Sonia II and Ailee-Cowes, 1928

Frank Beken moved to the Cowes, Isle of Wight in 1888 to open a chemist's shop and sell Maritime photographs. Both enterprises succeeded. His son Frank, grandson Keith and a great-grandson Kenneth continued the tradition of success and unsupassed excellence. Their extensive files (in excess of 150,000 glass negatives) and numerous books handsomely document the history of British and Continetal yachting.