David Thorn – Thorn Photographers of Bude

The Thorn photographers were pioneers of the art in Bude. They took the first ever photographs of the area from Tintagel to Clovelly, making an enormous contribution to Cornish history. Harry Thorn was the first photographer in Bude, in the 1850s. He started a career in photography from very little and became       accomplished at the new art. He was a true pioneer for Bude in a field with many hazards, particularly the chemicals used, which probably lead to his early demise, at the age of 38, in 1876. In the 1860s he was joined by his sister Sarah, brother Samuel Jnr, later his niece Nellie and Jake Harrison, who carried on the business after his death until 1932. See the earliest images of the area as it actually was. A recent book about their work is being reprinted and expected to be available soon. David will be interviewed by Chris Pringle of Spencer Thorn Bookshop.