In 1869 William Butcher began practicing as a registered pharmacist in his firm of Wm Butcher & Co wholesale homoeopathic chemists of Blackheath, England.

In 1889, William Buther Sr. and his son William Fredrick established a small camera
factory, and were pioneers in the wholesaling of photographic apparatus and materials amongst retail chemists.

In 1899, W. Butcher & Son, are London agents for Mr. McKellan's Cathedral hand camera.

1902 W. Butcher and Son became W. Butcher and Sons.

By 1903, the photographic and pharmaceutical aspects of the business were separated, and a private limited company formed with premises at Camera House, Farringdon Avenue, E.C.

On, Dec 21, 1903 Wm. Butcher Sr. died

1913 The firm's name was changed to W. Butcher and Sons Ltd., to include another son working in the business.

In 1915, with six of the principal photographic firms in London, he assisted in forming the British Photographic Industries, Ltd., employing over 3,000 people. Wm. F. Butcher was Vice-
Chairman of this Company. The company called the Houghton-Butcher Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

In 1926 the two principal companies, Houghton and Butcher�s, were merged into Ensign, Ltd., at Holborn.

On January 12th, 1936 Wm. F. Butcher died. (born 1866)



CLICK HERE for a Listing of Butcher & Sons Cameras

Ref:
The Photographic dealer, March 1903
Journal of the Chemical Society 1936; Obituary Notices, William Fredrick Butcher
The British Homoeopathic Review, vol. 48 Feb, 1, 1904

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