Active in Southampton c 1880 - 1884

​William and Mary Jessop were brother and sister, both born in Southampton. The 1861 census listed Mary and William at Upper Canal Walk, with their widowed mother (a stationer), their 2 siblings, a shop assistant and a general servant.

In 1871 Mary worked as an assistant in a draper's in Romsey. Thirteen year old William lived with his older brother George in Millbrook, and his occupation was given as pawn broker's assistant. Their mother had remarried and lived with her new husband and their youngest sister in Upper Canal Walk. 

By 1881 their mother's second husband had died and Mary and William had moved back to the house in Upper Canal Walk. Both of them gave their occupation as Photographer.

The 1880 Cox's directory and the 1884 Stevens directory listed Photographer Mark Jessop at the same address in Upper canal Walk. Either Mary and William chose to work in the name 'Mark Jessop', or the original type setting error in 1880 was repeated in 1884. Mary married a stationer in 1884, and in 1887 they were listed in The Strand. In 1891 Mary's mother was living with them at the same address. Mary may have continued to produce portraits from the stationery shop, but no evidence has been found.  

1884 Directory

​William also married around the same time as Mary. William and his wife moved to the North of England. The census for 1891 recorded William working as a photographer in Union street, Doncaster. He was at the same address, working as a photographer in 1901, and his marriage status was given as 'not known'. William was on the electoral roll in Union Street until 1911, after which no records have been found. 

Mary was recorded as a widow at North Front in 1911, her husband having died the year before. Mary died in Southampton in 1916.