Joseph Warren Zambra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph Warren Zambra
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| Born | 1822 |
| Died | 23 December 1897 (aged 74–75) |
| Burial place | Highgate Cemetery |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Optician, Photographer and scientific instrument maker |
| Known for | Negretti and Zambra |
Joseph Warren Zambra (1822–1897) was a talented British-Italian photographer and a skilled maker of scientific tools. He is best known for starting the famous company Negretti and Zambra with Henry Negretti. This company became very important for making instruments like barometers and thermometers.
Contents
Joseph Warren Zambra: A Pioneer in Science and Photography
Early Life and Family
Joseph Zambra was born in 1822 in a town called Saffron Walden in Essex, England. His parents were Joseph Caesar and Phyllis Zambra. His father was originally from Como, Italy, and was also a maker of barometers (tools that measure air pressure) and an optician (someone who makes or sells eyeglasses and other optical instruments).
Joseph learned his skills from his father. After his training, he moved to London. He first lived in an area called Holborn, which had a community of people from Italy and England.
In 1847, Joseph married Sarah Sophia Potts. They had four children: Joseph Caesar, Marcus Warren, Sarah Phillis, and Julius James George. Sadly, in 1867, his wife Sarah died in an accident on the Isle of Wight. Joseph later remarried in 1869 to Sarah Tongue.
Joseph Zambra passed away at the age of 75 in 1897 at his home in Hampstead. He is buried with his second wife, Sarah, in Highgate Cemetery. His grave is considered very important because of its beautiful design and because it honors a person who was a pioneer in photography and scientific instrument making.
Building a Business: Negretti and Zambra
In 1850, Joseph Zambra teamed up with another skilled craftsman, Henry Negretti. They created the company Negretti and Zambra. Just one year later, they showed their amazing meteorological instruments (tools for studying weather, like thermometers and barometers) at the 1851 Great Exhibition in Hyde Park. They were the only English instrument makers to win a special medal in their category!
Their partnership led to many new inventions. They created better designs for barometers and thermometers that could work even in very difficult conditions, like extreme pressure or movement. Because of their excellent work, their company, Negretti and Zambra, was chosen to be the official opticians and scientific instrument makers for important figures like Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and King Edward VII. They also worked for the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the British Meteorological Society, and the British Admiralty (the part of the government that managed the navy).
Negretti and Zambra became one of the largest companies of its kind in London. They had workshops in areas like Hatton Garden and Cornhill, London, and a shop on Regent Street. They also had a special store for photographic equipment at the The Crystal Palace. The partners were even hired to photograph the Crystal Palace when it was rebuilt in Sydenham, London in 1853.
Gallery
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The family grave of Joseph Warren Zambra in Highgate Cemetery (west side).
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The family grave of Joseph Caesar Zambra in Highgate Cemetery (west side).
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The grave of Joseph Warren Zambra's parents, Joseph Caesar and Phillis Zambra, in Highgate Cemetery (west side).
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A Negretti Zambra Telescope used by the British military.
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A close-up of the Negretti Zambra Telescope logo.
