With the arrival of the smart phone and the digital camera, it has never been easier to take and share photographs. Having one's portrait preserved was once the prerogative of the wealthy. But with the advent of photography in the mid 19th century, all but the very poorest could afford to leave their photographic image to posterity. The carte de visite, a small visiting card portrait, was patented by Parisian photographer Andre Adolphe Disderi in 1854 and made photographic images available to the ordinary person. Soon the whole family was getting in on the act and photograph albums were produced with cut out slots to accommodate the 4.5 x 2.5 inch images. The carte de visite was particularly popular during the 1860s but these four photos of Swindon babies probably date closer to the beginning of the 20th century when Henry Hemmins had a studio at 16 Victoria Street. George E. Stone was based at 25 Faringdon Road where both he and his wife are described a...