Other: J. Parting (Columbo) - Photographic studio Other: S. Slinn & Co. (Columbo) Other: William L.H. Skeen Other: Skeen & Co. Other: W.L.H. Skeen & Co. Joint: Skeen & Co.
Born: 1847 Died: 1903 Gender: Male Active: Ceylon
Commercial photographer active in Ceylon (1860-1903). The firm of W.L.H. Skeen & Co. became the most successful in Ceylon by the 1870s and continued on under a number of different managers until about 1920.
William Skeen started in Ceylon as the first officially appointed Government Printer 1849-1873. During this time, in 1860, he purchased the existing photographic studio of J. Parting in Colombo for his son, William Louis Henry Skeen. W.L.H. Skeen, who trained at the London School of Photography, did not arrive in Colombo until 1862 so it is unclear who was running the the Parting Studio during this time. William Skeen snr. wrote two books that were illustrated with his son‘s photographs, ‘The Knuckles and Other Poems‘ (1868) and ‘Adam‘s Peak‘ (1870). The studio in Colombo traded under the name S. Slinn & Co (William‘s mother‘s name was Sarah Slinn) until 1868 when it became W.L.H. Skeen & Co. W.L.H. Skeen‘s brother Frederick Albert Edward Skeen arrived in Ceylon in 1878 and he ran a studio under the W.L.H. Skeen name in Rangoon from 1887 although there is no record as to when this studio was opened. In 1891 another studio was opened in Kandy, Ceylon.
PLEASE NOTE: It is unclear if W.H.L. Skeen took all the photographs himself and we would welcome any further research on photographers that worked for W.L.H. Skeen & Co. and the years they did so. As soon as we are able to distinguish different photographers we will include the details here. (January 2007)
[Take care not to confuse with his father: William Skeen (1822-1872)]
William Louis Henry Skeen
Portraits
If you have a portrait of this photographer or know of the whereabouts of one we would be most grateful.
alan@luminous-lint.com
Genealogy of William Louis Henry Skeen
If you are related to this photographer and interested in tracking down your extended family we can place a note here for you to help. It is free and you would be amazed who gets in touch.
