Maitland : 1903-1910
The 1903 municipal roll lists Thomas Worrall as having a photographic gallery in High Street, with advertising in the Maitland Mercury appearing in December of 1905, where ‘Worrall’s photography has all sizes of photographs and enlargements being turned out in large quantities’. The location is opposite the Bank of New South Wales. [1]
Worrall’s stamp on the reverse of his photographs identifies him as a Portrait Painter and Instantaneous Photographer, Miniature Photo Co., West Maitland. Worrall’s ‘Miniature Photo Co.’ produced images that were 6.5 cm x 4.0 cm, mounted on card 10.5 cm x 6.5 cm.
Images : Maitland City Library
Worrall remains in business with postcards depicting the laying down of a foundation stone at Largs available in April 1910, however by September, tenders are being called for the sale of the business as a going concern, with photographic and fancy goods. [2] A few days later, a notice in the Maitland Mercury states that the assigned estate of T. H Worrall was being sold at an unreserved clearing-out sale with all of the stock-in-trade of a photographer. [3] Not a remarkable photographic career in Maitland, but a railway station postcard and a number of his petite portraits have survived.
[1] Maitland Mercury, 18 December 1905
[2] Maitland Mercury, 7 September 1910
[3] Maitland Mercury, 9 September 1910