Fred Little

Fred Little was not only a keen photographer but also had a passion for old architecture. More than a few of his photographs of The Black Castle, Brislington were published by this brother and business partner (Little & Barber) as part of their trade in antiques. Many appeared simply under his own name too, as Fred Little was also a prolific publisher of postcards of Bristol.

Frederick George Little was born in 1874, and the 1881 Census shows him living with his family at Castle Green, St Peter's, Bristol. His father, also Frederick, was aged 42 and working as a School Board Officer, and was born at Bath, Somerset. His mother Mary, aged 43, was born in Bristol. Fred, who was attending school, had three elder siblings living at home, all sisters, with the eldest being 21 years old. He also had one younger, a brother, Arthur (who would play a part in Brislington's postcard history as half of the business partnership Little & Barber).

The 1891 Census shows the family living in Narrow Wine Street, still in St Peter's. None of Arthur's sisters were at home; his father had the same employment, and his mother was now said to have been born in Birmingham. A decade later the 1901 Census shows Fred as self-employed as a photographer working from the family home (still at 18 Narrow Wine Street). His mother was now widowed, and Arthur completed the household.

In the final quarter of 1902 the marriage of Fred Little and Florence Kate Sims was registered in Bristol. She had been baptised in the spring of 1881 at Clandown, Somerset, the child of Harriett and Henry Sims. Her father worked as a carter, both then and also around a month later when the Census records the family as living in the parish of Midsomer Norton. Her father was aged 27 and born at Radstock, her mother was 24 and born at Clandown, and Florence had an elder brother aged 2.

The 1891 Census records Florence as Kate, and her father now worked as a coal miner. The family lived on Frome Hill and had grown to include five younger siblings. In 1901 the Census shows Kate Sims working as a servant for a family in Old Market Street in the parish of St Philip & Jacob, Bristol. The family consisted of parents with adult two children (the father worked as the manager of a coffee house), four servants (including Kate), and four visitors.

In the spring of 1904 Fred and Florence's first child was baptised at the parish church of St Peter; the family lived in Castle Mill Street, Bristol, and Fred worked as a photographer. In the spring of 1908 their second child was born and was baptised in the autumn at the same church; the family now lived in Merchant Street, and Fred still worked as a photographer.

In the 1911 Census Fred's occupation was described as photographer and dealer in antiques, and was an employer. Florence assisted in the business. Both of their children were still living, and the family still lived in Merchant Street. The 1914 edition of Kelly's Directory of Bristol lists Fred as a commercial photographer at Castle Mill Street, Bristol. In 1917 another child was born in February and baptised the following month in the parish of St James, Bristol; the family lived at Alfred Place, Kingsdown, Bristol, and Fred still worked as a photographer.

Sadly, Florence, died in Feb 1933 while living at Failand, Somerset, leaving £800.

In the last quarter of 1933 the marriage of widower Fred and Mabel Sims (born in 1890) was registered at Long Ashton, Somerset. The 1939 register shows them living at Long Ashton (actually the same address that Florence's probate describes as being in Failand), his occupation was given as retired photographer, and hers as unpaid domestic duties.

Sadly, in Feb 1953, Fred Little died while living at North Road, St Andrew's Park, Bristol. He left an estate worth more than £5,500. In 1968 his widow Mabel died while living at the same address, leaving an estate worth more than £4,500.


His Brislington postcards

Some notes

Few of the sampled postcards were sent through the postal system, but one has a clear postmark for Nov 1912 and refers to the subterranean passage under what is now the A4 Bath Road which, it says was demolished in 1911 (so this was commemorating a recent event).

Ken Taylor