Central Gallery of Mississippi

Photographer: Central Gallery
405 23rd Ave, Meridian, MS

Keep in mind that 403 and 405 23rd addesses may not be different locations at all but merely a re-numbering of the same building, brought about by new construction in that block of the city.

Also it looks very much like the 405 addess may have preceeded the 403 address.

403-405 23rd today

In the Cabinet Card era, say 1865 to about 1920, there are only nine city directories available for Meridian, Mississippi. In 1899, 1904, 1908, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1915, 1918 and 1921 there was NO photograph Gallery listed for 405 23rd av. For all of those years there was a photographer listed in the 400 or 500 block of 23rd. Sometimes there was more than one. Several years there was a photographer at 403 ½ 23 but it was not listed as “Central Gallery.”

Meridian Mississippi
CITY DIRECTORY LISTINGS FOR PHOTOGRAPHER

1888 (Incl in 1899 issue, pg 101)
Barnes, A S, 2319, 4th St
Berry, Miss Ella, 2316 ½ 2nd St
Brookshire Matthews & Co, 405 23rd Av

1899 (pg 205)
Brookshire Matthews & Co, 403 23rd Av
Clark J B, 2315 4th
Lewis W P, 517 34th Av
Thompson, J Mrs, 2208 ½ 5th

1901
Brookshire and Thames 403 23rd Av
Elite Studio, 2315 4th
Thompson’s Studio 2210 5th

1904
Clark’s Studio, 2313 ½ 4th
Phelps, J P, 2210 ½ 5th
Thames, B C, 403 23rd av

1908
Clark’s Studio, 601 23rd av
Clark C F, 1108 4th
Phelps, J P, 2210 ½ 5th
Southworth T, 501 ½ 23rd
Thames & Brookshire, 403 ½ 23rd av

1910
Clark’s Studio, 5th st & 23 av
Phelps, J P, 2210 ½ 5th st
Thames, B C, 403 ½ 23rd

1911
Clark, J B, 501 23rd av
Hammond-Cockrell Studio, 2205 ½ 5th
Thames Studio, Brookshire bldg
Phelps Studio, 2210 ½ - 2212 ½ 5th

1913
Blanks, Edward, 2410 5th
Clark, J B, 501 ½ 23 av
Elite Studio, 2205 ½ 5th
Hammond Cockrell Studio, 2210 ½ 5th
Thames Studio, Brookshire bldg.

1915
Clark J B, 501 ½ 23rd av
Hammond Studio, 2210 ½ 5th
Rayner Studio, 403 ½ 23rd av
Stokes Studio, 2205 ½ 5th

1918
Clark J B, 403 ½ 23rd av
Hammond Studio, 2210 ½ 5th
Stokes Studio, 403 ½ 23rd av

1921
Clark, John B, 403 ½ 23rd av
Hammond, J A, 710 23rd av
Stokes, W E, 404 23rd av
Van Dyke Studio, 208 Arky bldg.

1923
Clark J B, 403 ½ 23rd av
Hammond Studio, 710 23rd, av
Lattanner, E M, 403 ½ 23rd, av
Lindsay, C L, 2505 5th
Stokes, W E, 404 23rd av

There are more beyond this but they would be well past the cabinet card era.

Following William Carroll Brookshire and James T Matthews turned up a few more records.

William Carroll Brookshire
(1830-1910)

1830 Nov 15
Pickens, Al, state records. US census, W C Brookshire is born to Thomas F Brookshire and Matilda Giles
1850
Lowndes, MS, US census Brookshire as Planter
1866 Jan
Mississippi, tax list, Brookshire as photographer
1867 Jul 02
Sumner AL, state records, W C Brookshire marriage to Mary C “Mollie” Crane
1870 Jul 18
Meridian, MS, US census Brookshire as photographer
1880 Jun 07
Meridian, MS, US census Brookshire as photographer
1888(incl in 1899 issue)
Meridian, MS, city directgory, Brookshire and Mathews as photographers at 405 23rd 1899
Meridian, MS, city directory W C Brookshire as photographer with Brookshire and Mathews at 403 23rd av
1900, 1902, 1903, 1905-1907, 1909
Meridian MS, city directory not available; 1899 is the earliest
1900 Jun 04
Meridian, MS, US census Brookshire as photographer
1901
Meridian, MS, city directory Brookshire as photographer with Brookshire and Thames at 403 23rd
1904
Meridian, MS, city directory Wm C Brookshire listed with no occupation shown; Central Gallery NOT listed
1908
Meridian, MS, city directory Brookshire no occupation shown
1910 Apr 23
Meridian, MS city directory, US census, Brookshire no occupation shown
1910 Sep 24
Meridian, MS, state records, William Carroll Brookshire dies at age 79

The only record found for Brookshire and Matthews together was in the 1899 Meridian, MS, city directory.

