Date of use : 1909 South Africa

B.G. Lennon Co. Photographic Ad Postcard

This postcard presents an early urban photograph depicting one of the principal streets of Johannesburg, one of the most important cities in South Africa. The handwritten caption at the bottom of the card reads "One of Johannesburg's Principal Streets," indicating that the image was taken along one of the city's main commercial avenues. The postal cancellation on the reverse side reads "Johannesburg – 9 April 1909," confirming that the card was mailed in 1909. The recipient's address is written to Miss A. Hayward, who lived in Sowerby Bridge near Halifax, England.

One of the large advertising signs visible on the left side of the photograph promotes a business named "B. G. Lennon & Co. Chemists." The sign also includes the phrase "Photographic Apparatus and Chemicals." This indicates that the business sold photographic equipment and chemical materials used in photography. During this period, when photographic technology was becoming increasingly widespread, chemical substances, photographic plates, and other darkroom equipment had become important commercial products. For this reason, pharmacies and chemical supply shops that sold photographic materials were often regarded as important distribution points within the early photographic industry.

The firm B. G. Lennon & Co. Chemists, visible in the photograph, was founded in 1850 by the pharmacist Barry Grey Lennon. In its early years the business operated as a traditional pharmacy. In later years, however, the company expanded its activities and began to focus not only on chemical products but also on the sale of photographic equipment and photographic chemicals.

This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.
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