1899 Kelly's Directory of Hants & IOW (page 634)
Frederick Nutt Broderick, photographer, 38 West Street, Ryde

1906 Kelly's Directory of IOW (page 662)
Frederick Nutt Broderick, photographer, Aurora Villa, West Street, Ryde

1910 Kelly's Directory of IOW
Frederick Nutt Broderick, photographer, Aurora Villa, West Street, Ryde

1915 Kelly's Directory of Hants & IOW (page 1089)
Mrs E Broderick, photographer, 38 West Street, Ryde

A Broderick advertisement from the IW Observer, 28 January 1882

Another Broderick advertisement from the IW Observer, 10 September 1887

Sometime before 1857, the family moved from London to the Isle of Wight. The 1861 census records the family living at St Thomas' Square, Ryde, where 35 year old Frederick snr was occupied as a steel & copper plate engraver. The family included their three children - Frederick Nutt jnr (age 7), Vectis Mary (age 4) and Primrose Ellen (age 1); Frederick jnr having been born in Kennington, London and his younger sisters in Ryde. Also living with the family was Frederick snr's father, Benjamin Broderick, a 66 year old retired watchmaker from Clerkenwell, London.

At the time of the 1851 census, Benjamin Broderick was living in Lambeth, London; head of the house and recorded as a 56 year old widowed former watchmaker. Also living with Benjamin was his unmarried son, Frederick (snr), aged 25 and described as a copper plate worker, and his 50 year old unmarried brother, Richard, a former tin worker. It is interesting to note that Richard's surname is given as Nutt, suggesting a previous connection between the Broderick and Nutt families. None of these three people have yet been positively identified in the 1841 census which might have yielded further clues.

The 1871 census records the family still living at St Thomas' Square, Ryde; the family comprising Frederick snr (age 45), his wife Ellen (age 45), Frederick jnr (age 16) and two new daughters, Zenobia Virginia (age 7) and Olivera Lida (age 5), both having been born in Ryde. Their previous daughters, Vectis Mary and Primrose Ellen, had both died in 1863 and were buried at Ryde Cemetery. The 1871 census also records that Frederick snr was an engraver, printer & stationer, and Frederick jnr a newsagent. However, in 1878, Frederick jnr entered into business with his father, producing prints and stereoscopic views.

By the time of the 1881 census, the family had moved to Aurora Cottage, 38 West Street, Ryde, by which time Frederick jnr (now age 26) was recognised as being a photographer. In the mid-1880's, Frederick jnr married Emily Harrold and they had two daughters: Aurora Hope Mary (born 1886) and Emmeline Constance Liberta (born 1888). The young family, including Frederick jnr's widowed mother Ellen, was found living in the former family home at 38 West Street, Ryde, in the 1891 census; Frederick snr having died in 1889. Likewise, in the 1901 census, the family was still at the same address, with the exception of Frederick jnr's widowed mother Ellen who was in lodgings in Sandown along with her married daughter Olivera. In both the 1891 and 1901 censuses, Frederick jnr was described as a photographer employer (at home). Frederick jnr's mother Ellen died in 1903 and was buried at Ryde Cemetery.

Frederick Nutt Broderick's photographic business was established when picture postcards were being introduced into England. In the 1900's, Broderick travelled along the south coast taking photographs of seaside towns, later publishing them as picture postcards; including a number of postcards featuring views of Hastings in 1905 and 1907. His eldest daughter Aurora acted as his assistant and, rather predictably, when he issued his postcards of Hastings, he published them as the "Aurora" series. A photograph taken around 1910 showing a white bearded Broderick with his wife Emily and his two daughters, Aurora and Emmeline, appeared in a recent book on Hastings in old photographs.

The name "Aurora" obviously had special significance for the Broderick family. Their house at 38 West Street, Ryde was called Aurora Villa (though it is not known if the Broderick's named it so), Frederick jnr named his first daughter Aurora and he published the Aurora series of postcards.

Frederick Nutt Broderick died in Nov 1913 and was buried at Ryde Cemetery. His wife Emily continued to run the business for a few years, possibly until her death in 1918 also buried at Ryde Cemetery. Their two daughters, Aurora and Emmeline, both married in Ryde (1914 and 1916 respectively) and are believed to have left the Island.

My thanks to David Simkin for contributing to the above historical notes.

THE RECOVERY OF THE EURYDICE. - Our young townsman, Mr. F. N. Broderick, has succeeded in taking some very excellent photographs of the Eurydice, as she lay beached on the shore at Redcliff, with the Government tugs around her. These can be obtained of all stationers, and we have no doubt that hundreds will purchase these accurate representations of a mournful scene.
 - IW Observer, 10 August 1878

Mr. F. N. BRODERICK has taken an excellent photograph of the starters in the bicycle race just as they were waiting for Mr. Dudley Watkins to say "GO!"  There is a spirited and lifelike look about the photo which shows it to have been taken instantly.
 - IW Observer, 24 November 1883

My thanks to Ann Barrett for supplying the above press cuttings. 

Further information about Frederick Nutt Broderick snr, his obituary and grave details can be found on the Ryde Social Heritage Group website at www.rydecemetery.org.uk/grave_record.asp?graveid=3194  Grave details of Frederick jnr and other family members are also available on the website.