After family quarrels and Herbert’s death the business eventually passed into Alexander’s son James’s hands. James took the business seriously after having worked as a junior to his father for over a decade. He often complained that his father spent more time yapping about archaeology than worrying about the business and he was keen to make his mark.
He was a craftsman who was known to stand for no artistic nonsense. His contribution to the family archive has always been understated but, he was, in fact, the most qualified of all the photographers. He was an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society and won various medals and awards through his lifetime. He was an adventurous photojournalist as well as a jobbing photographer.
Picture caption: James Gibson