Thornton-Pickard
Encyclopedia
Thornton-Pickard was a famous British
camera
manufacturer established in 1888. The company was based in Altrincham
, near Manchester
and was an early pioneer in the development of the camera industry.
, Altrincham in 1891. The innovative "Time & Instantaneous" shutter
was designed and patented by Thornton in 1892. This shutter design was also licensed to a number of other camera makers. Some early cameras produced by the company included the "Ruby" and "Amber" models.
In 1897 the company became a limited company
, followed shortly afterwards by the sudden death of Edgar Pickard, due to a perforated ulcer. Thornton now found himself in a company dominated by the Pickard family, who he disliked intensely, and shortly afterwards he left. In 1899 he formed a new business partnership with Charles Rothwell, a chemist who shared Thorntons interest in photography. The company was called the Thornton Film Company. Later in 1913 Thornton emigrated to the United States
, and went on to patent a three colour cine film which was manufactured under license by Eastman Kodak
. Thornton eventually returned to England, and died some years later in 1940.
Following the loss of its founders, Thornton-Pickard continued to manufacture cameras. The successful "Imperial Triple Extension" model was introduced in 1913, and continued in production until the 1930s. During the First World War, the company produced a number of cameras for military use, including the Mark III Hythe gun camera. In 1921 the company merged with several other companies, to form Amalgamated Photographic Manufacturers. Throughout the 1920s and 30s the company found it increasingly difficult to compete with cheaper imported cameras, and ceased to trade in 1939.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
manufacturer established in 1888. The company was based in Altrincham
Altrincham
Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south of the River Mersey about southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Sale and east of Warrington...
, near Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and was an early pioneer in the development of the camera industry.
Brief history of the company
The Thornton-Pickard company was founded by John Edward Thornton and Edgar Pickard in Manchester, in 1888. The company moved to a new factory at BroadheathBroadheath, Greater Manchester
Broadheath is a suburb of Altrincham in Greater Manchester, England. It is historically part of the county of Cheshire and has a Warrington postcode.At Broadheath's height as an industrial area, the industries supported perhaps 12,000 employees...
, Altrincham in 1891. The innovative "Time & Instantaneous" shutter
Shutter (photography)
In photography, a shutter is a device that allows light to pass for a determined period of time, for the purpose of exposing photographic film or a light-sensitive electronic sensor to light to capture a permanent image of a scene...
was designed and patented by Thornton in 1892. This shutter design was also licensed to a number of other camera makers. Some early cameras produced by the company included the "Ruby" and "Amber" models.
In 1897 the company became a limited company
Limited company
A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...
, followed shortly afterwards by the sudden death of Edgar Pickard, due to a perforated ulcer. Thornton now found himself in a company dominated by the Pickard family, who he disliked intensely, and shortly afterwards he left. In 1899 he formed a new business partnership with Charles Rothwell, a chemist who shared Thorntons interest in photography. The company was called the Thornton Film Company. Later in 1913 Thornton emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and went on to patent a three colour cine film which was manufactured under license by Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational imaging and photographic equipment, materials and services company headquarted in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded by George Eastman in 1892....
. Thornton eventually returned to England, and died some years later in 1940.
Following the loss of its founders, Thornton-Pickard continued to manufacture cameras. The successful "Imperial Triple Extension" model was introduced in 1913, and continued in production until the 1930s. During the First World War, the company produced a number of cameras for military use, including the Mark III Hythe gun camera. In 1921 the company merged with several other companies, to form Amalgamated Photographic Manufacturers. Throughout the 1920s and 30s the company found it increasingly difficult to compete with cheaper imported cameras, and ceased to trade in 1939.