Terence Pepper
Collection

Paul Tanqueray was born on 14 January 1905 in Littlehampton. After leaving Tonbridge school aged 18 he worked for a year as a pupil in the studio of Hugh Cecil and opened his first studio at 139 Kensington High Street in 1925. After five years of success he moved to 8 Dover Street in London’s West End. His photographs appeared on covers and inside ‘Theatre World’ as well as 'The Sketch' and 'The Tatler'. After the Second World War Tanqueray re-opened his studio, this time in South Kensington, where he continued to take photographs until his retirement in 1965.

This gallery shows a selection of his photographs of notable women in the 1930s, including model and socialite Sylvia, Lady Ashley, film star Madeline Carroll and the American singer and actress Elizabeth Welch. The signed prints shown were made for an exhibition to celebrate his 80th birthday at the Photographers Gallery in 1985. Other copies of these images form part of an important archive of his work at the National Portrait Gallery, including his negatives.