Thomas Carlyle (December 4, 1795-February 5, 1881) was a Scottish writer and historian and widely influential on Victorian life and thought. He married Jane Welsh on October 17, 1826.

Jane Baillie Welsh (July 14, 1801-April 21, 1866) was the daughter of Dr. John Welsh and Grace Billie Welsh of Haddington, Scotland, where her father practiced medicine. Haddington is southeast of Edinburgh.

The marriage between Thomas Carlyle and Jane Welsh was a difficult one, although with her death he went into deep depression. In their married life they lived in various places in Scotland and on Cheyne Row, Chelsea, in London.

John Patrick (1830-1923) was a Scottish baker turned photographer. After maintaining photography studios in various towns in Scotland, he opened a shop in Edinburgh in May 1884 at 5 Coniston Road. Eventually his sons joined him in this enterprise. He first photographed Thomas Carlyle in 1874.