Clarence Philip Ouless

Clarence Philip Ouless

Brothers Clarence and Walter Ouless outside
the family home in New Street

Clarence Philip Ouless was the third son of Philip Ouless, probably the most accomplished Jersey artist of Victorian times. Philip Ouless, perhaps having seen an 1840 demonstration of the daguerreotype photographic process in Jersey, offered a new portrait service on his return to Jersey from a visit to France in 1845

Identified by Jerripedia Facebook group member Ali Spence as her grandmother, Emmie Boleat, nee Tolcher. Born in 1897, she played the violin. The portrait by Clarence Ouless was taken in 1913

In 1872 his son Clarence was advertising a photographic business in the Jersey Express Almanac as "Ouless & Son's Photographic Establishment". Whether father and son were both active in the business, or this was simply an attempt to capitalise on the father's fame as an artist, is not known, but the year before and the following year the business was advertised under Clarence's name only.

He became one of the most popular commercial photographers in the island in the late 1800s, working from premises in New Street, which was by far the most popular location in St Helier for Victorian photographers. In 1883 he bought the negative collection of the late Henry Mullins, and many of these passed, along with his own photographs, to La Société Jersiaise's Photographic Archive in 2006. Some 160 of his own photographs can be seen on line in the archive.

Clarence married Léonore Stark, with whom he had two children - Clarence and Pauline - and he was the grandfather of Rev John Ouless, who donated much of his ancestors’ works to the Société. Clarence died in 1927.

1871 advert in The Victorian

Family trees

• Ouless family tree

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  One of Clarence Ouless's earliest portraits, thought to date from 1873
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  A confirmation portrait by Clarence Ouless, taken in 1880
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  Queen Victoria - was this taken by C P Ouless? Perhaps just a copy for promotional purposes.
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  1880s
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  1880s
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  1886
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  Laurie McLatchie photographed by Ouless, a rare CDV with the subject's name on
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2024 additions

A large new set of Ouless portraits was added in 2024, some from the Société Jersiaise photographic archive, some from a private collection and some which were offered for sale in online auctions

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  Mr Valcher
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  Mr and Mrs La Lauce
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  Miss Guillaume
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  Mr and Mrs Catton
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  Miss M Miles
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  Le Crell family baptism
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  Mr Hobbs
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  Mrs Guillaume
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  Malzard family
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  Le Quesne family
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  Miss Flazle
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  Mr and Mrs Goudin
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  W W Agnew
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  Mr and Mrs T Cabot
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  Gaillard family baptism
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  Tim Gudley
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  Philippe Le Laithe
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  Godfray family
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  Mrs Shendow
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  Mr Gregory
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  Le Sueur family
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  Miss Hueton
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  Mr H E Le Gros
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  Northamptonshire Regiment military policemen
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  Colonel du Jardin
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  Joshua Le Sueur, Rector of St Brelade
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  Philippe Baudains, Constable of St Helier
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  Robert Shelly Church
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A de Veulle family of St Clement photographed by Clarence Ouless in 1890

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  1881 advert
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  1896 advert