26
May 1866. Prior to moving to Cape
Town he acquired as his home; Kloof Lodge, Kloof Street, in Cape Town and his
studio was described as "one of the
attractions of Cape Town". His hobby was rifle shooting and he represented the
Eastern Province Rifle Association at
the England Wimbledon meeting in July 1866.
He emigrated to the Isle of Man in the eighteen nineties.
Source: Research by D.T.Bruton
Research Article 2
On 11.2.1858, at the age of nineteen, he opened his first photographic rooms in
Port Elizabeth, and in December
1859, he moved into his well-equipped studio in Jetty Street. There he practised
the art of photography until 1874, when
he set up his photographic establishment in Cape Town.
He was undoubtedly the most important of the pioneer photographers of the
Eastern Province and his early
photographic tours included Graaf-Reniet and Uitenhage. History is indebted to
him for his many and varied
reproductions of personalities, scenes and events of Port Elizabeth during the
period he worked there. For
many years he was the only Cape photographer to make enlargements and agencies
for his work were established
throuighout the Cape Colony. Original photographs of his were featured in the
Cape Monthly Magazine, the Eastern
Province Magazine and Port Elizabeth Miscellany and the Cape Farmer's Magazine,
while a selection of his Uitenhage
scenes graced the cabin of the diamond steamer Uitenhage.I n addition the
Illustrated London News (26.5.1866)
published two views of Port Elizabeth selected from Bruton's photograph
His Cape Town studio, opened on 8.6.1874, at the rooms of the Fine Arts
Association in Adderly Street, was described
in the contemporary press as one of the attractions of CapeTown being, "most
handsomely finished with a great lavish
of expenditure". He soon became a fashionable and most successful photographer
specialising in portraits of visiting
theatrical artists. A most notable contribution to Cape photographic history was
his recording of the transit of the planet
Venus across the disc of the sun on 9.12.1874, under the direction of E.J.Stone,
the astronomer Royal at the Cape.
Lantern slides of these photographs were sent to England and were shown at the
Photographic Society's meeting in
London on 9.3.1875.
In 1880 Bruton was the first Cape professional photographer to use the recently
invented dry plate negative, a process
which completely superseded the old cumbersome methods.
Before the turn of the century Bruton left Cape Town for the Isle of Man, where
he continued his photography at Douglas
until his sight failed him.
His hobby was rifle shooting and as a keen marksman he represented the Eastern
Province Rifle Association at
Wimbledon (England) in July 1866.
Source: Standard and Mail (C.T.) 6.6.1874 - Majorie Bull and Joseph Denfield,
"The History of Early Cape
Photography", Quart. Bull. S.A.L., Sep 1964.
E.P.Herald Jan 8, 1867
During his recent trip to England and the Continent, Mr Bruton visited the chief
photographic studios in Europe,
with a view to making himself acquainted with the most recent improvements in
the science and invested a considerable
sum in cameras of a large size, capable of taking "life size" portraits.
We have had the pleasure of seeing some of the portraits taken by the new
process and they are certainly superior to
anything we have yet seen in the Colony.
There is a portrait of Mr Bruton himself, taken in England, and portraits of the
late Mr Wm Fleming and another of a lady.
They are admirably executed, that of Mr Fleming being remarkably life-like. They
are what are termed "three quarter
size" and the photograph is beautifully filled in and shaded off with a crayon,
so that to the correct expression of the
photos is added all the depth of tone, the lights and shades and beautiful
finish of a first class crayon drawing. When
framed Mr Bruton intends to exhibit the portrait of Mr Fleming in the Public
Library, and we would recommend those who
can appreciate any work of art of this kind, to go and see it.
The process is somewhat tedious and requires considerable care and attention,
but the figure at which these large
portraits are produced is, we are given to understand, reasonable and we hope Mr
Bruton will be encouraged in his
efforts to cater for the pleasure of his supporters and friends.
Alice Mitchell of the Diocesan Archives at St Hugh's Church Port Elizabeth, to
whom I am extremely grateful,
kindly undertook the following research;
As
promised this morning,( 27 July 2004 ), I have checked the Cemetery Records I
have at my disposal and although not
much did find the following:
A.
In ST MARY'S Cemetery: Plot Owner: Wm BAWDEN September 1869 A plaque attached to
the north wall of this plot:
"Sacred / to the memory of / WILLIAM BAWDEN / who departed this life 24th August
1869 / in the 50th year of his life /
What think ye of Christ / Matthew XXII.42." Also / JESSIE AGNES, daughter of the
above / died at Dartmouth, Devon,
November 22 1870 / aged 6 years and 4 months." The family vault of W. BAWDEN and
J.E. BRUTON.
Mr and Mrs BRUTON were the Mayor and Mayoress of Cape Town and the in-laws of
William Bawden. WILLIAM
BRUTON buried 14 September 1869 from Holy Trinity may also be interred here.
B.
RINK STREET WAR MEMORIAL ROLL OF HONOUR (
Bruton Roll of Honour on this site )
BRUTON C.H.
BRUTON H.V.
C.
UIITENHAGE CEMETERY:
BRUTON Daisy Maud died 7.11.1948 Born BODLEY 12.6.1895. Same stone as James
Edward Bruton. BRUTON
James Edward died 10.2.1953 born 16.1.1899. ( see
James Edward Bruton
(Born 1890) on this site
).
These are the only references I found. Hope it helps you.
Alice Mitchell Diocesan Archives