The Chester Studio

In 1933, Edward Chambre Hardman is admitted as an Associate Member of the Royal Photographic Society and was elected as a Fellow in 1935.

Christmas Window Display at Chester Studio - taken by Edward Chambre Hardman in the 1950s

In 1938, the Hardmans opened a second portrait studio at 27 St Werburgh Street in Chester, to cope with an increase in business. Hardman worked at the Chester Studio 3 days a week taking portraits, and he would then bring the negatives back to liverpool to process them and print the negatives. In between sittings, Hardman would often go out with his camera and there are many photographs of Chester in the collection.

Here are just a few photographs Edward Hardman took of the city:



Watergate Row North with Figure Leaning on Rail (undated)

Falcon Cafe (undated)



From the Eastgate - undated




City Walls from Newgate - undated



Newgate, Pedestrians - undated

Platform Two, Chester - 1947

Rainy Day in Chester - 1947

Hardman said of this photograph: 'Moments when the street traffic sorts itself into a simple and satisfactory composition are rare, and much patience has to be exercised. When the right arrangement comes about it is a matter of a split second'

Northgate Street in Chester - Undated

This photograph was taken from the same place as Rainy Day in Chester at a later date, probably during the 1960s, as a comparison.