James Valentine

James Valentine was born on 12 June 1815 in Dundee, the second of the five children of John Valentine (1792–1868), linen weaver, and his wife, Mary Valentine née Watson (1790–1866).

Valentine studied photography at the University of St Andrews where he became an acquaintance of Thomas Rodger, who probably photographed him around 1850.

In 1850 Valentine was printing publicity material for the "ocean penny postage" campaign of the activist Elihu Burritt. The business Valentine & Sons Ltd was founded in Dundee in 1851 by Valentine. He added portrait photography to the activities of his established Dundee business, which had been based up to 1851 on the engraving, printing and supply of business stationery. In 1855, he erected one of the largest photographic glasshouses in Britain.

In 1860, he decided to emulate the success of George Washington Wilson in Aberdeen by selling topographical view photographs. In 1866, Valentine carried out his first Royal commission and received the royal warrant in 1867. His organisational and presentational skills were essential in the rapidly expanding and thriving concern which opened a large printing works at 152 and 154 Perth Road, Dundee.

On 28 August 1837, he married Christina Marshall (1812–1842), daughter of John Marshall, a shoemaker. After giving birth to their third child in 1841, his wife died on 3 May 1842 of lung disease. The only son of this marriage, John Valentine (1841–1867), became a pioneer photographer in Hawaii.

On 5 December 1843, Valentine married his second wife, Rachel Dobson (1817–1879), in Glasgow.

His son, William Dobson Valentine (1844–1907), took a course in chemistry at the University of London and trained to be a landscape specialist in the studios of Francis Frith at Reigate, Surrey, the largest English publisher of commercial landscape postcards. He entered the family business in about 1860. He was joined in the enterprise by his brother George D. Valentine (1852–1890).