Nansemond County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Hamblin, Fred H., 1960 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ Fred H. Hamblin Dies Here at 71 Fred H. Hamblin, 71, retired Suffolk photographer, died this morning at 11:30 o'clock at his residence, 1016 Pensylvania Avenue. Mr. Hamblin had been in declining health for some years and had became seriously ill in the past week. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Lillian T. Hamblin, and by a sister, Mrs. W.A. Jarman, Ocean City, Md. Also surviving are two nieces and a nephew. Mr. Hamblin had conducted a photographic studio here for 43 years. During that time his work became very well-known in this section of Virginia and in neighboring North Carolina areas. The body was removed to the I.O. Hill Funeral Home. Arrangements will be announced tomorrow. Mr. Hamblin came to Suffolk early in June 1917 from Baltimore, where he had been operating his own studio. Mr. Hamblin then came to Suffolk and went to work for E.A. Caffey at Caffey's Studio, situated in the same building where he has worked ever since. Mrs. Hamblin remained in Baltimore and continued to operate the studio there while her husband made up his mind. Two years later the Hamblins bought out the Caffey enterprise and began a career that has made Hamblin's Studio known throughout several states. Hamblin's portraits have won several national awards from professional photographer groups. Mr. Hamblin was a past president of the Photographers Assn. of America, an honorary life member of the Photographers Assn. of North Carolina, past president and life member of the Photographers Assn. of Virginia, and member of the American Society of Photographers. He had been active in civic and religious affairs here. He was a member of Main Street Methodist Church, the Travelers Protective Assn., the Elks, the Lions Club and several Masonic groups, including the Knights Templar, the Shrine and the Eastern Star. He was a past president of the Lions Club. [photo, captioned:] Fred Hamblin . . . retired photographer dead ****************************************************************************** Service Wednesday For Fred H. Hamblin Funeral services for Fred H. Hamblin will be conducted Wednesday at 4 p.m., at the Hill Funeral Home by the Rev. Dr. Hampden H. Smith, Jr., pastor of Main Street Methodist Church, the Rev. George S. Lightner, pastor of Monumental Methodist Church, Portsmouth, and Dr. Murray, Kantor of Agudath Achim Synagogue. Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery, with Masonic rites at the graveside. ****************************************************************************** FRED HANSON HAMBLIN FRED HAMBLIN, VETERAN IN PHOTOGRAPHY, DIES Suffolk - Fred H. Hamblin, 71, professional photographer here for more than 50 years and first president of the Photographers Assn. of Virginia, died Monday at 11:30 a.m. at his home, 1016 Pennsylvania Ave. He retired May 1, 1959, after operating Hamblin's Studio here 40 years. He sold the studio to W.E.A. Moore, who operates under the old name. He had learned photography as a boy in his father’s studio at Ocean City, Md. As a youth he went to Baltimore and worked several years in the Rembrandt Studio. HERE IN 1917 In 1917 he came to Suffolk and worked in the Caffey studio two years. He then bought the business, which he and his wife operated until his retirement last year. Specializing in portraits, he won several national awards. He won renown especially for his portraits of children. He also did commercial photography. The Hamblin negative file is estimated as at least 100,000. It comprises a record of personalities of this region for miles around, including Virginia Governors Price, Tuck, Peery and Darden. CIVICLY ACTIVE Besides life membership in the Virginia Photographers he was an honorary life member of the Photographers Assn. of North Carolina and a member of the Photographers Assn. of America and the American Society of Photographers. He was past president of Suffolk Lions Club and was active in other civic affairs. A 32nd degree Mason, he was a member of Portsmouth Commander No. 5 Knights Templar, Knedive Temple of Norfolk, Suffolk Shrine Club, Royal Order of Scotland and Order of the Eastern Star. He also was a member of Suffolk Lodge of Elks, Travelers Protective Assn. Post P and Knights of Pythias Welcome Lodge. A native of Pittsville, Md., he was the son of Elisha and Hester Hamblin. In 1910 he married Lillian M. Topping of Chincoteague, who survives him. A sister, Mrs. W.A. Jarmon of Ocean City, Md., also survives. A funeral service will be held Wednesday at 4 p.m. in Hill Funeral Home by the Rev. Dr. Hampden H. Smith Jr., of Main Street Methodist Church, Suffolk; the Rev. George S. Lightner of Monumental Methodist Church, Portsmouth, and Dr. Murray Kantor of Agudath Achim Synagogue. Burial with Masonic rites, will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery. Fred Hanson HAMBLIN, retired professional photographer, b. 27 Jul 1888, Pittsville, Wicomico Co., MD, d. 16 May 1960, at home, Suffolk, interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery (Block I, Lot 116*), Suffolk, 18 May 1960, "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 38, No. 116, Mon., May 16, 1960, p. 1; "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 38, No. 117, Tues., May 17, 1960, p. 3; donated obit, publication unknown *Additional information: Cedar Hill list, an extension of the Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/cedar_g.txt His in-laws, Capt. Alexander Bagwell & Mary Catherine (SHEPHERD) TOPPING, are buried in the same lot: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/cedar_s.txt D.Cert. 13653 (Suffolk #29) His widow's obit ("Suffolk News-Herald," Sep. 23, 1980, p. 2) is posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/suffolk/obits/h514l1ob.txt His parents, Elisha & Mary Hester (PARKER) HAMBLIN, are buried in the PARKER Cemetery, Pittsville, MD. The Library of Virginia (LVA) and Suffolk Public Library hold the Hamblin Studio Photograph Collection (1909-1979). Mr. Hamblin owned the studio 1918-57. A searchable database of the images is online at the LVA website: http://www.lva.virginia.gov/ Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), and re-formatted by File Manager. file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/obits/h514f1ob.txt