Christina Broom (1862 - 1939) - photographer - Britain's "first female press photographer"

 "the UK's first female press photographer".

Christina Livingston was born in King's Road, Chelsea, London, on 28th December 1862,  the seventh of eight children born to Alexander Livingston (1812-1875), a master bootmaker and his wife, Margaret Fair (1826-1884), who were from Scotland.

In 1889, Christina married Albert Edward Broom (1864–1912). They had a daughter, Winifred Margaret, who was born 7th August 1890. After the failure of the family ironmongery business and other business ventures, Christina borrowed a box camera and taught herself the rudiments of photography. She set up a stall in the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, selling postcards of photographs that she had taken. She maintained the stall from 1904 until 1930.

When the family moved to Burnfoot Avenue, she used the coal cellar as her dark room. She was assisted by her daughter Winifred, who left school early in order to help her mother. Albert wrote the captions for the postcards.

Christina was appointed official photographer to the British Army's Household Division - at that time comprising the 1st Life Guards, 2nd Life Guards and Royal Horse Guards (The Blues) - who were responsible for ceremonial duties. From 1904 until 1939, Christina had a darkroom in the Dvision Headquarters at Chelsea Barracks.  She also photographed local scenes, including those at the Palace, as well as The Boat Race and Suffragette marches.

Albert died in 1912 and Christina and Winifred moved to Munster Road, Fulham. Christina took the professional name of Mrs Albert Broom.

During the 1920s and 1930s, Christina's photographs were published in magazines such as the “Illustrated London News”, “The Tatler”, “The Sphere” and “Country Life”.

Christina died on 5th June 1939 and was buried in Fulham Old Cemetery.

Collections of Christina’s photographs are held at the Museum of London, the National Portrait Gallery, the Imperial War Museum, London, the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, the Royal Maritime Museum, Greenwich, the Guards Museum, London; the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Local Studies Library; the Hammersmith and Fulham Archive and the National Army Museum; Maidstone Art Gallery, Kent; and the Harry Ransom Center and the Gernsheim Collection, University of Texas, both at Austin, Texas, United States.

Source:  Wikipedia

With thanks to Historian Debbie Cameron for her research into Christina Broom.