Timeline - Royale, Hussar and Dolphin Studios - Major Update, v21 July 2026

The History of Royale Studio and it's successor, Hussar 1957-1968 

Change at v21 - 60.1 Royale-Dolphin split extensively revised
Change at v20 (Mar '26) - 64.1 New 'last ad' reference (Champ Annual)
Earlier change history has been moved to the end of the article 

1956

56.1

Basil Clavering reputedly started doing physique photography as a hobby in the 50's (ref 5, Colville). An article in Tomorrow's Man in October 1959 said it was 'about 10 years ago'. 

 

John Barrington's biographer describes him as a pornographer (Source 101), but I have yet to see any evidence of it. 

He is first recorded as living at 110 Denbigh St, Pimlico, the address which was eventually to become the home of Royale Studio, in the 1956 Electoral Register.

1957

Royale Studio advertisement in Vim Vol 5 No 11 (Nov 1958)

 

57.1

Royale Studio seems to have officially come into being around the autumn of 1957, without any formal fanfare as far as I've been able to discover. The advertisement above, noting the 1st anniversary a year later is the nearest explicit reference I've been able to find. They already had an astonishing one hundred models on their roster by then, including the young Tibor Urgay shown in the ad above. 

This is earliest published picture I have found, it's from the Autumn 1957 issue of Male Classics and attributed to Royale Photography rather than Royale Studio. Artur Robin and George (Charles) Kassapian were genuine body builders of the day, based in France. Arturo Robin won Mr Universe in 1957 and Kassapian represented France in the same contest, which may be when this picture was taken. Their pouches appear to have been sanitised for publication. Both men had solo photo sets in Royale's earliest catalogue.

An analysis of the 1960, Royale Catalogue comes up with the same date, October 1957, for the publication of the Studio's first list of photo sets for sale. 

View the Table of Catalogue List Dates.

Man's World Dec 1957, Royale's First Ad

57.2

This is the earliest example I have found of Royale advertising and it features their "first three releases". It appeared in the December 1957 issue of Man's World and two of the models, David Wales and Michael Babin, shared a page in the body of the magazine, but I have found out little else about them. Don Avard who headed up the ad was probably their first 'star' but he didn't get a feature page until the following March (see below).

Notice that Royale is already pushing the military and sporting pedigree of it's models 

(see Royale's use of Servicemen).

57.3

The reference to collaborating with Landseer Studios in the heading of this first advertisement is extraordinary. This was the home of a highly respectable artist, Hans Feibusch, and the location has an illustrious, artistic pedigree stretching back to Edwin Landseer. We can only guess what form the collaboration took, most likely the provision of photographic facilities, I imagine, arranged through some personal contact of Basil's.

1958

Royale Studio - 'Unapproved' 1958

58.1 110 Denbigh St

110 Denbigh St in Pimlico was given as Royale's mailing address from the very first advertisements and was used for customer contact throughout it's existence. Basil Clavering was registered as living there from 1956 to 1966, which neatly brackets the Royale era. It seems remarkable that he should use his home address for a semi-illicit venture like this. 

It's often said that Basil Clavering set up his studio in the basement and this seems to be confirmed in the Basil at work article. However the story that the garden was used in storyettes like 'Captivity' and 'Unapproved' (as above) probably isn't true, it doesn't have a garden spacious enough.

More on Denbigh St and the Garden pictures

Don Avard by Royale Studio 1958

58.2

Three months after Royale's first advertisements, this picture of Don Avard hit the front cover of 'John Barrington's 'Manifique' (above) with Don perched on top of Royale's trademark half-roundel prop, completely naked. A more discreet picture appeared on the cover of Tomorrow's Man', Mar 1958.

Don also posed for Barrington and became friends with him. In fact Barrington became somewhat obsessed with Avard after meeting him in the street (or sunbathing on the banks of the Thames according to which of his accounts you believe). He enthused about his personality in print and was was still printing pictures of him in Manifique in 1965 and describing him as a very good friend (his emphasis not mine). 

