Lena Connell

Adelin Beatrice "Lena" Connell, also known professionally as Beatrice Cundy, (27 July 1875 – 4 March 1949) was a British suffragette and a well-known photographer whose work is held in the National Portrait Gallery, London.

Life Connell was born in London in 1875 to Frederic and Catherine Connell. Her father (and his father) had made high-class watches known as chronometers, but her father's interest moved to photography before he became a salesperson. The photography business made his daughters Dora and Alina into photographer's assistants and Adelina/Lena's career path was decided.

Cicely Hamilton was a leading campaigner and they worked together. Photo by Connell from the 1910s

Connell started her own photography business and was exhibiting her work professionally at the New Gallery Exhibition in 1901. She employed female staff. She was said to be the first woman photographer to take pictures of male subjects.

Connell took pictures of leading members of the Women's Freedom League as well as Emmeline Pankhurst and other suffrage leaders.

In 1911 Connell was advertising for an assistant in "The Suffragette" magazine to work at her studio in St John's Wood. Connell married Jack Cundy in 1914 and, in 1922, closed her shop and decided to specialise in "at-home" photography using her married name of Beatrice Cundy. She continued to exhibit her work and an exhibition of her 'at home' portraiture was held at the Halcyon Club in June 1929 and October 1932.

Death and legacy Connell died in 1949. Copies of her photographs are held in the National Portrait Gallery in London.