Henry Herschel Hay Cameron

From Royal Academy: Henry Herschel Hay Cameron (1852 - 1911)

Photographer. Son of Julia Margaret Cameron.

Henry Hay Herschel Cameron was named after his mother’s friends, Henry Taylor and Sir John Herschel. In her manuscript Annals of my Glass House, 1874, Mrs Cameron describes her youngest son as a ‘very remarkable photographer’. Mrs Cameron may well have encouraged Henry’s photography to offset his ambitions to become an actor, which was causing her some anxiety.

After his mother’s death in 1879, Henry left Ceylon where he had been managing the Glencairn estate and returned to Britain. A founder member of the ‘Linked Ring’, from about 1886 to about 1902 he ran a photographic studio, which specialised in portraiture, at addresses in Mortimer Street, Marylebone and Hanover Square, Westminster and finally in Brompton Road, Knightsbridge.

Aside from his mother’s friendship with Watts, Henry’s relationship seems to have continued on a professional basis as a photographer, in that Watts seems to have used Cameron’s studio to photograph a number of paintings, some of which were badly damaged in a studio fire in 1899.

Although active as a photographer, Henry retained his interest in the theatre and in the latter years of his life, had a number of small roles.

From FreeBMD: Registration of birth of Henry Cameron in 1852

January to March 1852: Registration of birth of Henry Cameron; in Islington (Volume 1b, Page 168)

From British Newspaper Archive: Morning Chronicle Friday, 23 January 1852 Page 8 Births

Births: On Tuesday, 20 January 1852 [inst.], at Upper East Sheen Lodge, now 2 Vicarage Road, East Sheen, London SW14 8RU 51.459820, -0.266901, Mrs. Charles Hay Cameron, of a son.

From FreeBMD: Registration of death of Henry H.H. Cameron in 1911

January to March 1911: Registration of death of Henry H.H. Cameron; aged 59 [born about 1852]; in Croydon (Volume 2a, Page 193)

From British Newspaper Archive: Croydon Chronicle and East Surrey Advertiser Saturday, 11 February 1911 Page 9 Death of Mr. H. H. H. Cameron

Veteran actor who came to Croydon for a day and lived here six years.

Genuine regret was felt in Croydon on Tuesday, 7 February 1911, when it became known that on the previous day (Monday, 6 February 1911 NOTE conflicts with current death date 7 February 1911) there had passed away a gentleman who had endeared himself to many during the time he had lived in the borough — to wit, Mr. Henry Hay Herschell Cameron, an actor who had in his time played many parts and none of them indifferently.

Deceased had been ailing for some time past — ever since, indeed, he had a paralytic stroke, and it was a second seizure which carried him off, in the 57th (NOTE conflicts with current age at death 59) year of his age. Mr. Cameron was, we believe, highly connected, his name being linked with some very aristocratic personages. Sir John Herschell, the famous Astronomer Royal, was his godfather. He was unmarried, and had resided in Croydon for the last six years.

One who knew him tells us that he came to Croydon to spend a day here, and liked the place so much that he came to live here permanently — and here he died.

His boyhood was spent in his mother's lovely home at Freshwater, where the family were often visited by the greatest men of letters, science and art of the Victorian era. Thus early he made the acquaintance of Tennyson, Longfellow, G. F. Watts, Irving, Ellen Terry, and others whose names are stamped upon the age. Indeed, when reminiscent, Henry Cameron could conjure up to his listeners a veritable feast of intellect and wit, whilst his love for "The Poet" and his personality often found voice in the utterance of some cherished memories.

One incident in his career of especial interest was his production of "The Snow Man" at the Lyceum. This play — although financially unsuccessful — was described by the late Joseph Hatton as "the finest children's play that had ever been staged up to that period."

He appeared to have had a varied career, and it is, a fact that a good many years ago he was interested in a coffee plantation in Ceylon. But the stage held him for its own, and he was both directly and indirectly connected with more than one theatrical enterprise. Years ago, when a dramatic version of Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" was brought out, he played, and continued to play at revivals for many years, the part of the Carpenter — a part he made peculiarly his own. Latterly, however, he had been associated with Miss Ellen Terry, with whom he toured the country in Bernard Shaw's "Captain Brassbound's Conversion," in which, as the accompanying illustration shows, he played the part of the Cadi. Miss Terry was greatly attached to the deceased gentleman and came to Croydon specially to see him at the time of his first seizure, accompanied by her husband, Mr. James Carew.

Mr. Cameron's scholarly ways and distinguished manner stamped him for what he was — a gentleman, and there will be many today who will mourn his untimely demise. The funeral will take place at noon today (Friday, 10 February 1911) at Mitcham Road Cemetery, Mitcham Road, Croydon, London CR0 3AA 51.3912, -0.1254.

From Victoria and Albert Museum: photo of Henry Herschel Hay Cameron, 1870 by Julia Margaret Cameron (photographer)

Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington and Chelsea, London SW7 2RL 51.49639, -0.17194 Henry Herschel Hay Cameron Photograph
1870 (photographed) by Julia Margaret Cameron, (photographer).

A portrait taken from the chest up of a young man with eyes cast downward wearing a collared jacket with vest and tie at neck. His right arm is visible crossed over his left arm.

At the age of 48 Julia Margaret Cameron received a camera as a gift from her daughter and son-in-law. It was accompanied by the words, ‘It may amuse you, Mother, to try to photograph during your solitude at Freshwater.’ Cameron had compiled albums and even printed photographs before, but her work as a photographer now began in earnest.

This photograph is part of the Royal Photographic Society Collection at the V&A which also includes fragments of Cameron's original autobiographical manuscript for Annals of My Glass House.