Portrait of a woman by Ralph William Farmer, photographer, 3 Old Market Place, Grimsby circa late-1940s.

An original, studio portrait stamped “ROUGH PHOTO”. The sitter is unknown. Ralph William Farmer (1902-1973) was born in Kensal Rise, London in 1902. He was the son of Tom Alan Farmer, railway clerk, and Florence Alice Farmer (née Isaacs). In 1911, the family were living at 33 Creighton Road, Willesden, Middlesex [still there]. In 1921, the family were living at 48 Wyndham Road, Ealing, Middlesex [still there]. Ralph, aged 19, was a commercial clerk for Thomas Cook & Sons, Tourists etc. Agents, Ludgate, London. Ralph William Farmer married Mary Isabel Starling (born Grimsby, 16th October 1910) in Grimsby in 1935. Mary was the daughter of Harry and Isabel Starling of Grimsby. In 1939, Mary was living with members of the Isaacs (mother-in-laws’s) family at 32 Beaumont Street, Oxford [still there]. During WW2, Ralph was serving in the Middle East in the Intelligence Department of the R.A.S.C. Ralph and Mary had two children; John Anthony Farmer (born 22nd June 1936 in Staines) and Penelope Gay Farmer (born 1946 in Grimsby). John became a farm manager at Tumby. He married Joyce Hewardine of Gayton-le-Marsh in Grimsby in 1958. Penelope married Peter A. F. Moss in Grimsby in 1965. Ralph William Farmer and Mary Isabel Farmer were living at “Springfield” (35) Bargate, Grimsby for all of the 1960s where Ralph had ‘Farmer Studios’. Mary arranged wedding receptions and parties at the same address. The stamp on the portrait above gives the studio address as 3 Old Market Place, Grimsby. A number of photographers worked at this address including White, Marsden, Jancowski and Sherlock. Ralph Farmer most probably took over the studio when he came to live in Grimsby after the war. Ralph William Farmer died on 4th February 1973. Mary died in 2002. The couple are buried in Scartho Road Cemetery, Grimsby. Research by Grimsby & Cleethorpes Museum.