Don was in Australia by then.

Don was recorded as living at Clavering's Denbigh Street address in 1958 having registered for voting there, which suggests a lengthy stay was intended. He wasn't registered there the following year but that doesn't necessarily mean he wasn't living there. Tomorrow's Man reported in Oct 1959 that he was "a member of the firm" (i.e. Royale Studio not the Royal Family!). 

Don's friendship with Barrington may have helped Royale to get front page billing in 'Manifique' but Clavering and Barrington had already been acquainted for some years, collaborating on 'Under The Lash' and sharing models - Don, Yves Grangeat and Tibor Noszgay (Source 101). Barrington added Royale to his somewhat pompously titled list of 'Photographers of Repute' in the same Spring issue of 'Manifique' and described Clavering as a 'celebrated master photographer'. However they were removed exactly a year later (without explanation) and few of their photos were published by him after that. However, the 'Manifique' Spring 1961 issue did carry a half page ad for the new 'Dolphin Phototgraphy' offshoot of Royale, promoting their offering of the 'Thieving Cowboy' story by Tom of Finland (see 60.5 below).  It suggests Barrington may have taken sides in that episode. 

 Make of that what you will.

Royale Ad in Tomorrow's Man Vol 6 No3 1958

58.3

The advert above appeared in the March 1958 of  Tomorrow's Man (Vol 6 No 3). It featured a near naked soccer player. (I can't positively identify him, but it looks a little like Ian Oliver). There's a hint here of Royale's different, clothes-based approach to beefcake photography.

 

58.4

With their images being well received, Royal were soon paying for full page ads in the British magazines. 

Royale Advert in Body Beautiful 2 (1958)

This ad features Cliff Smith (CLS), John Skilling (JOS) solo and wrestling with Fred Collins. I haven't identified 'ROS' yet

 

This helped to ensure plentiful representation in the body of the magazine of course, in this case 5 full pages featuring Leslie Woodmer. 

58.5 Royale's US ambitions

Royale Studio ad in Tomorrow's Man (Aug 1968)

This advertisement shows how Basil Clavering had quickly identified US, gay men as a key, target market. He didn't hold back with his copy but this pushy language was not untypical of the unsophisticated marketing of the time, Charles Atlas for example was scolding men who allowed others to kick sand in their faces (an everyday occurrence on 1950's beaches apparently).

The model shown is (I think) Cliff Smith.

58.6

Although Royale were to become renowned for their 'story-ette' photo stories and we know from the Catalogue (List A) that several existed in 1958, they seem to have been cagey about advertising them in the beefcake press initially. Two titles, 'Horseplay' and 'In the Gym', were mentioned in a May 1958 ad in 'Tomorrow's' Man Vol 6 No 5 but it's not clear if these were stories or simply themed sets. 

The earliest specific advertising reference was in "Tomorrow's Man", vol 7 no 1, dated December 1958.  It listed 5 sets described as 'photo stories' - The Arrest, Desert Seen, Soldier-Sailor, Wild One (now lost?) and To Detention (FOBA2). 

The term Story-ette didn't appear until Jul 1959 in an ad in 'Manual' Vol 1 No 4,  see 59.2 below

1959

59.1 

Royale had advertised in the US publication, "Tomorrow's Man" from their start in 1958, but in 1959 they launched a major campaign to gain a better presence in the US Market with the ad below. It was a half-page display and featured a now-rare image from the 1958 set 'Limey and Yankee' (set 1-ARHP from Royale's Catalogue List 'A').

Royale Studio ad for Limey and Yankee (1-ARHP) 1959

This is a good example of Clavering's flair for extravagant marketing and publicity, drawn from his experience in the cinema industry. The bombastic tone of the script gives us an insight into his exuberant personality and wit. It also illustrates British perceptions of how to impress American customers in pre-global times. The sheer chutzpah of the ad is justified by Royale Studio's genuine success in getting itself into physique print prominence in a very short space of time. 

