The Life of Archie Handford

(1888-1979)

Archie Handford (1888 - 1979) was a photographer who founded the photographic business Archie Handford Ltd., (later known as Chorley & Handford Ltd.), which was based firstly in Muswell Hill and relocated to the Croydon area sometime in the 1920s. As Chorley & Handford Ltd., the business was renowned for its commercial aerial photography services.

Archibald George Handford was born on 23rd July 1888 in Hampstead, London, the son of Leonard Bowes Handford (1856 - 1909), a clerk, and Sarah Elizabeth Handford (nee Deveson) (1855 - 1929), both of whom came from Baptist families. The family initially lived with Sarah's parents at 42 Iverson Road, West Hampstead. However Archibald's parents marriage was difficult, and in May 1889 Sarah began divorce proceedings against her husband. Leonard moved into nearby lodgings in the same street, falling into a deep depression and wanting reconciliation with Sarah, but was unable to do so. After he tried unsuccessfully to visit Archibald for his first birthday, matters took a more serious turn. On 28th July 1889 Sarah and her parents were walking home from church in Kilburn when Leonard approached and shot Sarah and her mother using a small bore revolver, before shooting himself in the head. However, Sarah and her mother and Leonard all survived. Sarah and her mother were wounded but did not require hospital treatment. Leonard was seriously injured and taken to St Mary's Hospital in Paddington.

At the first Magistrate's hearing of the case in August 1889 Leonard blamed his actions as being partly caused by the treatment of him by Sarah's parents when he moved in to live with them and Sarah at their home. Sarah in turn blamed Leonard's apparent drinking habits for the way the situation had developed. At Leonard's trial at the Old Bailey, which began on 16th September 1889, he was found guilty, but the jury recommended mercy on grounds of his health, and he was sentenced to 14 years in prison on the Isle of Portland.

By all accounts he continued to profess affection for Sarah even after he was eventually released, and left her £266 in his will (worth about £22,000 today).

Archibald continued to live with his mother and grandparents at Iverson Road, and was eventually sent to boarding school in Bishop's Stortford, Essex. By 1911 he had taken up work in the newly emerging field of commercial photography, and in April 1914 he married his wife Dorothy Gladys Handford (nee Burr) in Croydon. However the couple initially lived in Muswell Hill, where he set up the photographic business Archie Handford Ltd., who among other things produced commercially sold postcards.

Museum of Croydon Collection
Yashica - A; was introduced and became popular in the 1950’s. Still used today for the vintage effect,

Archibald served in World War One, being drafted into the Royal Naval Air Service in June 1917, and is listed in the naval registers for that year as serving on the President II and the Daedalus. Later on he was transferred to the RAF and served in 234 Squadron, based at Tresco on the Scilly Isles, which conducted anti-submarine patrols using flying-boats. After the cessation of hostilities Archibald was transferred to the RAF Reserve in April 1919 and discharged a year later. During World War Two, Archibald was in the ARP and was the Sector Captain for Sector 510 which covered Coulsdon and Purley, specifically District 5 which covered Woodcote.

Back in civilian life, Archibald returned to his photographic business and relocated it to Croydon. The Handfords moved to the Purley after World War One in the early 20’s, first to 21 Old Lodge Lane and finally to 27 Plough Lane, where they would live for the remainder of their lives.

Musuem of Croydon Collection

Dry Plates; Glass plates coated with a gelatin emulsion of silver bromide. It can be stored until exposure, and after exposure it can be brought back to a darkroom for development

Archie Handford Ltd. was renamed as Chorley & Handford Ltd., possibly in the 1950s. In 1967 it took over the Bedford Lemere photographic business, which itself had relocated from Westminster to Croydon in 1946. Chorley & Handford specialised in commercial aerial photography. The focus on this line of business was enabled by Tom Samson (1921 – 2013). Tom had been a trainee with Archie Handford Ltd. in 1937, and had volunteered for the RAF during World War Two. He returned to the business in 1946 and concentrated on its commercial aspects. During the war, he had spent time testing the principal air cameras used for reconnaissance purposes, and had also gained a specialist knowledge of civil flying legislation. His knowledge and skills in these areas subsequently led to Chorley & Handford being able to offer a personalised professional service of aerial photography, covering building developments, town centres, urban landscapes and regeneration, and major construction projects (among other subjects), which would eventually account for over a quarter of the business's turnover.

Archibald was involved with photography not only in a professional sense but also as an enthusiast, being a member of the Croydon Camera Club. His scrap book of notes and cuttings relating to various photographic techniques and processes is currently held in de Montfort University's Special Collections archive.

Archibald died on 17th November 1979, in Croydon, aged 91 years.

Chorley & Handford Ltd. was sold in 1988 to Realistic who ran a photographic studio in Wallington. Companies House records indicate that the business was officially registered as Archie Handford Ltd until 2001, when it was renamed Realistic Photo Graphics Limited. The Chorley Handford / Realistic archive of aerial photographs was acquired in December 2009 by Skyscan who are currently digitising the collection and putting it online for users to search through.

Sam Davenport
Visitor Service Volunteer
Museum of Croydon



Sources
Dick Weindling and Marianne Colloms for West Hampstead Life
Scrap book of Archie Handford - De Montfort University Lesiter Archive Catalogue
No. 234 Squadron RAF - Wikipedia
National Cold War Exhibition - Royal Air Force Museum
British Institute of Professional Photography