Matthews is listed only in that year at a rural address. He is listed in the city directory probably only because of his business association in the city. Brookshire continued on as photographer in Meridian, MS, but Matthews disappears.
1899
Meridian, MS, city directory W C Brookshire as photographer with Brookshire and Matthews at 403 23rd av
1899
Meridian, MS, city directory, James T Matthews as photographer with Brookshire and Matthews; res 1 Mile ne of city

And the listing still does not match the address on the cabinet card example here. Is the 405 address on the cabinet card a miss-print? Perhaps so. No other card found so far, from this partnership bears that address.

More likely it was a re-numbering by the city to accomodate new construction on the block.

It’s a good bet that the cabinet card featured here was done in 1899 or very near that year.

There were several examples found showing Brookshire and Matthews in the imprint. Note that NONE of them are exactly like the card at the top of the page. ALL of them list 403 23rd as the studio address not 405 Twenty-third. Some cards call the business “Central Gallery” while others call it “Central Art Gallery”.

So Brookshire and Matthews were together long enough to change their imprint at least four times.

photographer: Central Art Gallery
Brookshire, Matthews and Co
403 23rd Avenue, Meridian, Miss
example from BasseT Branches

photographer: Central Gallery
Brookshire, Matthews and Co
403 23 Avenue, Meridian, Miss
example from Geni.com

photographer: Central Art Gallery
Brookshire, Matthews and Co
403 23rd Avenue, Meridian, Miss

photographer: Central Art Gallery
Brookshire, Matthews and Co
403 23rd Avenue, Meridian, Miss

photographer: Central Gallery
405 23rd Avenue, Meridian, Miss
example from pinterest

photographer: Central Gallery
Brookshire, Matthews and Co
403 23 Avenue, Meridian, Miss

photographer: Central Gallery
Brookshire, Matthews and Co
403 23 Avenue, Meridian, Miss
example from auction site

photographer: Central Gallery
Brookshire, Matthews and Co
403 23 Avenue, Meridian, Miss
example from auction site

Following are examples contributed by S Pearson

photographer: Brookshire and Matthews
No. 12 Commerce Street, Merridian, MS
From contributor S Pearson

The card at the left is unique in that it shows the partnership of Brookshire and Matthews at No. 12 Commerce Street, before they were located at 403 or 405 23rd Street as the "Central Gallery"

The card at the right is imprinted with the 403 23rd Av address which is believed to be after they were located at 405, early on in their partnership.

photographer: Brookshire, Matthews and Company
403 23rd Av, Meridian, MS
example from S Pearson

photographer: Central Gallery
405 23rd Av, Merridian, MS
From contributor S Pearson

photographer: Central Gallery
405 23rd Av, Merridian, MS
From contributor S Pearson

photographer: Central Gallery
405 23rd Av, Merridian, MS
From contributor S Pearson

photographer: Central Gallery
405 23rd Av, Merridian, MS
From contributor S Pearson

photographer: Central Gallery
405 23rd Av, Merridian, MS
From contributor S Pearson

photographer: Central Gallery
405 23rd Av, Merridian, MS
From contributor S Pearson

photographer: Central Gallery
405 23rd Av, Merridian, MS
From contributor S Pearson

Note that the number “405” is a bit dimmer than the rest of the imprint in some of these seven examples. This could mean that it was a later addition to an original printing plate. Perhaps it was amended after the address number was changed from “403” to “405”.

Perhaps the four head-and-shoulders portraits above might even have been done the same day.

