• Reference
    Z40
  • Title
    Richard Anderson Limited of Leighton Buzzard negative collection
  • Date free text
    c1940-1960
  • Production date
    From: 1940 To: 1960
  • Admin/biog history
    Born in 1909, Richard Garton Anderson is listed as a photographer and the owner of the Anderson photographic business in the 1962 Bedfordshire telephone records. He took the buisness over from his father Arthur Joseph Anderson, born in 1877, after Arthur's death in 1949. Arthur Joseph was listed as a photographer on the 1901 census and in 1906 he brought out the William Frederick Piggott of Leighton Buzzard, leasing 7 High Street from Piggot. In 1915 the lease for the property is in the name of his wife Maud. Still leasing 7 High Street, Richard kept Anderson as the buisness name until 1962, in which year he changed the buisness to be under his name. The Anderson photography buisness lasted until at least the 1970s.
  • Scope and Content
    The descriptions are taken from the information on the original negative packets, which usually gives, we assume, the name of the person commissioning the photograph and an indication of what prints were then being ordered. We have then looked at the image and have indicated what appears in the photograph. In the case of some of the wedding photographs we have suggested possible weddings. Only a few packets are dated therefore most dates suggested are approximate.
  • Archival history
    Given to the archives as a sample from Richard Anderson in June 1972 from the cellar of 7 High Street. A letter was sent to Richard Anderson Limited after taking in the first sample, requesting more material but no reply was received. Boxes and negatives both marked numericaly according to photographers individual unknown system. The fate of the bulk of Anderson's negatives is unknown. The sample held by Bedfordshire Archives since 1972 was finally catalogued in 2024 following an enquiry.
  • Level of description
    fonds