Portret van Thomas Carlyle

1860

Moves to Freshwater: “Dimbola”

After an extended visit to Tennyson at Freshwater on the Isle of Wight, Cameron bought the house next door and named it “Dimbola” after one of the family's coffee plantations in Ceylon. A private gate joined the two properties, and the families entertained famous guests with music, poetry readings and amateur plays; Cameron lived there until 1875.

c. 1863

A camera from her daughter

For Christmas her daughter and son-in-law gave the 48-year-old Cameron a camera, to amuse her in her solitude at Freshwater while her husband was in Ceylon; a hen-house became her studio and the coal-house her darkroom. She took a lesson from the photographer David Wilkie Wynfield, to whom, she said, she owed “all my attempts and indeed consequently all my success”.

1865

The South Kensington Museum buys 80 photographs

In August 1865 the South Kensington Museum (now the Victoria and Albert Museum) bought 80 of her photographs.

November 1865

First solo exhibition

In November 1865 Cameron held her first solo exhibition; her work was shown throughout Europe.

1875

Leaves for Ceylon

Because of her husband's ill-health, the lower cost of living and to be near their sons, who were managing the family coffee plantations, the Camerons left Freshwater for Ceylon — taking a cow, her photographic equipment and two coffins in case such items could not be found in the East. The plan was kept secret even from their closest relatives.

26 January 1879

Death in Ceylon

Cameron died at the Glencairn estate in Ceylon. Her last word is often reported to have been “Beauty” or “Beautiful”.