Autograph Letter

1864–1875

Eleven years of photography

Cameron's career as a photographer lasted from 1864 to 1875: in that time she made more than 900 photographs, portraying great Victorians — Darwin, Tennyson, Browning, Longfellow, Herschel, Watts, Trollope, Carlyle and the actress Ellen Terry. The Virgin Mary in her religious scenes was most often played by her housekeeper, Mary Hillier.

first half of the 1870s

Writes “Annals of My Glass House”

In the years of her mature work, crowned by the Idylls of the King, Cameron wrote her autobiography, “Annals of My Glass House”, which remained unfinished.

October 1873

Death of her daughter

In October 1873 Cameron's daughter died in childbirth.

1874–1875

Publishes her own “Idylls of the King”

Unhappy that the small size of her images in Tennyson's edition diminished their significance, Cameron issued, apparently at her own expense, a deluxe edition with twelve full-size photographs, her last large-scale project. Only three of her photographs appeared in Tennyson's book, and her separate album was a commercial failure.

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.

1875–1879

Last photographs, in Ceylon

In Ceylon Cameron took few photographs, mostly of Tamil servants and workers; fewer than 30 images survive from this period. The heat made collodion hard to work with, and there was little fresh water for washing prints.