Although beginning his working life as a house decorator, John
Pouncy became a pioneer in the development of photography, a
creative but somewhat immodest genius who had to contend with
rivalry over the inventor-ship of the process he was convinced
he could rightly lay claim to. He also had a sympathetic and
philanthropic side to his character that was once put to good
use when he lent nursing assistance at the local hospital during
an epidemic of cholera.(1) John Pouncy’s was a fascinating and
innovative nature, at first somewhat restrained in the full
potential of its expression by his first mundane occupation, but
the course of his life was first to take a drastic turn. Pouncy
was born in Dorchester on July 16th 1818(2) , the son of William
Pouncy, a Piddletrenthide labourer and his wife Mary. In 1843 he
married Mary Ann Sprackley(3) , the mother of his first child
Walter(4) , though she died in 1846(5) . Just four years later
Pouncy met and married Mary Catherine Mills(6) , who presented
him with another