Edwin Dockree

Edwin Dockree
Born	1860-05-24 Islington, London, England
Died	1942
Occupation(s)	Photographer, Banker
Known for	Architectural photography of English buildings and landscapes

Edwin Dockree (1860–1942) was a British photographer who specialized in capturing English architectural subjects, including both ecclesiastical and secular structures, as well as villages and natural scenery.

Biography

Dockree was born on 24 May 1860 in Islington, London, as the firstborn child of the distinguished landscape painter Mark Edwin Dockree (1834–1904) and Ann Elizabeth Blagg (1835–1914). His father’s paintings are recognized in auction circles and are part of the collections at the Royal Academy of Arts.

Although he initially embarked on a career in banking, eventually becoming a bank manager, Dockree married Martha Dorothy Whitaker in 1887. Their son, Eric Percy Dockree, was born three years later in 1890.

Alongside his professional banking responsibilities, Dockree cultivated a passion for photography, with his work gaining recognition through archival preservation and published material.

Photographic legacy

In 1887, Dockree became a member of the Royal Photographic Society, where he frequently showcased his photographs at their yearly exhibitions.

Historic England safeguards a collection of 145 glass plate negatives created by Dockree between approximately 1900 and 1940. These photographs document a diverse array of English architectural forms—such as churches, cathedrals, residences, villages, and castles—as well as landscapes. This archive has been digitized and is available for public viewing on Historic England’s online platform.

Moreover, several images attributed to Dockree are held within the Conway Library at the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London.

Bibliography

Photographs by Dockree are included in A E Richardson's work Monumental Classical Architecture of Great Britain and Ireland during the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries. The Journal of the Royal Institute of British Architects (Vol. XXI, 1913–1914) acknowledges Edwin Dockree for providing a series of architectural photographic illustrations accompanying Richardson’s publication.