Alfred Seaman (1844-1910) was born in to a working class Norfolk family. After beginning life as a bricklayer he took up photography as a hobby and then as a trade. He opened his first studio in Chesterfield, Derbyshire in the 1880’s and over the next two decades presided over a network of successful ‘Seaman and Sons’ studios across the North and Midlands. By the turn of the century he was a wealthy businessman and highly respected member of the photographic community.
More details of his life can be found on Brett Payne’s excellent website on Derbyshire studio photographers, to which I have contributed information on Alfred. Follow the link to his site from my ‘links’ page.