James Waterhouse facts for kids

James Waterhouse - Stonehenge, Trilithon (On the left of altar stone), Yale Center for British Art

James Waterhouse (born 1842, died 1922) was a British photographer and an officer in the Indian Army. He led the photography team for the Survey of India. He also helped create new ways to print pictures using machines, called photomechanical printing.

James Waterhouse's Early Life and Training

James Waterhouse was born in London, England, on July 24, 1842. His father, William Waterhouse, was a lawyer. James went to King's College and University College schools in London. When he was 17, he decided to join the army. He applied to become a cadet in the Bengal Artillery, which was part of the East India Company's army. From 1857 to 1859, he studied at a military school called Addiscombe. After his training, he sailed to India and arrived there in October 1859.

Photography Adventures in India

James Waterhouse likely learned photography while at Addiscombe, as it was part of the school's lessons. In 1859, while stationed in Meerut, India, he bought his first camera. He said it was a "good old French walnut wood" camera that worked well in India's hot, dry weather. His first major photography trip was in 1861 with another officer, Boyce Edward Gowan. They took the first known photos of the ancient Buddhist stupa (a dome-shaped building) and monastery at Sanchi. This site is near the holy city of Vidisha. In June 1861, the Governor-General, Lord Canning, encouraged army officers to take pictures of different ethnic groups. In December 1861, Waterhouse was officially asked to go on a photography tour of Central India. This was to capture images of various people and tribes. He spent all of 1862 on this project, traveling a lot to find good subjects. Some of his most famous photos from this time are portraits of Sikandar Begum of Bhopal, her family, and her royal court. These were taken in November 1862. Some of his portraits were later included in a famous book series called The People of India. His views of Sanchi were also used in a book about architecture called Tree and Serpent Worship.

Leading the Survey of India's Photo Department

In May 1866, Waterhouse was made Assistant Surveyor. He was put in charge of the photozincographic operations for the Survey of India. This meant he would oversee the use of photozincography, a method for reproducing maps and plans. After training in Dehradun, he arrived in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in December 1866 to start his new job. He spent the next 30 years supervising the photographic work at the Calcutta headquarters. Under his leadership, the department grew a lot. It went from a small part of the Survey of India to one of its most important sections. His department did more than just print maps. They also copied sketches from the Afghan Boundary Commission and made special photo albums for the Viceroy (a high-ranking official). They also reproduced photographs for the Archaeological Survey of India.

Later Life and Achievements

James Waterhouse retired from the Surveyor-General's Office in Calcutta in 1897, after 31 years of service. He was 55 years old. After retiring, he moved back to England. In his later career, Waterhouse held many important positions. He was the Honorary President of the Calcutta Zoological Gardens from 1894 to 1897. He also served as president of the Asiatic Society of Bengal from 1888 to 1890. He was a trustee and twice chairman of the Indian Museum in Calcutta. He was also president of the Photographic Society of India and the Royal Photographic Society from 1905 to 1907. He became an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society in 1905. In 1891, he received the Progress Medal for his research in orthochromatic photography and photographic etching. He also received the Voigtländer Medal from the Vienna Photographic Society. James Waterhouse passed away on September 28, 1922, at the age of 80.