Eadweard Muybridge talk at Kingston Museum

 In my last post I hinted about Eadweard Muybridge's dark side, and this time I would like to talk about it.

On Thursday evening, I attended a talk at Kingston Museum by author Rebecca Gowers. Her book, The Scoundel Harry Larkyns and his pitiless killing by the photographer Eadweard Muybridge is one personal to her. While researching the book, she came across information connected to her own family. Harry Larkyns turned out to be her great, great, (great?) uncle!

Birth of Edward James Muggeridge aka Eadweard Muybridge

Muybridge and Larkyns had one thing in common: they both reinvented themselves in a new country, and changed the spelling of their names. Muybridge was born Edward James Muggeridge on 9th April 1830 and baptised on the day he was born in All Saints Church, Kingston, a church I am very familiar with. I did a little research on Ancestry (as I've not yet read the book) and found Muybridge's birth/baptism entry. He died in 1830, aged 74, in Kingston, where he was living with a cousin (source 1901 census). His grave can be found in Woking Crematorium. There is a page about him, his wife and son on Find a Grave. Follow the link for more information. It is said Muybridge changed his name because he believed it to be the original Anglo-Saxon form of his name. Larkyns also changed the spelling of his surname from Larkins to Larkyns. He had a very hard start in life and later was accused of fraud, spending time in prison, but was never found guilty of anything.

In 1850 Muybridge arrived in New York. By 1855, he was in New Orleans, and registered as a bookseller. In 1856 he opened a bookshop in San Francisco. When things didn't work out, he came back to England for a short spell, before returning to San Francisco reinventing himself as a photographer. He married Flora, a girl half his age, who had been married before. She worked as a colour touch artist on photographs. After a couple of miscarriages, a son was born.

A nurse working for the Muybridge's accidentally let it slip to Muybridge that Flora had been having an affair with Harry Larkyns and the baby, now six months old, might be Larkyns. Two days later, Muybridge set off to find Larkyns, who was a journalist. He took with him a rifle. Muybridge shot Larkyns in cold blood. He could not plead not guilty as there were witnesses.

Muybridge had the backing of wealthy business people, and Larkyns' character was called into question. They said he lied about his past (untrue), and the jury (all men) seemed to think that Larkyns got what he deserved. The trial lasted a very short time (I think about three days) and the verdict was illegal, as they pronounced him not guilty.

After the trail, a relieved Muybridge said he would look after Flora and the son he claimed was his, but this did not happen. Muybridge took himself off into another part of America, and Flora eventually became ill and died. Muybridge put 'his' son in an orphanage and left him nothing on his death back in England. I can confirm this as I found details of the Probate.

As it happens, Kingston Museum was already being built in 1903, and Muybridge, who wanted to make a name for himself, left his cameras, photos and other photographic items to the museum.

The talk was fascinating, and what I have written is just the basic story as I remember it being told. What the author asked was, knowing the kind of man Muybridge was, does that take away from his photography? I think not. Muybridge was certainly talented and I've learned of plenty of artists and writers whose personal life was dubious, but it hasn't made me think about their art differently. You can appreciate the work without liking the man/woman. You may have a different view. I learned a lot from this talk, far more than I have mentioned here. If you want to know the rest, you will have to buy the book!

Photos by Eadweard Muybridge at the exhibition. The top left was taken using two glass slides. The exposure for the main part would have been so long that it would have bleached out the sky, so a second glass side was used to photograph the sky and then the two put together.

There is no doubt that Muybridge was a dodgy character. He thought a lot of himself and wanted to be remembered, though for his photography, not the killing of his wife's lover. As a side note, it seems Flora was going to divorce Muybridge and she and Larkyns were planning a new life together once they had enough money. 

Of course I had to buy the book, and it is next on my list to read. Hope this has wetted your appetite!