The dates mentioned in the ad seem a bit skewed, Royale first got into print in Autumn '57 and this copy was probably written about a year after, with the lead time for printing seeing it published in March '59. As for 'hold that pose', however, they started taking photographs much earlier - see above.

This ad from Tomorrow's Man (March 1959).

59.2

Royale Invent 'Storyettes'

The term Story-ette was first used in an ad for them which didn't appear until Jul 1959 in 'Manual' Vol 1 No 4. That ad (above) listed 10 titles. It's unusually basic in design with typewriter lettering for the copy, perhaps a rushed job.

In Aug 1959 the familiar, much more polished display advert with 19 titles listed and 6 illustrated appeared for the first time in 'Man Alive' No 6 and 7. This was the high water mark of Royale's storyette advertising with the brand riding on the crest of a wave of critical adulation in the beefcake press. All the storyettes mentioned in it are known today. 

1960

60.1 Dolphin Photography

Dolphin Photography launch spread 1960
click to enlarge

In 1960, Dolphin Photography was launched with a full page advertisement (above, right) in Man Alive (August edn). It promoted the "The Thieving Cowboy" series by Tom of Finland which, they said, had been "expressly drawn" for Dolphin, implying something of a coup. 

Dolphin was also represented in the editorial pages of the magazine including one picture (opposite the ad, above) of Dennis James, clad Royale style, in exceedingly tight football shorts. You can see it was paired on the page with another soccer-themed picture, but one that was attributed to Royale. There were two more pictures of Dennis James (aka Dennis White) in that issue. Once again, one of those pictures was attributed to Royale, the other to Dolphin. 

It doesn't seem that there was any intention to differentiate the two 'brands' at this point, in fact the presentation of these football images seems designed to confuse, although we don't know whose idea it was to put them on the same page, the studios or the magazine. One would have expected a man with Clavering's marketing experience to avoid such a mistake, but perhaps he wasn't in control of events.

60.2 The Name, 'Dolphin'

There was until recently a pub called the Dolphin two doors down from 110 Denbigh Street, it's a modern building but quite probably replaced an existing pub of the same name that had been bombed in the war (see Denbigh Street article). One wonders whether Clavering and Parkhurst hatched their plans for Dolphin there. 

It's also possible the name Dolphin was inspired by Dolphin Square an up-market apartment building also close by. It was built as a garden square and thanks to its proximity to the Houses of Parliament has been home to many MP's and prominent people over the years, including Princess Anne. Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davies of the Profumo scandal were also residents there and John Vassal, the homosexual, Soviet spy was arrested there in 1962. It's been called 'The UK's most notorious address'

60.3

A third picture by Dolphin was included in that same August 1960 issue of Man Alive and it did have something new and different. It showed 3 models clad from head to toe in leather and posing with a motorbike...

 

Dolphin Photography launched with Leather Merchants 1960

'Leather Merchants' was not the usual subject matter for a physique magazine. The picture was of smallish size, almost hidden alongside two, conventional, beefcake images advertising men's apparel. It was presented as though it, too was intended to promote clothing of a vaguely sporting nature - or as the page title says, 'Muscle Man Gear'. 

In reality it was referencing directly the underground culture of Motor Cycle Clubs which had developed as a hobby for young men after the Second World War and spawned the infamous, unofficial 'Cafe Races' which form the background to the plot of the homoerotic, 1964 film, 'The Leather Boys'. This world gradually became a haven, a cover, for anyone with fetish leanings. That association was not unknown to the public at large but was not particularly linked to homosexuality. In the coming years Tom of Finland would become inextricably linked to the golden age of gay Motor Cycle Clubs.

Hussar's exploration of leather fetish was a natural extension of Royale's established Uniform and Corporal Punishment themes, but a more implicitly homosexual and fetish-focussed one. 

60.4

Between them Royale and Dolphin had eight pictures in that issue, around 20% of the total pages and they continued to operate alongside each other in the months that followed.  

