I recently found this example of a stereoview featuring Castell Coch. This type of photo is also called a stereographic card or stereogram.
A stereoview consists of two photos that, when viewed with a device called a stereoscope, creates a three-dimensional effect.
Stereoscopes
This antique stereoscope was popular in the 19th century.
It’s a “Holmes stereoscope”, developed in 1861. This type was produced for many years.
If you’re an older reader, you may have had a “View Master” as a child.
These used reels that contained several stereoscopic images.
Castell Coch
This view of Castell Coch is quite common in old postcards. I’ve enhanced the image slightly to show more detail.
Unfortunately, there’s no detail in the distance to show. The photo has suffered quite severe foxing.
Stereoview popularity started in the early 1850s, died down in 1870 and peaked again in the 1890s. The construction of Castell Coch wasn’t completed until 1879 so it’s fair to guess this stereoview was created during the later period of popularity.
Early Photography in Cardiff
While starting to write this post I stumbled across an article by Stephen Rowson titled, “Early Photography in Cardiff” in the National Library of Wales Journal.
I met Stephen briefly at a postcard fair years ago and we’ve corresponded a few times over the years. He was incredibly kind in helping me source images for an article on the Tongwynlais railway station.
His research on photography in Cardiff was published in 1996. It contains a fascinating history of the early technology, the people who used it and the work they produced.
One of the early photographers in Cardiff was Calvert Richard Jones, the vicar of St Margaret’s Church in Roath from 1829-38. He took a picture of St John’s Church in the late 1840s, which is one of the first images captured of the capital.
Joseph Jacquier, from Lyons, arrived in Cardiff in 1850 and operated from several studios during his time in the city, including Crockherbtown, St Mary’s Street and Duke Street. His photo of St John’s Church from 1852 is part of the Welsh Landscape Collection held by the National Library of Wales.
Joseph Jacquier’s lithograph from his daguerrotype of St John’s Church from 1852.
HJB & CA Wills
The Castell Coch stereoview was published by HJB & CA Wills. They were based in Castle Arcade, Cardiff.
This advert from 1893 announces the opening of their business.
HJB Wills
At some point, HJB Wills operated on his own from studios in Central Arcade and Morgan Arcade. This elaborate design is on the back of one of their photos.
Marquess of Bute
There’s another connection between early photography and Castell Coch: This portrait of John Patrick Stuart, the “Marquis of Bute”, was taken by Joseph Jacquier in the 1850s.
It’s part of the Welsh Portrait Collection held by the National Library of Wales.
Sources
- Early Photography in Cardiff (Part 1 | Part 2) by Stephen Rowson
- Antique stereoscope by Joe Haupt on Flickr
- View Master Model G red by L’Ospite Inatteso on Wikipedia
- John Patrick Stuart by Joseph Jacquier on Wikipedia
- St John’s Church by Joseph Jacquier on Wikipedia
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