The photographs of Stanley Kent

St Albans 1895 – 1920

Edward Stanley Kent, always known as Stanley, was an amateur photographer and local historian who lived on Holywell Hill. He produced a series of very fine photographic images of St Albans between c1895 and 1920, showing a very different world from the one we know today.

The Kent family became brewers. On the death of Thomas Kent, Stanley's father, his Holywell brewery was left to his two eldest sons, Reginald and Stanley. It merged with the St.Albans Brewery, in Chequer Street in 1918 and the brothers became directors of the amalgamated firm.

Stanley was encouraged by his grandfather, Thomas Weedon Kent, to collect old prints and to photograph St Albans. Thomas Weedon Kent lived until he was 94, and gave Stanley a lot of information about early nineteenth century St.Albans. This formed the foundation of a talk which Stanley was to give to SAHAAS in 1929. This was subsequently publsihed in the Society's Transactions for 1929. Our library has a copy of this or it is available on this website. Stanley Kent died, as far as we can establish, in 1959, although different dates are given in various sources.

There are 78 photographs on this page and we hope to add a few more.
There is a list of the 78 serial numbers (ESK...) and captions here.

How to buy copies.

Scroll down this page, click on a picture to enlarge it, then browse backwards and forwards.

Photo:Abbey Cloisters, 17th cent bracket
Photo:Abbey Cloisters, 17th cent bracket
Photo:Abbey Cloisters, 17th cent bracket
Photo:Chequer Street, c1900.<BR />The "Duke of St Albans" and the adjoining houses (Nos 23,21,1 &17) were demolished in 1912.<br />The "Potter's Arms" (the gabled house on the extreme left) and the adjoining house were demolished in 1925.
Photo:Chequer Street, Alley leading to Market Place, c1900. Demolished 1925.
Photo:Chequer Street, Half Moon Yard, 1899
Photo:Chequer Street, Sovereign Alley, 1900
Photo:Chequer Street, Sovereign Alley. Showing corner of old police station demolished 1930.
Photo:Chequer Street
Photo:College Street: Collegium Insanorum, 1909. Demolished 1910 when a late Tudor fireplace and wall painting were found
Photo:Dagnall Street, 1907. [Lower Dagnall Street]
Photo:Upper Dagnall Street, 1907.
Photo:Fishpool Street, lower end
Photo:Fishpool Street, looking towards Abbey
Photo:Fishpool Street
Photo:Fishpool Street, back of "The Crow"
Photo:Fishpool Street, lower end
Photo:Fishpool Street, "The Crow"
Photo:Fishpool Street, lower end
Photo:Fishpool Street, Godmersham House and the "Crow" gateway.
Photo:Fishpool Street, c1910
Photo:Fishpool Street, a doorway
Photo:Fishpool Street, back of "The Queen", 1910. Closed in 1910
Photo:French Row, "The Christopher"
Photo:French Row, backs of "The Christopher","The Dog" etc, 1900
Photo:French Row, 17th cent bracket in Christopher Yard
Photo:George Street, late 15th cent house
Photo:George Street, 1909
Photo:George Street and the top of Verulam Road, 1909. This corner of Verulam Road was built upon in 1928.
Photo:George Street, looking towards the Clock Tower
Photo:George Street, back of the George Inn, 1910. The carving was removed in 1918
Photo:George Street, 1909
Photo:Hatfield Road, Marlborough Buildings, 1909
Photo:High Street, 1907. The "Little Red Lion" was demolished 1911.
Photo:High Street, 1906
Photo:High Street, at the back of Dorell's, c1906
Photo:Holywell Hill, backs of old houses from the Old Rectory, 1898
Photo:Holywell Hill, the old "Peahen", 1898
Photo:Holywell Hill, backs of old houses from Holywell Brewery, 1899
Photo:The "White Heart" [sic] and the "Priory", Holywell Hill. The "Priory", formerly the "Bull", was demolished in 1910 to make room for Ryder's seed store.
Photo:Holywell Hill, 1900
Photo:Holywell Hill, 1900. The plaster was stripped from the front of the "White Heart" [sic] in 1901 to display the timber work.
Photo:Holywell Hill, 1909. Bay windows removed 1926.
Photo:Holywell Hill, 1920
Photo:Holywell Hill, backs of old houses, 1910
Photo:Holywell Hill, 1920
Photo:Holywell Hill, showing the "Priory", formerly the "Bull". Now demolished.
Photo:Holywell Hill, showing some of the old inns.<br />No 42, "The Trumpet", closed 1910.<br />No 48, "The Post Boy", closed 1934.<br />No 50, "The Jolly Maltsters, closed 1934.<br />All are now private houses.
Photo:Holywell Hill, showing the backs of nos. 13, 15, 17 & 19.
Photo:Holywell Hill, back of the "Priory", 1900. "Priory" demolished 1910 for Ryder's seed store.
Photo:Holywell Hill, "White Heart" [sic] yard, 1910
Photo:Holywell Hill, No 5
Photo:Market Place, alley at the back of the old Corn Exchange, 1903. The Market House was demolished 1912.
Photo:Market Place
Photo:Market Place, "The Boot", 1900
Photo:Market Place, 1906
Photo:Market Place, houses south of Town Hall, demolished 1893.
Photo:Market Place, 1900
Photo:St Michael's, Bacon's door, Kingsbury Farm
Photo:St Michael's Street, 1905
Photo:St Michael's, Kingsbury Farm
Photo:St Michael's, the Manor
Photo:St Peter's Street, St Peter's Green, c1905
Photo:St Peter's Street, c1906
Photo:St Peter's Street, c1920
Photo:St Peter's Street, 1904
Photo:St Peter's Street, 1910
Photo:St Peter's Street, No 1, 1909. Altered to shops and offices in 1924. The carved mantlepieces and panelling had previously been sold to America for £1000.
Photo:St Peter's Street, Ivy House, 1934. Altered 1934.
Photo:St Peter's Street, back of Thorne House, c1910. Demolished 1927.
Photo:St Peter's Street, Hall Place, 1903. Demolished c1904.
Photo:St Peter's Street, Hall Place
Photo:St Peter's Street, Hall Place, 1903
Photo:St Peter's Street, c1898
Photo:St Peter's Street, Hall Place. Henry VI's room
Photo:St Peter's Street, Ivy House, 1934
Photo:St Peter's Street, No 1
Photo:St Peter's Street, Hall Place gate, 1910
This gallery was added by Brian Bending on 31/10/2011.

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