 

60.5

A month later, in September 1960, Royale laid their own claim to ownership of Tom's 'Thieving Cowboy', implying that it had been "especially drawn" for them in an advert (shown below) in Trim No 14, it also ran in Tomorrow's Man Vol 8 No 11 (Oct 1960).

 

Royale also laid claim to the Thieving Cowboy

According to De Simone Wayland (writing for the Bonham's Sale Catalogue in 2021), Royale had commissioned the series from Tom in 1957 and it's dated as being drawn in 1958 in GMP's Tom of Finland Retrospective (Vol 1 p14). However I cannot find any trace of Royale advertising it prior to these two ads. They did advertise other artists in their 'stable' and included them in their 1960 catalogue, but not Tom of Finland. Maybe the claims of exclusivity related to publication in Britain. Whatever the case, there seems a sniff of competition and one-upmanship in the near-simultaneous release and wording of these two ads. See also 60.9 below.

60.6

Significantly, in an undated, order acknowledgement, included as ephemera in the British Photographers collection (Ref 1), John Parkhurst described himself as the Proprietor of Dolphin Photography, with no mention of Clavering. He didn't adopt the Studio tag for Dolphin and, in another unsubtle differentiation from the Royale brand, he described his photo stories as 'playlets' instead of storyettes. 

60.7

We don't know the full rationale behind the Dolphin-Royale separation. It's a matter of conjecture whether this represented a parting of the ways, amicable or otherwise or was a practical device to rehabilitate the brand from it's reputation for attracting unwelcome interest from the authorities. It seems clear, however, that it wasn't a new project with a different purpose. The old material and models continued to be shared by them in the new set-up. 

According to a message sent to the 'British Photographers Group' (Source No 1) and reported at 'Tim In Vermont' (Source No 9): - 

"Basil was forced to finish due to his co-Directors, after he released a set of pics denoting two sailors supposedly whipping their white uniforms from each other which somehow got out and caused a huge rumpus". 

This is pure hearsay, but there is a photo set that fits this description. It's 'Whip Duel' starring Peter George and Ron Wiltshire, Archive set No 38. (It actually features a sailor and a soldier, not two sailors and only Peter loses his clothes). This set was included in Royale's July 1959 Catalogue list with the name 'Whip Fight'. Renamed Whip Duel* (not WIP!), it was prominently featured with a racy, bare bottom, image in a display advert in 'Man Alive's, August and October issues that year. 

This timing is a plausible fit with the (breakaway?) launch of Dolphin in mid 1960 and might explain the puzzling continuation of the two studios in parallel until 1962. However, the cause of the split in the statement quoted above (if split it was) is vague and not entirely convincing. 

Whip Duel's violent imagery is not very different to contemporary 'Sword and Sandal' movies, so the reported 'rumpus' was more likely triggered by the non-classical, bare bottom in the Man Alive ad, than the photo set itself, which had a limited circulation. It could have been a reaction to Police raiding premises, most likely those of 'Man Alive' or Retailers - and confiscating the offending material. As far as I know the Police didn't keep records of raids such as these, but I've found no evidence of prosecutions. 

When 'Man Alive' continued it's usual print schedule in January 1960 it included a new, full page advert which relegated 'Whip Duel' to the text. The magazine's editorial speaks, slightly disparagingly, of 'seeing the back' of the old year, but does not elaborate. 

 *The name change from Whip Fight to Whip Duel might be a response to an era troubled by organised, public fights between tribal gangs of youths. 

 60.8 

An equally interesting facet of the report of the 'rumpus' is the reference to co-Directors (plural). We know about John Parkhurst who set up Royale with Clavering and then founded Dolphin. Don Avard was reported as being involved in 'the firm' too (see 58.2 above) but was he a 'co-Director'? We don't know. If the quoted statement is accurate (which is a big 'if'), was there someone else involved? I can't help thinking of Scott of London who crops up time and time again in these articles and Pete Dobing. Both these men feature in the aftermath of the Royale Story (see 65.2 below). 

