Born in Cellan, Ceredigion in 1838, John Thomas was the son of labourer David Thomas and his wife Jane. Following his education in Cellan, first as a pupil and then a pupil-teacher, Thomas began an apprenticeship at a tailor shop in Lampeter. In 1853 he moved to Liverpool to work in a draper but was forced to leave after ten years to find work in the open air due to ill health. It was due to this that he began work as a traveller for a firm dealing in writing materials and photographs of famous people. Small photographs of celebrities, known as ‘carte-de-visite’ photographs, were extremely popular at that time and made for a very lucrative business.
But, during his travels, John Thomas noticed that there was a lack of photographs of Welsh celebrities. This was inspiration enough for a new business and so, having learnt the rudiments of photography, he began taking photographs of famous Welsh people. He began by asking well-known preachers to sit for their portraits.
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CYFYNG WATER OVERFLOW AND OUTLET, YSTALYFERA RCAHMW
SAUNDERSFOOT RAILWAY (THOMAS CHAPEL SECTION) RCAHMW
GWASTOD;DOL-WERDD RCAHMW
LLANFIHANGEL COURT, STABLES RCAHMW
PLAS-YN-Y-PENTRE BRIDGE, LLANGOLLEN CANAL RCAHMW
TROED-Y-RHIW, QUARRY II RCAHMW
GRAIGOLA (NORTHERN) COLLIERIES RAILWAY, TREBANOS RCAHMW
Western Hall and Chapel, Lamphey harvyd
The Gloriette, Portmeirion, 1969 RCAHMW
FRONGOCH FACH;FRON-GOCH FACH RCAHMW
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