William Edward Kilburn facts for kids
_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg)
William Edward Kilburn (1818–1891) was an English photographer. He became famous for taking pictures of the British Royal family.
Contents
Who Was William Edward Kilburn?
William Edward Kilburn was born in 1818 and lived until 1891. He was a pioneer in the early days of photography. His work helped capture important moments in history and show what life was like in the 1800s.
Capturing History: The Chartist Rally
In 1848, Kilburn took a very special photograph. It showed a huge meeting of people called the Chartists at Kennington Common in London. This event happened on April 10, 1848.
The Chartists were a group of working-class people who wanted more rights. They wanted things like the right for all men to vote. Their big meeting was a way to show how many people supported their ideas.
Kilburn's photo of this large crowd was one of the first of its kind. It was amazing to capture so many people in one picture back then! For a long time, people thought this important photo was lost. But it was found again in the 1980s in the British Royal Collection.
Photography for Royalty
Kilburn's skills impressed Prince Albert, who was Queen Victoria's husband. Because of his great work, Prince Albert gave Kilburn a special title. He became "Photographist to Her Majesty and His Royal Highness Prince Albert." This meant he was the official photographer for the Queen and Prince.
In April 1847, Kilburn made history again. He took the very first daguerreotype portraits of Queen Victoria and her family. A daguerreotype was an early type of photograph. It was made on a shiny, silver-coated copper plate. These pictures were unique and very detailed for their time.
Kilburn's Photography Studio
William Edward Kilburn had his photography studio at 234 Regent Street in London. This was where he created his beautiful daguerreotypes. People would visit his studio to have their portraits taken using this new and exciting technology.
