Date of use : 1912 United Kingdom

Chas. R.H. Pickard: Leeds-Based Photography Pioneer

Charles Richard Hattersley Pickard, known as Chas. R.H. Pickard, was a renowned photographer operating in Leeds during the first half of the 20th century. He established his photography business in 1897 and ran it under the name Charles Pickard and Son, actively working at this establishment until the 1940s. He provided services such as "Commercial Photographer", "Photo-Enlarger", and "Photo-Engraver". These services held a significant place in the advertising and publishing industries of the time.

The letter includes the phrase "Gold Medal, Brussels, 1910", indicating that the firm won an award at an exhibition in Brussels. The letter is addressed to Rice & Co., Ltd., a company based in Leeds. In the letter, Pickard mentions that a parcel sent the previous day was mistakenly sent without a stamp. To rectify this, he enclosed 4 pence worth of stamps. This approach can be seen as a reflection of the importance placed on customer satisfaction at that time.

With the onset of World War II, the management of the company was taken over by his son, Alan Pickard. Over the years, the company underwent various changes and eventually shifted towards industrial photography. Unfortunately, a large number of the company's photographic negatives were destroyed during a relocation in 1964. The firm changed its name to Larkfield Photography Ltd in 1986 and later to Leach Studio Ltd in 1994. The company was dissolved in 2000.

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