It's also possible that the Co-Directors in question were Basil's colleagues in his day job as a Cinema Manager and Co-Director of the Cameo-Poly cinema chain. The head of the chain was Albert Clavering, Basil's uncle and a Conservative politician of considerable standing. Given Basil's openness about his involvement with Royale and it's use of his home address, it is certainly plausible that they might have insisted that he became more discreet about his activities. That would explain very simply the creation of Dolphin Photography with a new address under Parkhurst's direction, but not the continued existence of Royale after the split.

There is a more prosaic explanation. Basil Clavering's job was full time and must have left him little time for photo shoots, certainly not in the volumes Royale published in their peak years. Photos of the time show him hob-nobbing with celebrities at film festivals in Edinburgh and Cannes. We might surmise that the burden of Royale's work fell on John Parkhurst and it would have been understandable if he'd wanted more recognition and, perhaps, his own business. The 'rumpus' may have been the trigger to do it.

60.9 Dolphin and Man Alive

The Man Alive 'Thieving Cowboy' advert (60.1) gave Dolphin's new address as 3, Golden Square. This is a garden square at the Regent Street & Piccadilly Circus end of Soho's Brewer Street. Interestingly, Man Alive, the magazine that carried that first ad, also gave Golden Square as their publishing address, although they had been based elsewhere, at 10, St Martin's Court, for every previous issue.

 

Dolphin Photography and Man Alive magazine shared the same Address

There's clearly a connection between the two events but it may simply have been a matter of convenience to share offices. Man Alive were strong supporters of Royale and they would have been in regular contact with each other about such plans. 

 

60.10 Rivalries

At the end of 1960, Royale published an isolated image of Tibor Urgay posing naked in a woodland glade, which made the back cover of 'Man Alive' No 12. The same picture reappeared the following year as part of a group under the Hussar brand, but their version was horizontally reversed and Tibor is wearing a pouch in it. It's almost as if Clavering's more daring version was stealing a march on his new rivals in revenge for the 'Thieving Cowboy' affair (see 60.1 and 60.5).

There was a similar squabble in 1961, coinciding with the name change of Dolphin to Hussar. This time it was over a solo photograph of Mike Ridgeway - see 61.2 below. 

There's another (possible) example of their rivalry in the advertising of the 'Shanghai'd Sailor' storyette. Royale seem to have advertised it as 'Kidnapped' at just this time, while Dolphin used the name 'Kidnapped Sailor' three months later, see the footnote in the Shanghai'd Sailor Profile Page.

1961

Curious Headline in Tomorrow's Man (Mar 1961)

61.1

Royale had often used unconventional headlines in their ads, but the curious wording of this advertisement for Dolphin a few months later in March 1961 (Tomorrow's Man) is downright puzzling. Arguably it supplies more evidence of rivalry between Royale and it's new off-shoot. I've never heard of Dolphins being renowned for their happiness, larks yes, dolphins no. Perhaps it's nothing to do with Royale, but related to some popular theme of the day, or maybe the question mark was a precursor to the unexplained, studio name change that was to come about a few months later, see 61.2 below. 

The ad itself showed an enticing thumbnail from a storyette, apparently re-enacting Tom of Finland's well-known image of a burglar being tackled by a young man in underwear, but with the roles reversed. A suitably intimidating Ron Wiltshire plays 'The Burglar'. 

The new Dolphin studio did have something to be happy about at this time, they had a half page advertisement printed in the Man-ifique Spring issue of 1961, the first time the Royale group had been mentioned in a John Barrington publication for over two years.  

Being obscure, seemed to be catching that year. Two months later, this ad for Royale appeared, also in Tomorrow's Man...

