History of Kilburn and West Hampstead

Recently I was looking at the 1936 OS map of Willesden when I saw the large ‘Camera Works’ in Lichfield Gardens. I did not know what this was until I found an aerial photo, (taken from a different direction), which said it was the Williamson Manufacturing Works. Further research showed the factory was here from 1919 and by 1961 it had moved to nearby 69 Hawthorn Road. The company which has an interesting history, was started by James Williamson who was an early moving picture maker. He was born in 1855 in Scotland and came to London in 1868 when he was apprenticed to a chemist. He practiced as a pharmacist in Eastry, near Sandwich Kent, until 1886 when he moved to Hove. Williamson took up lantern photography as a hobby, and he was introduced to cinematography by friends including William Frise-Greene who lived in Kilburn. Williamson began to experiment with moving pictures about 1896 in his small studio, and by 1898 he had entered the film business. In his early films he frequent...