Benjamin Karleese, 1845 - 1922

by Brian Stevenson
last updated July, 2022

Benjamin Karleese was an amateur microscopist who lived in the vicinity of Birmingham, England. He was a member of the Birmingham Natural History and Philosophical Society, and the Quekett Microscopical Club. Microscope slides that were made by Karleese are seen on occasion, and are generally well-made. Slides by other makers, with Karleese’s name label attached, are also encountered with some frequency.

Figure 1. Two microscope slides that were prepared by Benjamin Karleese. The small, oval labels are typeset with “B. Karleese, preparer” and handwritten dates of 1910 and 1909 (left to right). Based on the handwriting on the left slide's specimen label, I conclude that the similarly small and precise cursive handwriting on the right slide is Karleese's, and that a subsequent owner added the words "Diptera", "Muscidae", "Fam XXXII", and "Blow Fly". Karleese's blue oval labels distinguish his productions from slides that he acquired from other makers.

Our microscopist’s parents and other relatives spelled their surname as “Carless” or “Careless”. Benjamin changed the spelling of his name around 1880, possibly to avoid the implications of the other spellings.

Benjamin was born during early 1845 in Kingswinford, Staffordshire, the first child of Thomas and Hannah Careless. According to census records, father Thomas worked as an “engine fitter”, meaning that he assembled and maintained engines, probably at one of the area’s coal mines.

Young Benjamin took up a career in management. The 1871 census described him as “manager iron works”, while later census and business records stated that he was the Secretary of coal mining operations.

Benjamin married Elizabeth Wright in the spring of 1866. The couple had three children, a boy and two girls. Benjamin and Elizabeth went their separate ways during the 1880s, although they remained married. Elizabeth and the children lived in King’s Norton, Worcestershire – the 1891 census described her as “living on own means”. When she died in 1915, a nephew managed her will, rather than Benjamin. Benjamin Karleese lived for most of the rest of his life in Barant Grove, Worcestershire. A distant cousin, Hagar Hartley, lived with him as a “house keeper” (along with domestic servants), and Benjamin willed his estate to Hagar.

As noted above, Benjamin changed the spelling of his name to “Karleese” between the times of the 1871 and 1881 censuses. All later records used the new spelling.

Karleese was an accomplished amateur photographer. He was a long-time member and officer of the Birmingham Photographic Society. A testimonial letter from Karleese was used to sell cameras in 1891 (Figure 2).

His interests expanded to include microscopy during the early 1900s. Karlese was voted into the Quekett Microscopical Club on November 17, 1905. He remained a member until his death.

The Amateur Photographer noted in 1908 that Benjamin Karlesse was a “very ardent Midland photographer” who made helpful contributions to documenting nature. He was then President of the Photographic Section of the Birmingham Natural History and Philosophical Society.

Around 1920, Karleese moved to Edgbaston, Birmingham. He died there on August 20, 1922.

Figure 2. An 1891 advertisement that features a testimonial from Benjamin Karleese.

Resources

The Amateur Photographer (1908) Midland Federation notes, Vol. 47, page 508

Birmingham Natural History and Philosophical Society (1908) Officers, page 1

England census and other records, accessed through ancestry.com

The International Annual of Anthony's Photographic Bulletin (1891) Birmingham Photographic Society, Vol. 4, page 439

Journal of the Quekett Microscopical Club (1905) Minutes of November 17, 1905 meeting, page 337

Journal of the Quekett Microscopical Club (1918) Members, “Karleese, Benjamin, The Dell, Barnt Green, Worcestershire”

Journal of the Quekett Microscopical Club (1922) Members, “Karleese, Benjamin, 55, Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham”

The Optical Magic Journal and Photographic Enlarger (1891) Advertisements, December issue, page iv

The Photographic News (1887) Minutes of Birmingham Photographic Society meetings, pages 47, 79, and 143

Probate of the will of Elizabeth Karleese (1915) “Karleese Elizabeth of 157 Monument-road Birmingham (wife of Benjamin Karleese) died 15 April 1915 Probate Birmingham 28 April to Thomas Edwin Carless solicitor’s cashier. Effects £67 18s 1d”, accessed through ancestry.com

Probate of the will of Benjamin Karleese (1922) “Karleese Benjamin of 55 Stirling-road Edgbaston Birmingham died 20 August 1922 Probate Birmingham 3 October to Hagar Hartley spinster. Effects £1671 8s 9d”, accessed through ancestry.com