Thomas Brooker was the brother of Sarah Brooker, my third great-grandmother.

Birth

Thomas was born on February 11, 1812, to parents William and Sarah. He was baptized on March 8, 1812, at Christ Church in Southwark, Surrey, England.

Occupation

Thomas was a copper plate engraver. He apprenticed with James Lahee, “significant as one of the first specialist copper plate printer for artists to be recognised in the publication line on the print itself. Lahee was described as ‘in the mezzotint department of his art the acknowledged facile princeps‘ by T.F. Dibdin in 1836 who also characterised him as ‘among the most punctual men of business’ (Thomas Frognall Dibdin, Reminiscences of a literary life, vol.2, 1836, p.619, accessed through Google Book Search).” (Source: National Portrait Gallery)

Thomas subsequently entered into partnership with Lahee. In 1840 this partnership, as copper and steel plate printers at 29 and 30 Castle St East, was dissolved (London Gazette 2 October 1840), with Brooker continuing the business.

“Mr. Brooker was the first copperplate printer to substitute gas for the troublesome and somewhat expensive charcoal stove, and it is to Mr. Brooker also that copperplate printers are indebted for the use of whiting for the lessening of their labour.” (Bartolozzi and His Works, Andrew W. Tuer, New York: Scribner & Welford, 1882, page 97)

“Mr. T. Brooker’s business dates back to the latter part of the last century. It was established in Clerkenwell, by Mr. Ebsworth, a celebrated copper-plate colour printer, who managed during the political troubles of 1801, when the Habeas Corpus Act was suspended, to get himself incarcerated in Coldbath Fields prison. During his enforced absence, his business was managed by his apprentice James Lahee, who succeeded to it on his employer’s retirement. Later on, Lahee built a large factory in Castle Street, Oxford Street, and was employed by Turner, who was in the habit of personally superintending the work, to print the “Liber Studiorum.”” (Tuer, page 101)

“…Thomas Brooker, having served the usual apprenticeship of seven years to James Lahee, became a partner, and eventually his successor ; continuing the business as before in Castle Street, until larger premises became a necessity ; and the present range of buildings in Margaret Street, Cavendish Square, were erected by him.” (Tuer, page 101)

We find Thomas Brooker’s business located at 78 Margaret St Cavendish Square in 1858. (Source: Correspondence of William Henry Fox Talbot)

“…Mr. Brooker has given considerable attention to the artistic printing of etchings, in connexion with which he enjoys a merited reputation.” (Tuer, page 102)

Thomas Brooker lent his expertise to William Henry Fox Talbot (1800-1877) during his development of photoglyphic engraving, which is the forerunner of what we today know as photogravure. The photogravure process involves the printing of a photographic image onto paper with ink using a plate onto which the image has been etched.

“The primary problem with reproducing a photograph as a printed image was the reliable reproduction of the intermediate tonal areas on the plate (known as halftones). In order to overcome the technical issues Talbot initially sought advice from master-engraver George Barclay (b. 1802) and in later years received advice from Thomas Brooker (1813-1885) and William Banks (b. 1809).” (Source: Untold Lives Blog, British Library)

Thomas was mentioned in a letter by William Henry Fox Talbot dated 1866. (Source: Correspondence of William Henry Fox Talbot)

Gallery of Works Printed by Thomas Brooker

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