File: /www/sf/sf_postcards/Britton.txt Modified: 3/17/22 Created: 5/16/21 Subject: Britton & Rey notes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [https://art.famsf.org/britton-rey] Britton & Rey Nationality: American Gender: Male Birth Date: 1852 Birth Place: San Francisco, CA Death Date: 1916 The leading lithographic printers in San Francisco during the second half of the 19th century, Britton & Rey published a very large number of views of California, printed both in large format and post cards, as well as commercial work that included maps, stationery and stock certificates. The firm became known as the western Currier & Ives. Joseph Britton (1825-1901) was born in Yorkshire, England, and came to America in 1835 with his family, living in New York City. He had become a lithographer in New York by 1847. In 1849 he traveled to California to seek his fortune in gold mining, but then went to San Francisco where he started a lithography business, probably in 1851, and then joined with C. J. Pollard in 1852 for a brief period. Later in 1852 Britton formed a partnership with the lithographer Jacques Joseph Rey (1820-1892). Rey was born in Bouxwiller, Alsace, France, and apparently was trained in art and lithography. He migrated to California around 1850. In the partnership with Britton, Rey was chiefly the artist who traveled around sketching views and designing prints, although Britton designed views as well. Britton was the chief lithographer who also ran the business side of the firm. Some of their views were probably based on photographs taken by others. In addition, the firm printed lithographs designed by other artists, such as Thomas Almond Ayres (1816-1858), George Holbrook Baker (1824-1906) Frederick August Wenderoth (1819-1884) and Charles Christian Nahl (1818-1878), and printed work designed by other lithographers, such as the firm of Kuchel and Dresel. Designers employed by Britton & Rey included Arthur Frank Mathews (1860-1945), who later became a well-known San Francisco artist and teacher. Rey married Britton’s sister in 1855. A life-long bachelor, Britton lived with the Rey family. The partners had other business interests, including a plumbing and gas-fitting firm formed in 1859, which apparently Rey managed. For a time Britton became associated with other lithographers while Rey worked with a billiard table manufacturer, but by 1967 Rey was back with Britton. They both invested in San Francisco Bay area real estate, and became wealthy. Britton was one of the three original investors in Andres Hallidie’s (1836-1900) first San Francisco cable-car line on Clay Street in 1872, served as a San Francisco City and County Supervisor twice, helped to draft the city’s Charter and was one of the founders of the Mechanics’ Institute Library and Chess Room. After Rey’s death in 1892 and Britton’s retirement, the firm was taken over by Valentine J. A. Rey, J. J. Rey’s son, who ran it at least until the 1906 earthquake and fire. What remained of the Britton & Rey business was sold to another San Francisco printer, A. Carlisle and Company, in 1916. (TNB 4/2016). Selected bibliography: Palmquist, Peter, and Thomas R. Kailbourne. Pioneer Photographers of the Far West: A Biographical Dictionary, 1840-1865. Pp. 124-125 and 454-455. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2000. Peters, Harry Twyford. California on Stone. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc., 1935. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [http://www.metropostcard.com/publishersb2.html] Britton & Rey Lithographers 1852-1915 San Francisco, CA Joseph Britton Had worked as a lithographer in New York since 1847 before heading west during the California gold rush of 1849. Although he was one of the first to arrive he met with little success, and he was forced to fall back on his old profession. He formed a brief partnership with C.J. Pollard, and then with the artist Jacques Joseph Rey in 1852. Rey became the primary artist while Britton was the chief lithographer and managed the company’s affairs. In addition to their chromolithographic prints, maps they would eventually print many regional view-cards around San Francisco, nd many early exposition cards as well. Rey married Britton’s sister and their son Valentine ran the company after Britton’s death in 1901. he firm was purchased by A. Carlysle & Co. in 1915. Though they grew into one of the largest printers and publishers of lithographic products in California, all their records were lost in the earthquake of 1906. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Britton_(lithographer) Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Britton_(lithographer)#/media/File:Joseph_Britton.png Joseph Britton 1825-1901 born England, to NY at 10; in SF from 1852; bachelor, lived with sister and Rey; chief lithographer and business side; also supe and civic leader; Vigilence Committee, Hallidie Clay St. cable car, ... Pollard and Britton, then Britton & Rey Jacques Joseph Rey 1820-1892 married Britton's sister Jane Ann 1855; artist Valentine J.A. Rey son of J.J. Rey; town trustee in Belvedere 1906 per Call Sold in 1916 to A. Carlisle and Co. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bio ref'ed by footnote 1 of Britton Wikipedia page: https://books.google.com/books?id=Nne4L9h27RsC&pg=PA125#v=onepage&q&f=false ------------------------------------------------------------------------ City directories: 1852 Morgan: probably different Britton liquor dealer, no Rey 1854 LeCount/Strong https://archive.org/details/lecountstrongssa1854sanf/page/30/mode/2up Britton & Rey, lithographers, cor Montgomery and Commercial, 3d floor https://archive.org/details/lecountstrongssa1854sanf/page/112/mode/2up Rey J.J. firm of Britton & Rey, lithographers, 134 Montgomery, 3d floor 1858 Langley: https://archive.org/details/sanfranciscodire1858lang/page/74/mode/2up Britton (Joseph) & Rey (J.J.) lithographers, NE cor Montgomery and Commercial, dwl Union bet Taylor and Mason Rey Jacob J. (Britton & R.) dwl SE cor Union and Taylor 1905 Langley https://archive.org/details/crockerlangleysa1905sanf/page/2238/mode/2up Postal card publishers: Britton & Rey / Established 1852 / business office 528 Sacramento / works cor Commercial & Leidesdorff Lithographers p. 2174 same ad https://archive.org/details/crockerlangleysa1905sanf/page/1556/mode/2up Rey V J A (Britton & Rey) 525 Commercial, r Belvedere, Cal 1907 Langley https://archive.org/details/crockerlangleysa1907sanfrich/page/1952/mode/2up Postal Card Publishers: [block ad for Britton & Rey:] Britton & Rey (Established 1852) / Business office 555 Commerical Street / between Montgomery & Sansome / Works 215-231 Bay Street [also listings for Mitchell, Pacific Novelty, Scheff, Weidner] Poster Printers: [same block ad as above] 1912 Langley https://archive.org/details/crockerlangleysa1912sanfrich/page/1416/mode/2up Rey V J A (Britton & Rey) r Belvedere https://archive.org/details/crockerlangleysa1912sanfrich/page/n1957/mode/2up Lithographers Britton & Rey / Established 1852 / 560 - 565 Sacramento St. 1915 Langley https://archive.org/details/crockerlangleysa1915sanfrich/page/350/mode/2up BRITTON & REY LITHOGRAPHERS Inc. Lithographers, bookbinders and printers. Pacific Coast representative Republic Bank Note Co. of Pittsburgh. Office 560-564 Sacramento, works cor Commercial and Leidesdorff. https://archive.org/details/crockerlangleysa1915sanfrich/page/1604/mode/2up REY V J A, pres Britton & Rey lithographers, r Belvedere 1916 Langley https://archive.org/details/crockerlangleysa1916sanfrich/page/348/mode/2up [same content as 1915 above] 1917 Langley: no Britton & Rey listing ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Census: 1860 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBF-9CF6?i=32&cc=1473181&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMDKC-LDB United States Census, 1860 California San Francisco San Francisco 2nd District image 33 of 253 [Rey, wife Jane Ann, 3 small kids; Britton & mother; servant] J J Rey Male 38 White 1822 France 33 