Royale's Curious Advert in Tomorrow's Man (May 1961)

 It boasted of 12 new stories with typical Clavering hyperbole, but, unlike the Dolphin ad, didn't give any titles, nor was there a sample illustration. Royale and Dolphin both had images featured in the body of the magazine, but they were strictly bodybuilding material. Was Clavering too preoccupied to prepare a better advertisement? Did he really have 12 new stories? Or was this simply a desperate attempt to keep up with the happy Dolphins, playing tit-for-tat ? 

The following month a similar, bare Royale ad announced that it had 50 storyettes, "unrivalled by any other studio!"...

Rival Adverts in Tomorrow's Man (June 1961)

Again, there were no titles or illustrations to illuminate the reader, but the copy proclaimed "Authentic Action" and "Lavishly Illustrated Lists".

 

Significantly, Hussar's 'launch' ad appeared on the same page, with an eye-catching illustration from Tom of Finland's 'Thieving Cowboy', but in a less prominent position. It counter-claimed ".....thrilling Playlets make our lists the most exciting! The cheap and cheerful Royale ad seems suspiciously like a spoiler.

~

Dolphin Photography becomes Hussar Studio 1961

61.2

In August 1961, a year after the launch of Dolphin Photography, Trim were telling their readers that the studio had changed it's name to Hussar, apparently due to a complaint by an existing business using the same name. In fact a photo spread of 'The Hold-Up' (again starring Ron Wiltshire) had already been published under the Hussar name in Mar1961, in 'Man Alive' No 13.

Also in August, another squabble erupted between the two studios over a Royale photograph of Mike Ridgeway. Hussar rebranded him as one of their models in Adonis 14 (using a reversed image, like they had with Tibor, see 60.10). This prompted Royale to publish the 'correct' image in Fizeek, the following November. Read the full saga of Mike Ridgeway. 

 

61.3

Royale and Hussar continued to advertise their 'Storyettes' and 'Playlets' alongside each other (literally sometimes! see below).

Parallel Advertising for Hussar and Royale 1961

This was in Body Beautiful No 15, around the end of 1961. Hussar have listed four new playlets here, three of which are still known to us. The flowery, literary copy boasts of their quality. Royale, by contrast, have used only a photo (which I have been unable to connect to a model or a storyette. It may possibly be part of a cowboy series from Don Avard's heyday). There seems a touch of frustration in the pushy Royale copy which is clearly trading on their reputation. 

 Towards the end, illustrations were regularly dropped from the ads and some were simply addresses, relying on images posted in the body of the magazine to attract interest. Hussar had a picture of Peter George featured in the body of this issue but Royale wasn't represented at all. Royale had appeared in every issue of Body Beautiful up to No 12, with as many as six full pages at the peak but there was only one more after that - David Clarke in issue 19 (1962). 

61.4

 By December 1961, Royale's bombast had turned into an almost despairing tone....

In Tomorrow's Man vol10, #1 

~

more info on the dropping of illustrations (pending)

~

1962

62.1

Tomorrow's Man, Directory of Physique Photographers (Jan 1962)

Both Hussar and Royale were still included as active businesses in the 'TM directory of Physique Photographers' published in the January 1962 issue of Tomorrow's Man.

The Hussar advert at the bottom of the page mentions a number of new 'playlets' all of which seem to have been  completely lost except 'Hold-Up'. (If any of my readers know differently I'd be delighted to hear from them)

62.5 

In May 1962, Royale and Hussar posted separate ads in Tomorrow's Man, both announcing that they were making their photographs available in transparency format*. This suggests that they may have still been collaborating at a technical level (or else were using the same service to convert their photos). It was clearly an attempt to keep up with technological advances and widen their appeal, but neither ad mentions colour, which was starting to become mainstream at this time.

*Transparencies were photographs put on celluloid so they could be projected onto a screen like a film or viewed in a light box. We call them slides these days.

 62.6

Tomorrow's Man, Directory of Physique Photographers (Jun 1962)

Royale and Hussar were still both listed in the TM Directory in Jun 1962, which was nearly two years after Dolphin/Hussar had been set up. 

