Bamforth & Co Ltd.

Based in based in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, England.

Bamforth originated in 1870 under the direction of James Bamforth, who was initially a portrait photographer located in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire. By 1883, he had shifted his focus to crafting lantern slides. In 1898, the company embarked on a new venture by collaborating with the Riley Brothers of Bradford, West Yorkshire, veterans in the film industry since 1896, to produce silent monochrome films. The partnership between Riley, Bamforth, and their joint film enterprise, "RAB Films," persisted until 1900. Notably, James Bamforth's expertise in lantern slides played a pivotal role in their filmmaking endeavors, with the aid of a camera developed by cine inventor Cecil Wray from Bradford.

Around 1910, Bamforth took a fresh creative direction by introducing illustrated 'saucy' seaside postcards, which, similar to their films, gained global popularity. The postcards featured various subjects, including hen-pecked husbands and curvy ladies, accompanied by a plethora of playful and cheeky captions. The cheeky designs became synonymous with the English seaside resorts where they were sold. By the end of World War I more than 20 million postcards were being produced each year, selling all over the world.

However, it's important to note that some of Bamforth & Co's content, including their postcards, did include racial and ethnic stereotypes, including those related to Jewish individuals. These stereotypes were prevalent in many forms of media during that time period and often perpetuated harmful biases and misconceptions.
Jewish stereotypes in media typically portrayed Jewish people in negative or exaggerated ways, relying on offensive caricatures and reinforcing harmful biases. These stereotypes perpetuated negative perceptions and contributed to the marginalization and discrimination of Jewish individuals. While Bamforth's work was emblematic of the humor and cultural attitudes of its time, it's crucial to recognize that these stereotypes were harmful and offensive.

Check these postcards from this publisher:

I'm no Scotchman and I am no Jew