User:Rollo Ravenscroft/sandbox

Thomas Daniel Ravenscroft (TD) Photographer. (Born in Swellendam The Cape Colony 1851 died Hermanus Cape Province South Africa 1948).

TD was the only child from the marriage (21 July 1850 in Swellendam, Cape Colony) between Thomas Ravenscroft (Born on St. Helena Island 1829) and Susanna Christina Getruda Ravenscroft (nee Niemand born 1830). Thomas Daniel married Miss Elizabeth Magdalene Viljoen (1852-1927) in Swellendam on the 13 November 1871 and this union produced twelve children.

TD started taking photographs around 1875 and travelled the Cape Colony in an Ox-Wagon where he would go from town to town taking and selling photographs. He was also appointed by Cecil John Rhodes as the official photographer of the Cape Government Railways and in the 1880' and 1890's he photographed most of the towns in Southern Africa and a lot of his scenic photographs, mostly of the Boland and Western Cape, decorated the train compartments.

Around 1900 TD opened a studio in Rondebosch Cape Town and shortly after the Boer War and before the Union was formed in 1910 he was commissioned by the Cape Government (Cecil John Rhodes) to take a selection of photographs of all the towns in Southern Africa including Rhodesia. Travelling by train and Cape Cart he visited most of the towns in Southern Africa. His modes operandi was to take pictures of the Town Hall, Magistrates Office, Police Station, Local Schools, the Main Street, Churches and prominent buildings and where possible a picture of the whole Town from the nearest hilltop.

TD used these pictures, amongst others, to produce Picture Post Cards which today are very sought after by various Picture Post Card Clubs all around the world

Later in life TD moved to Malmesbury in The Union of South Africa and started a photographic studio where he continued producing and selling numerous Picture Post Cards.

In the 1920's TD retired to Hermanus in the Union of South Africa and opened a Photographic studio in the Main Road where he continued as a photographer until shortly before his death in 1948.

His eldest son Thomas George continued making Post Cards in Malmesbury and today there are numerous Picture Post Cards which are marked TG Ravenscroft and not TD Ravenscroft which often causes confusion amongst collectors.