Francis Godolphin Osborne Stuart [1843-1923]
Francis was born in Braemar in 1843 the son of the gamekeeper of a titled landowner and out of deference to his employer, the family added the rather grand sounding names Godolphin Osborne when they named their son after the landowner but in his professional life we know him as F.G.O. Stuart.
Francis was apprenticed to a cabinet maker and took an interest in photography. He worked at a workshop in Aberdeen and part of his production was hand built camera equipment for clients. By the age of 30 had moved to London to open his first studio. In 1883 he moved to Southampton and established himself with a reputation for quality work. He formed the National Photographic Company.
In 1902 he branched out into publishing postcards and produced about 2500 topographical views over the succeeding years. Local historian A.G.K. Leonard and postcard collector Jack Foley of Woolston have large collections of his work. At first he used German printers and the quality of their art work and colour processing was of a high reputation but with outbreak of WW1 this arrangement ceased. Perhaps reflecting the economic decline of the 20/30's the postcards from British printers were of a much lower quality. During WWI, F.G.O. Stuart was the official War Office photographer in Southampton docks, recording damage to allied shipping sent to the docks for repairs.
Francis journeyed to London and many south coast towns and took some early aviation subjects at Bournemouth and a view of Windsor Castle.
He had one daughter and later took his son in law Charles S.S. Dowson into the business who continued to trade after the death of his mentor.
Stuart's prints especially around the Southampton suburbs and villages reflect the late Victorian/Edwardian era and are much sought after by local historians and publications showing then and now. Stuart usually posed children or people in strategic points to lead the eye into the picture. Somewhat in the later style of Hitchcock who gave cameo appearances in his own films, Stuart's pony and trap usually appears in local street scenes.
F.G.O. Stuart's much collected view of the Olympic in the Southampton Floating Dock for repairs.
F.G.O. Stuart's Fareham Creek at Gosport with strategically placed children to lead the eye through the arch and the traditional pony and trap as his "trademark".
F.G.O. Stewart's grave at Southampton Old Cemetery