22951 [gas fitter; RE 5000 + personal 4000] Jane A Rey Female 30 White 1830 Eng 33 22952 Ann M J Rey Female 3 White 1857 Cala 33 22953 V J A Rey Male 2 White 1858 Cala 33 22954 Vester L Rey Female 0 White Cala 33 22955 Joseph Britton Male 35 White 1825 Eng 33 22956 [lithographer; RE 5000 + personal 4000] Jane Britton Female 65 White 1795 Eng 33 22957 Anna Dorling Female 14 White 1846 Ireland 33 22958 [servant] --- 1870 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DC59-MMG?i=277&cc=1438024&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMN6G-TYN United States Census, 1870 California San Francisco San Francisco, ward 2 image 278 of 300 lines 5-12 [Rey (misentered "Roy", wife as Anna not Jane different birthyear, 4 kids no Vester L., no Britton mother; servant] Jaegrus Roy Male 50 White 1820 France 278 21960 [lithographic artist; 35000 30000; Jacques mistranscribed] Anna Roy Female 47 White 1823 England 278 21960 [keeps house] Marie Roy Female 14 White 1856 California 278 21960 Sylva Roy Female 6 White 1864 California 278 21960 Valentine Roy Male 12 White 1858 California 278 21960 Erminia V Roy Female 0 White 1870 California 278 21960 Joseph Britton Male 45 White 1825 England 278 21960 [lithographic artist; ] Mary Murry Female 45 White 1825 Ireland 278 21960 [domestic servant] --- 1900 https://archive.org/details/lecountstrongssa1854sanf/page/112/mode/2up United States Census, 1900 California San Francisco ED 293 Precinct 11 San Francisco city Ward 44 image of 22 [829 Union St.; Britton, sister (Rey's widow), three nieces, grand-nephew, two servants] Joseph Britton 1900 Male 75 Single White Oct 1825 England 1825 England England Head A 1 004112031 30272 [lithographer] Jane Ann Rey 1900 Female 74 Widowed White 4 Jan 1826 England 1825 England England 6 Sister A 1 004112031 30273 Maria Rey Sanders 1900 Female 38 Widowed White Aug 1862 California France England Niece A 1 004112031 30274 Silvia J Rey 1900 Female 39 Single White Sep 1861 California France England Niece A 1 004112031 30275 Hermione Sproule 1900 Female 34 Married White 0 4 Dec 1866 California 1896 France England 0 Niece A 1 004112031 30276 Henry Rey Sanders 1900 Male 16 Single White Aug 1884 California Germany California Grand-nephew A 1 004112031 30277 Woo Tom 1900 Male 34 Married Chinese Jun 1866 China 1880 China China Servant A 1 004112031 30278 Anna Strand 1900 Female 20 Single White Oct 1880 California Sweden Sweden Servant A 1 004112031 30279 1900 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DK5S-1DT?i=25&cc=1325221&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AM9PP-4JS United States Census, 1900 California Marin ED 61 Sausalito Township ...lito town) Belvedere town images 26 of 41, lines 84-90 [308 Bella Vista, Belvedere] Valentine J A Rey 1900 Male 43 Married White 7 Jan 1857 California 1893 France England Head B 13 004118435 19046 [dealer machinery] Helen L Rey 1900 Female 35 Married White 2 7 Dec 1865 California 1893 England Scotland 2 Wife B 13 004118435 19047 Marjorie Rey 1900 Female 7 Single White Oct 1893 California California California Daughter B 13 004118435 19048 Britton Rey 1900 Male 2 Single White May 1898 California California California Son B 13 004118435 19049 Ellen Potter 1900 Female 65 Widowed White 0 Apr 1835 England 1873 England England 0 Boarder B 13 004118435 19050 Mary Silva 1900 Female 21 Single White 0 Apr 1879 Portugal 1886 Portugal France 0 Servant B 13 004118435 19051 [domestic] Hans Haglund 1900 Male 36 Single White Aug 1864 Sweden 1886 Sweden Sweden Servant B 13 004118435 19052 [laborer] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Newspapers: Call, Volume 87, Number 49, 19 July 1901 https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SFC19010719.2.85&srpos=1&e=-------en--20-SFC-1--txt-txIN-Joseph+Britton-------1 Britton death notice ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TO DO Census 1880 [not found on first try], 1910 Chron 7/19/1901 re Britton's death ------------------------------------------------------------------------