Lilian Ream

Lilian Ream
Lilian Ream
Born	Lilian Pratt; 30 June 1877; West Walton, Norfolk, England
Died	20 August 1961; Eastbourne, England
Occupation	photographer
Years active	1909–1949
Spouse	Sydney Ream
Children	Mary and Roland Ream

Lilian Ream (1877–1961) was a photographer in Wisbech, Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire. Her studios went on to capture photographic images of Wisbech and the Fens for over 50 years.[1]

Early years

Lilian was born in 1877 in West Walton, Norfolk, the youngest child of John Thomas Pratt (1837-?) and Louisa (Jones 1839) married in 1858.[2]

Later life

She married Sydney Ream in 1905; they had a son John Roland F Ream born in 1907 and a daughter Mary LP Ream in 1911. She died aged 84, in Eastbourne on 20 August 1961. Her grave is in the churchyard of All Saints, Walsoken.[1]

Photography

Sutton Bridge Armament Practice Camp (late 1920s or early 1930s)

Aged 17, she became photographic assistant to Alfred Drysdale whose studio was on Lynn Road, Wisbech, she moved to work for John Kennerell at the Borough Studio in York Row, this was taken over by Lawrence Brown. In 1908 Lilian (then the manager) became a partner. The partnership was dissolved by April 1909. Days later she opened her own studio at number 4, The Crescent, Wisbech and built a small studio and darkroom in the garden. A craft shop was opened in Market street and a framing works 'the Burlington Studios', in Alexandra Road.[2] Her business succeeded and she took over the rival's studio 'Borough Studio, number 7 York Row (now Etcetera). Her studio claimed to be the oldest and largest in East Anglia.[3] She was the official photographer for the Wisbech Standard Newspaper.[4] After her retirement in 1949, Roland took over the studio and it continued until 1971.[5][6]

Legacy

Although many original negatives have been lost, over 10,000 negatives have survived to form 'The Lilian Ream collection'. This may be one of the most comprehensive records of its kind in England.[7] In April 2013 the Wisbech Society erected a blue plaque at 4 The Crescent in her honour.[8] In 2014, a photograph of Ream was included into The Army Children of the First World War collection, established by The Army Children Archive (TACA), a project of the Imperial War Museum.[9]

The Ream studios and other local pioneering photographers such as Samuel Smith (photographer) and Geoff Hastings feature on the Cambridgeshire Photographers website (http://www.fadingimages.uk/photoRe.asp).

References

"Lilian Ream". wisbech-society.org.uk. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
Rayner, David (1992). "The Lilian Ream Collection". Wisbech Society Annual Report. 53: 14–17.
"Lilian Ream". fadingimages.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
"Lilian Ream". fadingimsges.uk. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
"Lilian Ream Collection". lilianream.org.uk. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
Violet Fosbrook-Ream (1992). Lilian Ream: a life in photography. Cambridgeshire County Council.
"Lilian Ream Collection". lilianream.org.uk. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
"Achievement". wisbech-Society.co.uk. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
"Wisbech First World War family portrait by Lilian Ream part of major new The Army Children Archive collection". Wisbech Standard. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2019.