Ezidor Bennett, photographer. Manchester. 1870s.

By chance I came across several of these group photos by the same Manchester photographer, Ezidor Bennett. An old newspaper article tells us that he went bankrupt in 1876, which helps date them. He appears to have specialised in these groups of children. Many of them appear quite down-at-heel. The photos may have been paid for by an orphanage or church charity. Though small, these photos preserve a great deal of detail, which only becomes evident with the help of a scanner and photoshop.