Foochow (Fouzhou), Fukien province, China: a colonial mansion. Photograph by John Thomson, 1870/1871.

A colonial mansion with walled garden, three figures (mother, father and son?) on the steps to house. By the time of Thomson s visit Fuzhou had a well-established foreign settlement, which was "picturesquely situated on eminences which command extensive views of the country around . . . Many varieties of European flowers and vegetables are grown here to great perfection by the Chinese gardeners. It is altogether a sort of place where foreigners may well be content to reside."

The people shown might include W.B. Kinnear, who may have been connected with the trading company Jardine Matheson

1870

1 photograph : glass photonegative, wet collodion

Mr Kinnear's [?] house Foochow China Bears Thomson's negative number: "322"

This is one of a collection of original glass negatives made by John Thomson. The negatives, made between 1868 and 1872, were purchased from Thomson by Sir Henry Wellcome in 1921

China through the lens of John Thomson, 1868-1872, Beijing: Beijing World Art Museum, 2009, p. 93 (reproduced)

Wellcome Collection 18902i