▁of ▁rooms ▁above ▁Bird ’ s ▁studio ▁in ▁Sav ile ▁Row . ▁E ves ▁without ▁Le aves ▁( 1 9 4 0 ) ▁was ▁their ▁first ▁joint ▁publication , ▁which ▁proved ▁popular ▁with ▁Al lied ▁troops ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War . ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁however , ▁the ▁phot ographic ▁stud ios ▁were ▁sever ely ▁dam aged ▁by ▁the ▁German ▁Luft wa ffe ▁during ▁a ▁bomb ing ▁ra id . ▁During ▁the ▁war ▁Bird ▁served ▁with ▁the ▁Crown ▁Film ▁Unit , ▁before ▁re - est ab lish ing ▁his ▁business ▁at ▁ 4 6 ▁Queen ' s ▁Gate , ▁London . ▁ ▁When ▁Walter ▁St on eman ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁Bird ▁took ▁over ▁his ▁position ▁as ▁chief ▁photograph er ▁for ▁J . ▁Russell ▁& ▁S ons , ▁purch asing ▁the ▁business ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁Bird ▁su pers eded ▁St on eman ▁as ▁the ▁official ▁photograph er ▁for ▁the ▁National ▁Phot ographic ▁Record , ▁initi ated ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Port rait ▁Gallery ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁to ▁record ▁important ▁and ▁influ ential ▁citizens . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Phot ographic ▁Society ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁gained ▁his ▁Associ ate ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁and ▁Fellow ship ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁He ▁held ▁a ▁one - man ▁show ▁of ▁his ▁work ▁at ▁the ▁Society ' s ▁house ▁at ▁ 1 6 ▁Prin ces ▁Gate . ▁He ▁remained