The Rev. Alfred Howarth Blake, born 1854, was the chaplain at the Chapel of St. Elizabeth on the grounds of St. Mary Abbots Hospital in London as early as 1893. His career as a minister however may have changed because of constraints placed on him:

“the Guardians found it necessary to put an end to certain High Church practices about which some members had complained, establishing a modus vivendi which they hoped would meet the views of all sections of the Board. The chaplain (Blake) was asked to abandon the procession of the choir outside the chapel, the use of a processional cross on certain occasions, and the use of wafer bread, though he was allowed to use lighted candles at early morning communion in recognition of ‘the good and earnest work’ he was doing.”  1.

Blake later became a member of the British Linked Ring in 1908-his pseudonym was “Cockney”. Blake was also the founder of the Society of Night Photographers of England and wrote the regular column, “Our London Letter”, for the periodical American Photographer. 2.

Blake was a well published author on things photographic and authored the volume Things Seen in London (1920).

1. British History Online
2. Edinphoto online resource