Kate Pragnell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kate Pragnell
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Kate Pragnell as she appeared in a Portrait album of attendees of the 1899 International Congress of Women.
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| Born | 24 February 1853 |
| Died | 19 November 1905 (aged 52) Kensington, London, England
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Kate Pragnell (born February 24, 1853 – died November 19, 1905) was a talented English photographer. She was known for taking portraits of people. She also owned her own photography business.
Early Life and Art
Kate Pragnell was born on February 24, 1853. Her birthplace was High Street in Newport, on the Isle of Wight, England.
In 1862, her family moved to the city of Bristol. There, Kate later studied art at the Bristol School of Art. This training helped her develop her creative skills.
Starting a Photography Business
In 1890, Kate Pragnell began working with another photographer. His name was William Friese-Greene. They had a photography studio together at 162 Sloane Street in Chelsea, London.
By 1891, Kate was living in Chiswick with her friend, artist Emily Bird. Soon after, she opened her very own photography studios. These studios were located at 164 Sloane Street, Chelsea, and she ran them from 1893 to 1900.
In 1901, Kate moved her business to 39 Brompton Square in Kensington. She ran this studio with her friend and business partner, Alice Stewart.
Kate's Unique Work
Kate Pragnell was inspired by other photographers like Alice Hughes. Other important women photographers of her time included Christina Broom, Lallie Charles, Rita Martin, and Lizzie Caswall Smith.
Unlike many female photographers of her time, Kate also took pictures of men. This was quite unusual for women photographers back then. Some of the famous people she photographed included:
- Linley Sambourne, a cartoonist for Punch magazine.
- General Sir Beauvoir de Lisle.
- Mrs. Lionel Portman for her wedding portrait. This picture even appeared on the cover of Country Life magazine in November 1905.
Her photographs were also featured in many popular magazines. These included Bystander, Black and White, Cassell's, Woman at Home, and Hearth and Home. Kate Pragnell was often the main photographer for Hearth and Home magazine.
Kate Pragnell believed in supporting women. She only hired women to work in her business. She also wanted to help women get training. Her goal was to encourage more women to open their own photography businesses.
Legacy
Kate Pragnell passed away on November 19, 1905. She died at her home and studio at 39 Brompton Square. She left her photography business to her friend and partner, Alice Stewart.
Alice Stewart continued to run the business under Kate Pragnell's name. She kept the studio at Brompton Square until 1911. Then, she moved it to 16 Albemarle Street in Westminster, where it operated until 1915. Because the business kept Kate's name, some people thought Kate herself took pictures for events after she died. For example, the photos for the Chelsea Historical Pageant were taken by the business after Kate's death.
Today, Kate Pragnell's photographs are kept in important collections. You can find her work in the National Portrait Gallery, London. Her photos are also part of the Hyman Collection, which is a private collection owned by Claire and James Hyman.
