British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950

A selective directory, to be revised and expanded regulary, 1st edition June 2006, 2nd edition May 2008 (*entry revised, **new entry)
Contributions are welcome, to Jacob Simon at jsimon@npg.org.uk.
Resources and bibliography

*Thomas Ordish, 27 Lambs Conduit St, London 1850-1853 as bookseller and stationer, 56 Brompton Row 1854-1861 as artists' colourman, 13 Paternoster Row EC 1862 as photographic publisher and printer, also listed as a photographer at 56 Brompton Row 1859-1862 and 13 Paternoster Row 1860-1862. Ordish, Lampray & Co 1863, Thomas Ordish & Co 1864-1896 or later, 21 Paternoster Row 1863-1867 as albumenized papermakers, photographic printers and publishers, 90 Newgate St EC 1868-1873 as photographic materials dealer, 108 Hatton Gardens 1875-1891 as wholesale stationers and, from 1881, artists' colourmen; trading from another address by 1896 as fancy goods dealers.

Thomas Ordish (1821-99) had an account with Roberson, 1856-61 (Woodcock 1997; life dates from IGI, BMD). He was listed in the 1861 census at 56 Brompton Row as bookseller and photographer, age 39, wife Sarah, son William, age 7, employing three men and two boys, and in the 1881 census at 9 Coningham Road as a wholesale stationer, a widower, age 59. His partnership with Thomas Lampray was dissolved in 1863 (London Gazette 27 February 1863) and he was made bankrupt in 1868 (London Gazette 24 March 1868). He was followed at 56 Brompton Row in 1861 by another colourman, Cecil William Wood (qv). An undated canvas with his stamp has been recorded, giving his address as 'Corner of Brompton Square'.

Ordish's subsequent involvement in photographic materials is not discussed here but it is worth noting that he was describing himself as photographic publisher, printer and manufacturer as early as 1859 (The Publishers' Circular 16 July 1859, p.382, accessed through Google book search).

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