Just below you can see that Royale were still independently advertising their pictures and storyettes, seemingly with a new model. However this advert was identical to one that had already run in the February issue. That's not really a sign of a lively, thriving business and in fact I've not found any more ads for Royale after this.

 

Royale gradually began to disappear from the lists of active Photographers. Their last mention in Manual's list was Jun 62, the same date as their last ad. They lasted on Tomorrow's Man's list until December 1962.  

It's perhaps worth remembering that Clavering was 52 years old at this point and he had full time job as a cinema manager. He seems to have been a confident, adventurous man but if there was repeated unpleasantness with the authorities or disputes with his confederates, it would have tested his resources. We don't know exactly what circumstances surrounded the split between Royale and Dolphin, there's some evidence of rivalry, but he quite possibly found it too difficult to continue without his right hand man. It's possible his health was failing, since he eventually died only eleven years later without even reaching retirement age. Parkhurst on the other hand was only 35 in 1962, with many years in front of him and experienced enough to pick up the mantle.

 

62.7 

 

Royale chose to illustrate their May ad in Tomorrow's Man (62.5 above) with a picture from their back catalogue - Ned Willigan in 'Navy Gash' from 1959. Hussar on the other hand were still announcing new 'playlets', 12 of them in July's TM. But, curiously, they too chose to illustrate their ad with a picture from the early years -  of Peter George in PT kit (also 1959!). He was in two of their new playlets, but it seems unlikely that they were truly 'new' photographs. In their last months, both studios were digging into their archives as though seeking to rekindle the popularity of the old days. 

1963

63.1

The page above is the last studio list I have found where both Studios are still mentioned. It's from Modern Adonis No 22, probably around March 1963. Trim magazine deleted Royale from their list in the February 1963 issue. 

Notice that the address given for the Cas Art here has been superimposed on a different signature - that of Holzman.

63.2

This editorial in the following issue of Modern Adonis (No 23 around June 1963) could be seen as an obituary to Royale's memory although there is no specific mention of names, much less causes. Nor were any of Royale's photographs included in the issue. It's as if even the name had become taboo.

1964

64.1

Hussar's pictures and advertisements continued to run until at least February 1964 (in Manual No 49). The last one featured Peter George's elderly, PT Instructor set again from 1959! (see 62.7). 

Around the same time Champ Annual Vol 2 No2 (Spring '64) splashed 4 pages worth of thumbnail sheets and there was a supporting advertisement. This may have been Hussar's last desperate roll of the dice. 

So far I've not found any later ads for Hussar. Their last appearance in Tomorrow's Man's Directory of Physique Photographers was also in February 1964, which suggests that this was when they ceased trading, although 'Manual' and 'Trim' continued to list them until Oct 1964.

We don't know what finally finished Hussar, perhaps the loss of Clavering's flair for publicity after the split was too damaging.

64.2

Scan Magazine No 8 (ca. Jun 1964) chose to commemorate the demise of Hussar studio rather symbolically, provocatively even, by reviving this image of Tom Manlick (yes that is his name!) posing in half of a genuine Royal Horse Guard's Uniform and a chain-mail pouch. 

Male Classics Annual in 1964 included a lot of Royale/Hussar pictures but did not mention them in the list of contributors. 

Other magazines lamented that 'some people' could not accept increasing use of clothing and biker imagery, which of course was still 'disqualified' from the categories of health, body building and fashion which were permitted by the authorities for imagery in which men 'displayed' themselves.

~

1965

65.1

 The Male Classics 1965 Annual went further with an article discussing in academic-sounding terms the evolving use of clothing in physique photography with Royale/Hussar well represented. There was a striking double page spread with multiple snippets of examples almost entirely dedicated to them, but they weren't mentioned by name except via cryptic, coded credits. 

