PLYMOUTH
DATA

The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History

CAMERA OBSCURA

One of the more unusual objects that used to stand on Plymouth Hoe was the Camera Obscura, pictured right.   It stood on top of what is now the Belvedere. By means of the camera in the top, it was possible to exhibit  a full-colour image of Plymouth Sound on to a white surface inside the darkened room below.   The white surface in this case is understood to have been a table or table-cloth.   The image would have been reversed, of course, so it had to be corrected by a lens further down. The Hoe Constable is seen on the left of the picture and the lady owner is sat by the door

It is not known exactly when this apparatus was erected on the Hoe but it is thought to have been around 1827 or possibly as late as 1838.   It was destroyed during the violent gales of Thursday November 12th and Friday November 13th 1840 and that was apparently the third time it had suffered such a fate.  On November 17th that year Mr Sampson launched an appeal for funds to rebuild the Obscura and on July 8th 1841 he announced thata new camera had been fixed and would be open to viewing from 9am until 6pm.

At the time of the 1851 census, a Mr William Sampson, age 60, born at Moretonhampstead, was living at 2 Ham Lane, Plymouth, with an unmarried daughter called Elizabeth, aged 31 years.  His occupation is given as Machinist Joiner.  This would suggest that the Camera Obscura was all William's own work.  There was a carpenter by the name of W Sampson living at 1 Westwell Street in 1830 so he may well have been responsible for its inception.  Elizabeth was, in fact, born in 1816 in Plymouth and at the time of the 1881 census was living on her own at 13 Hoe Street.

An early picture of the Hoe, showing the location
of the Camera Obscura and the rough-made paths.

In 1888 she was entirely dependent upon the income from admissions to the Obscura and from allowing advertising boards to be placed around the outside.  The Council proposed to persuade Miss sampson to give up ownership of the Obscura by paying her an eight shilling per week pension for life.   Unfortunately for her, but luckily for the Corporation, she died in 1890 at the age of 73.  The Camera Obscura was demolished in 1889 during improvements to the Hoe, part of which involved turning what then been known as the Corporation Seat in to the present Belvedere.

This picture shows the Camera Obscura in its position
above the Promenade Pier.

Copyright: Brian Moseley, Plymouth, UK

Page created: 6 July 2006

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