Lilian Ream

Lilian Ream, née Pratt (1877–1961) was a photographer in Wisbech, Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire. Her studios captured photographic images of Wisbech and the Fens for over 50 years.[1]

Lilian Ream
BornLilian Pratt
30 June 1877
West Walton, Norfolk, England
Died20 August 1961
Eastbourne, England
Occupationphotographer
Years active1909–1949
SpouseSydney Ream
ChildrenMary and Roland Ream

Early years

Lilian Pratt was born in 1877 in West Walton, Norfolk, the youngest child of John Thomas Pratt (born 1837) and Louisa née Jones (born 1839), who had married in 1858.[2] A farmer's daughter, she was one of the pupils of the private school at Wisbech Castle run by May Bradley was.[3]

Later life

Lilian Pratt married Sydney Ream in 1905. The couple had a son, John Roland F. Ream, born in 1907; and a daughter, Mary L. P. Ream, in 1911. Lilian died aged 84, in Eastbourne on 20 August 1961. Her grave is in the churchyard of All Saints, Walsoken.[1]

Photography
Sutton Bridge Armament Practice Camp (late 1920s or early 1930s)

Aged 17, she became photographic assistant to Alfred Drysdale whose studio was on Lynn Road, Wisbech. She later moved to work for John Kennerell at the Borough Studio in York Row. This studio was taken over by Lawrence Brown. In 1908 Lilian (then the manager) became a partner. The partnership was dissolved by April 1909. Days later she opened her own studio at 4, The Crescent, Wisbech and built a small studio and darkroom in the garden. A craft shop was opened in Market Street and a framing works, "The Burlington Studios", in Alexandra Road.[2] Her business succeeded and she took over the rival Borough Studio at 7 York Row (now Etcetera).

Her studio claimed to be the oldest and largest in East Anglia.[4] She was the official photographer for the Wisbech Standard newspaper.[5] After her retirement in 1949, Roland took over the studio and it continued until 1971.[6][7]

Legacy

Although many original negatives have been lost, over 100,000 negatives have survived to form the "Lilian Ream Collection". This may be one of the most comprehensive records of its kind in England.[8] The trust produce publications of the images.[9]

In April 2013 the Wisbech Society erected a blue plaque at 4 The Crescent in her honour.[10] In 2014, a photograph of Ream was included into The Army Children of the First World War collection, established by The Army Children Archive (TACA), a project of the Imperial War Museum.[11]

The Ream studios and other local pioneering photographers such as Samuel (Philosopher) Smith and Geoff Hastings feature on the Cambridgeshire Photographers website.[12]

References
  1. "Lilian Ream". wisbech-society.org.uk. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  2. Rayner, David (1992). "The Lilian Ream Collection". Wisbech Society Annual Report. 53: 14–17.
  3. Colin Wilkinson and Robert Bell (2010). From Cradle to Grave. The Bluecoat Press. ISBN 9-781904-438960.
  4. "Lilian Ream". fadingimages.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  5. "Lilian Ream". fadingimsges.uk. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  6. "Lilian Ream Collection". lilianream.org.uk. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  7. Violet Fosbrook-Ream (1992). Lilian Ream: a life in photography. Cambridgeshire County Council.
  8. "Lilian Ream Collection". lilianream.org.uk. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  9. "Samuel Smith". www.lilianream.org.uk. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  10. "Achievement". wisbech-Society.co.uk. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  11. "Wisbech First World War family portrait by Lilian Ream part of major new The Army Children Archive collection". Wisbech Standard. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  12. "Cambridgeshire Photographers". Fading Images. Retrieved 25 September 2021.

Further reading
  • Andrew C. Ingram (2002). Wisbech 1800-1901. Middleton Press. ISBN 1-901706-931.
  • Vic Mitchell, Keith Smith & Andrew C. Ingram (1995). Branch Line to Upwell. Middleton Press. ISBN 1-873793-642.
  • J. Fosbrook Ream (1987). Reams of Wisbech. Cambridgeshire Libraries & Information Service. ISBN 1-870724-05-4.
  • Violet Fosbrook Ream (1992). Lilian Ream: A Life in Photography. Cambridgeshire County Council.
  • Kim Bowden and David Rayner (1996). Wisbech. Chalford Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7524-0740-6.
  • Kim Bowden and David Rayner (2002). Wisbech. Tempus Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7524-0740-6.
  • Colin Wilkinson and Robert Bell (2010). From Cradle to Grave in a Fenland Town. The Bluecoat Press. ISBN 9-781904-438960.
  • Monger, Garry (December 2019). "Digging Up the Past: Fenland's Photographers". The Fens: Wisbech & Surrounding (21): 16.
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