Male Classics 'tribute' spread

Click to Enlarge

This montage spread appeared in Male Classics Annual for 1965 without any explanatory text and seems to be a tribute to Royale. One that isn't Royale is 24 which is by Scott. I'm not sure either about 9, 13 and 20. These two pages feature snippets of many pictures that were previously unknown to me but I have tried to caption them as far as possible. If any reader can add to or correct my names, please add a comment to the foot of the post.

65.2 The Legacy

Some time later Royale material started turning up under the names of two other photographers - Scott of London and Peter Dobing. It's unclear whether they had a stake in the Studio or simply acquired the material in the 'closing down sale'. (Further article link pending).  

1967-8

67.1 Retrospectives

In 1967 Grecian Guild Studio Quarterly dedicated it's entire Summer 1967 edition to Hussar. Royale pictures were included but it wasn't mentioned by name (although there wasn't any editorial text apart from the index). The issue also included art by Holzmann.

In Spring of 1968 Trim Studio Quarterly did the same thing, showing a completely different selection of pictures and referencing the GGSQ feature, so they were clearly connected events. Interestingly they declared Tibor Noszgay to be Hussar's 'star' model.  

67.2 

Tibor Noszgay by Hussar

This image of Tibor Noszgay (by Hussar/Royale though not attributed to any of them by name) appeared in Male Classics with a nostalgic commentary around the second half of 1967.

 

 Quite why the studio names were so deliberately not mentioned in the caption is a puzzle.

  

1970s

 

In the 1970's, Royale storyette images featured regularly in 'Mister SM' magazine and the the Royale style of military imagery was harnessed to explicitly sexual material by Mike Arlen. 

 

In the middle of that decade, 'Guys in Uniform' attempted to revive the Royale concept more comprehensively with Military and Sporting images depicting similar scenes of discipline and humiliation - and like Royale, modelled by real servicemen. They also delved deeply into leather and rubber fetish, an area that was hinted at by Royale and Hussar's biker and motorcycle imagery and also the notable 'chain pouch' series. 

 

It is claimed that 'Guys in Uniform' personnel had connections with Royale. Some of the props are teasingly similar, notably the 'body armour' leather harness that featured in their images and only recently linked to Royale in the Colville Collection (Source No 5).

Royale and Hussar images continued to appear in print in their own right for many years after, with Peter George's fetish, wader images still carrying carrying the flag in 'Drummer' in 1988 and 'Dungeon Master' in 1989 (see Peter George's Career). 

 

2000s, Present Day

Royale and Hussar still refuse to die with periodic exhibitions recognising their contribution to gay history and art. Retrospective articles appear in private blogs from time to time (see Sources). 

Occasionally 'new' images surface on auction sites and astonishing prices are being reached in sale rooms for collections of surviving photographs (see also auctions articles). 

article produced by Mitchell 
for the mitchmen, Royale Studio, Open Archive

~

UPDATE HISTORY  

v19 - 65.1 and later revamped and extended

v18 - 60.8 added, 61.1 expanded  to include bizarre Royale ad, 61.4 added, 62 expanded

 v17 - 60.9 added, Royale's rivalry with Dolphin and Hussar

v16 - 65.2 Royale's legacy expanded

v15 - 61.2 Launch of Hussar name earlier than previously thought + 56.1 additional source re: Clavering's 'hobby'

v14 - 58.2 updated with John Barrington's support for Dolphin + New sections added about 'Storyettes' 58.5, 59.2

v13 - Detail added re: Whip Duel controversy (60.7)

v12 - Image 65.1 enlarged (feedback welcome)

v11 - clarification of relationship with John Barrington 58.2 + Date of Royale's demise 63.1

v10 Earliest Royale image 57.1, Leather sub-culture 60.3

v9: Clavering's contacts with John Barrington 56.1, 58.2

v8: Info about the Royale- Dolphin split (60.7), US marketing (58.5)

v7: Info on Royale's first published pictures corrected (57.2)

v6: Tom of Finland link rewritten

v5: Male Classic's Tribute To Royale

v4:Royale's US marketing push, Epitapths in Magazines