Portrait of a mother and her two daughters by White Bros. of Grimsby c1890s; a picture with links to important local and international history.

An original cabinet card portrait of a mother and her two children. The children don’t look too happy at having their photo taken.

The photographers, White Bros., were George Herbert White (1867-1957) and Sydney Wales White (1870-1945). They were born in Laceby. Their father was John Hobson White (1843-1920s, born Ludborough) and Emma Jane White (née Wales) (1840-1912, born Leeds).

In 1891, the White family was living at 3 Old Market Place Grimsby. John Hobson White was a fish merchant’s clerk and shipping agent and ardent Methodist. George Herbert White was a photographer and gilder and music teacher and W. local preacher, aged 23. Sydney Wales White was a landscape and portrait painter, aged 20. Mary Lizzie White was a photographer’s assistant, aged 16. Harold Temple White was at school, aged 9.

Over a long period of time, a number of other Grimsby photographers operated from 3 Old Market Place i.e. Frederick Edwin Friston, Harry Jancowski, Walter Major Marsden and William Edward Sherlock. —————————–

A history of the very influential White family:

In 1881, John Hobson White was living with his family in Laceby. He was a grocer and draper (master). By September in 1881, John Hobson White had opened Emigration Offices in Laceby. Through the 1880s, John Hobson White was responsible for the emigration of thousands of English farm workers to New Zealand and Queensland, Australia. [Ref: Arnold, Rollo Davis. The farthest promised land: English villagers, New Zealand immigrants of the 1870s. (Wellington: Victoria University Press, 1981)]. He was very unpopular with Lincolnshire farmers for encouraging so many workers to emigrate and better themselves, which many did. John Hobson White emigrated to New Zealand in 1893 where he became a Home Missionary with the NZ Methodist Church. He lived to be at least 80 years old.

George Herbert White married Sarah Jane Russell at South Parade Wesleyan Church, Grimsby in the June Quarter of 1893. They also emigrated to New Zealand in 1893. George took over an established photographic studio in New Plymouth. Some of his work can be found online.

Sydney Wales White (born 25th June 1870) did not emigrate. He moved to London and became a fine portrait painter. He has 12 paintings in the National Collection. He painted the portraits of a number of prominent figures including Lady Randolph Churchill. He lived at 32 Great Ormond Street, London in 1901. Sydney Wales White married Alice Mary Tarttelin in Fulletby, Lincolnshire in 1906. In 1911, the couple lived at 22 Yeomans Row, London. They had a son, Charles Reginald White (1909-1987). In 1921, the couple lived at 5 Logan place, London i.e. adjacent to where Freddie Mercury lived many years later. They had a daughter, Beatrice M. White, born 2nd January 1914. Beatrice became an animal painter. (Alice) Mary White (née Tarttelin) died before 1921. Charles Reginald White died in Boston, Lincolnshire in 1987. Beatrice died in New Zealand in about 2011.

Sydney Wales White died in Tadworth, Surrey in 1945.

Note: H. Temple White O.B.E. also emigrated in 1893. Temple White soon became a central figure in Wellington’s musical life. He was awarded the O.B.E. in 1954. He died in Wellington, New Zealand in 1972.

Note: Mary Lizzie white also emigrated to New Zealand. She married there and spent the rest of her life there.

Note: Another son to John and Emma, James Edgar White, was born in the Caistor area 1878 and died there in 1880.

Note: John Hobson White was the son of George Patchett White, grocer, and Eliza of Ludborough.