Following are examples are by Ella Berry, not known to be associated with the Central Gallery but a contemporary photographer

In the same album as the above examples from Brookshire and the Central Gallery, there are two standing portraits done by Ella Berry of Meridian, MS. Since this photographer is not listed in any of the available Meridian city directories, except 1899, it could be assumed that the two cards were made 1899 or before. It is doubtful they were done after 1921 as the cabinet card format was almost extinct by then. (See listings at top of this page.)

Note the backdrops are the same in both photographs but, the aging discolorations of the cards are different. They were probably NOT done at the same time. They could be weeks, even years apart.

The photographer’s imprints at the bottom of the cards are different designs. The imprint apparatus would be an expense and only the busiest photographer would need more than one at a time.

As an additional note, cabinet card mounts were imprinted as needed, not ahead of time as one might assume. In many cases, the front of the card was imprinted even after the photo had been mounted. (The reverse designs, if any, were usually done ahead at a print shop.)

Ella Berry was also among a rare collection of women photographers. There were thousands of photographers in the cabinet card era. Relatively few of them were women. So far, no trace of her has been found in available documents.

At the same time in Mississippi, there was a soap maker brand named "Miss Ella Berry" based in New Orleans.

Or was it the same person? We don't know because of the lack of city directories.

Eutaw (AL) Whig and Observer - 10 May 1888

Eutaw (AL) Whig and Observer - 10 May 1888

Meridian, MS, 1899 City Directory listing,
business section

Meridian, MS, 1899 City Directory listing,
residential section

Biloxi (MS) Daily Herald - 26 Jan 1899

But probably not the same Ella Berry.

photographer: Ellen Berry
Meridian, MS
example from S Pearson

photographer: Miss Ellen Berry
Meridian, MS
example from S Pearson

At the right is an interesting detail. Another photograph from Miss Ella Berry was found elsewhere, but this card has something in common with the two at the left. It is the same backdrop, just a little further to the left.

photographer: Miss Ella Berry
Meridian, MS
example from auction site

Additional examples of photographers from Meridian, MS, contributed by S Pearson
Since so little information has been found about the photographers in Meridian, MS, the following are examples from the same album are added here to perhaps help make connections to the Central Gallery photographs.
(These photographers are NOT part of the LOST GALLERY or Cabinet Card Photographers collections. )

photographer: A S Barnes
Meridian, MS
example from contributor S Pearson

reverse of card at left

photographer: A S Barnes
2319 Fourth St, Meridian, MS
example from contributor S Pearson

From the owner, S Pearson: "Photographs by A.S. Barns, who was murdered by one of his employees on September 25, 1896. So I think those are very good odds that the pictures were taken before he was murdered."

Jackson, MS, Clarion Ledger - 25 Sep 1896

photographer: A S Barnes
2319 Fourth St, Meridian, MS
example from contributor S Pearson

reverse of card at left

And last from the S Pearson collection: J T Phelps and W A Sigler.
Since so little information has been found about the photographers in Meridian, MS, the following are examples from the same album are added here to perhaps help make connections to the Central Gallery photographs.
(These photographers are NOT part of the LOST GALLERY or Cabinet Card Photographers collections. )

photographer: J T Phelps
Meridian, MS
example from contributor S Pearson
(Seen in Meridian city directories 1904 thru 1911)

The Phelps example seems an example of later day cabinet cards. Straight, beveled, gilt edge. And possibly not exactly 4.25 X 6.5 inches.

The Sigler card is owner-dated at before 1906.
The gentleman in the photograph died February, 1906.

photographer: W A Sigler
Waynesboro, MS
example from contributor S Pearson

reverse of card above

Just for a little added completeness, here are a couple cabinet cards from the Thompson Studio, mentioned in the city directories as a comtemporary to the Central Gallery.

Photographer: Thompson
Mobile, AL and Meridian MS
example from auction site

Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's INDEX by name.
ONLY Cabinet Card photographers found in
LOST GALLERY
are reviewed here.

This is a work always in progress.

Additional information and new examples are always welcome. Any additional information will help narrow the time that these precious antiques were made.

All submissions should be free of glare and shadows.
Do not crop.
Leave a border around each card. The edges are sometimes an important clue to the age of the card.
Email to the address found in the profile at the bottom of this page.

Some examples on this page have been enhanced or restored for clarity and presentation here.

This page is free for educational and research purposes only, but as always, if the original owner of any of these examples objects to the use on this page, just let me know and they will be immediately removed.