Photo album I

This collection of family portraits was donated to Brighton Museum in 1993 and was the property of Miss Janie Boucher, who died in 1992 at the age of 92. Miss Janie Boucher’s grandfather, Albert Boucher, was a well known Victorian photographer who came to Brighton in 1870. He had two photographic studios, at 23 Ship Street and 15 Kings Road.

Albert Boucher was born in France in 1841 and died in 1875. He married Elizabeth Dando, who was born in Somerset in 1841. Albert and Elizabeth had one son, Adolphe, who was born in Somerset in 1869. He became a photographer like his father and had a studio in Twickenham, near London.

Francoise Boucher (nee Jecle), wife of Adolphe, was born in France of Italian parents. They had three children: Albert Boucher, born in 1897, who died in the First World War at the age of twenty; Janie Boucher, born 1900, died 1992; and Agnes Mary, born 1904.

After Albert Boucher’s death, Elizabeth married another French photographer, Bernard de la Grave, who took over the running of Albert’s studio. They had three children: Eneis; Edith; and Ernest.

Mary Dando and Susan Marner (nee Dando, born 1849), Elizabeth’s mother and sister, lived with the Boucher family.

Comments about this page

  • As long as I can remember, my father, Herbert Saunders, used to visit a gentleman called Mr Ernest De la Graves, who was a professor of the violin. It must have been during the 1960s-1980s I think. They used to chat for an hour or so. (I don’t know how they met as he was from a different social class to us). I remember Dad telling me once that Ernest taught Sir Ralph Richardson how to play a string instrument and Sir Ralph always turned up for lessons  on his motorbike. Ernest always sent us a Christmas card and Dad had great respect for him and loved talking to him. I wonder if this is the same gentleman as the young boy in the photo? Would anyone know?

    By Diane (27/09/2014)

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.