Pictures

For part of his life, Henry Desborough Esq. lived at Broadgate Villa in Pilton. In this copy of one of the earliest photographic portraits in England, he is seen with his family. The caption identifies them as follows:

L. to R.: Back row: Lawrie (Lawrence Vivian), Louisa (Nash), 'Katie' Catherine (Mathews), Ned (Edward), 'Netta' (Henrietta Wathen), 'Minnie' (Harriet Burnell), Polly (Mary Hart) or Annie (Man), Samuel 'Sam'. Front row: Alice (Goodwin), Mary (mother), Henry (father) and Fanny Sophia.

Henry Desborough was born on 30 Jan 1785 at 53 Charlotte Street, Saint Pancras, Middlesex and died in Pilton on 18 June 1862. In his will, Henry Desborough formerly of Beckenham in the County of Kent but late of Pilton near Barnstaple in the County of Devon, formerly Secretary of the Atlas Assurance Company Cheapside in the City of London, left effects of under £2,000.

For more information on the story of Broadgate Villa follow this link to: http://vimp.thepiltonstory.org/picture/Broadgate-Villa%252C-Pilton-with-...

Many thanks Zandra Houston, great grand-daughter of Harriet Burnell, for the copy of this early photograph.