In the national archive, there are documents available online relating to the copyright of several portrait photographs of Sir Moses Montefiore. The photographs are the work of a Ramsgate photographer John Crowe Twyman. He was one of the five early Ramsgate portrait photographers who had studios in the town during the 1860’s. Following bankruptcy, J C Twyman started a new business as a photographer working from premises in Hardres Street, then from a studio at 36 High Street in Ramsgate until his death in 1886.
J C Twyman was born in St Lawrence in 1817. He had earlier converted to Judaism when he married Rosetta Jessel of a well-known Jewish family in 1838. They had eight children, who were brought up in Ramsgate in the Jewish faith. When Sir Moses Montefiore died, J C Twyman took part in the ritual funeral preparations preparing the body for burial.
Twyman’s photography captured some of the very best head and shoulders portraits of Ramsgate residents on record taken during the late 1860’s to the mid 1880’s. Other photographs record a timeline of women’s fashion and hairstyles that make an interesting study into the Victorian social history in Ramsgate at the time. His small card mounted CDV portrait photographs were very fashionable at the time and were often used as family gifts to be collected into albums. On the reverse there was a hand stamped logo, usually with a handwritten reference number. The handstamp read “John C Twyman High Street Ramsgate” with a small Star of David present in the design. Earlier cards were just stamped “Twyman Ramsgate”.
In June 1864, six photographs of Sir Moses Montefiore were registered as copyright to John C Twyman with a description. Another four photographs were registered as copyright on November 1, 1883 about a week after the 99th birthday of Sir Moses Montefiore. In the cabinet in the Ramsgate Town Council meeting room at The Custom House there is a small, framed photograph of Sir Moses Montefiore on display.
In January 1881, Twyman photographed the crew of the Ramsgate lifeboat 'Bradford' shortly after the crew under coxswain Charles Fish had rescued the survivors from the wreck of the Indian Chief in January 1881. The photograph with eight of the crew standing and four sitting was registered as copyright to J C Twyman in February 1881.
The national archives also list photographs of Augustus Pugin and Edward Pugin registered as copyright to John C Twyman.
Written by:
Councillor Tony Ovenden
Councillor for Sir Moses Montefiore Ward