These photos from The Library of Nineteenth-Century Photography that belonged to an Englishman by the name of Richard Colley, known as 'Dick' or 'Dickie' to his many friends. Most of photos are dated from 1922 to 1925, some others are dated 1932 and 1933.
Richard Colley enjoyed a privileged lifestyle of holidays, afternoon parties, receptions and costumed balls, interspersed with trips to the races and to the theatre. Many of his friends in the album are unidentified, but it is clear that he knew Dorothy Gish, Gaby Deslys, Harry Pilcer, Beatrice de Bourbon, and the former Queen of Italy.
It is possible that he himself enjoyed a brief career as a dancer or in silent films. It is also possible that Colley was not his original surname. Preliminary research suggests that he was born Douglas Colley Best.
A number of different homes appear in the albums, including Richard's childhood home, The Grange at Canon Pyon in Herefordshire, where his parents still lived. He himself had a flat in London at 107, Queen's Gate, Kensington. He spent time in the early 1930s at Warren Cottage in Kingston, and he also had a house at Palm Beach in Florida. Many photographs show the exterior and interior of all these homes.
Holidays featured with a man identified only as Russell, clearly his boyfriend. The first trip together was a motor tour of England and Wales. Shortly afterwards they set off together around Europe, visiting the South of France, Monte Carlo and many locations in Italy, travelling as far south as Naples and Capri. The two men also crossed the Atlantic and spent time together in Miami Beach and Hollywood.
Richard Colley enjoyed a privileged lifestyle of holidays, afternoon parties, receptions and costumed balls, interspersed with trips to the races and to the theatre. Many of his friends in the album are unidentified, but it is clear that he knew Dorothy Gish, Gaby Deslys, Harry Pilcer, Beatrice de Bourbon, and the former Queen of Italy.
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| Richard Colley in strange costumes, circa 1920s |
It is possible that he himself enjoyed a brief career as a dancer or in silent films. It is also possible that Colley was not his original surname. Preliminary research suggests that he was born Douglas Colley Best.
A number of different homes appear in the albums, including Richard's childhood home, The Grange at Canon Pyon in Herefordshire, where his parents still lived. He himself had a flat in London at 107, Queen's Gate, Kensington. He spent time in the early 1930s at Warren Cottage in Kingston, and he also had a house at Palm Beach in Florida. Many photographs show the exterior and interior of all these homes.
Holidays featured with a man identified only as Russell, clearly his boyfriend. The first trip together was a motor tour of England and Wales. Shortly afterwards they set off together around Europe, visiting the South of France, Monte Carlo and many locations in Italy, travelling as far south as Naples and Capri. The two men also crossed the Atlantic and spent time together in Miami Beach and Hollywood.
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| Richard and Beatrice de Bourbon |
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| Richard and boyfriend |
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| Richard and boyfriend |
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| Richard and boyfriend |
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| Richard and boyfriend |
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| Richard and friends in Cannes |
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| Richard and friends |
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| Richard and friends |
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| Richard and friends |
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| Richard and his monkey |
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| Richard and two friends, possibly heading off to the races, or perhaps a garden party |
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| Richard and unidentified friend |
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| Richard and unidentified friend |
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| Richard and unidentified friend |
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| Portrait of Richard Colley |
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| Portrait of Richard Colley |
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| Richard in strange costume |
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| Richard Colley |
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| Richard Colley |
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| Richard Colley |
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| Richard Colley |
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| Richard Colley |
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| Richard Colley |
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| Richard Colley |
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| Richard Colley |
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| Richard Colley |
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| Richard in Hollywood |
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| Richard in Menton (taken on a motor tour Richard and Russell made through the South of France and Italy in 1932 or 1933) |
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| Richard in Monte Carlo (presumably taken by his boyfriend Russell) |
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| Richard in Palm Beach |
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| Richard is seated at the centre of the group, looking straight into the camera |
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| Richard is the one wearing a beret, seated on the camel second from the right |
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| Richard photographed at The Lodge, Canon Pyon, Herefordshire |
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| Richard with four Borzois |
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| Richard with two unidentified friends at the Great Pyramid outside Cairo (The Sphinx in the background) |
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| Richard's boyfriend Russell |
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| Richard's car and chauffeur |
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| Richard's family |
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| Richard's mother Louisa Mary Colley |
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| Richard's parents, Gerald Douglas Best and his wife Louisa Mary Best née Colley |
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| Richard's unidentified friend |
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| Richard's unidentified friend |
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| Richard's unidentified friend |
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| Richard's unidentified friend |
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| Richard's unidentified friend |
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| Russell at Mount Vesuvius (presumably taken by Richard Colley) |
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| Russell at the Hotel Elysée, Rome (presumably taken by Richard Colley) |
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| Russell in Miami Beach (presumably taken by Richard Colley) |
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| Russell in Monte Carlo (presumably taken by Richard Colley) |
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| Russell in Venice (presumably taken by Richard Colley) |
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| Russell in Wales |
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| This is possibly Richard's mother, dressed for a masquerade ball |
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| Two women with Richard as Mrs Dorothy Cavis-Brown and Mrs Hugh Williams |
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| 107, Queen's Gate, London SW7 |
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| Richard's bedroom in London |
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| Richard's bedroom in London |
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| The interior of Richard Colley's house in Palm Beach, Florida |
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| View of one of the rooms in Richard's London flat at 107, Queen's Gate, Kensington |
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| View of the drawing room in Richard's London flat at 107, Queen's Gate, Kensington |
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| View of the drawing room in Richard's London flat at 107, Queen's Gate, Kensington |
