The 1891 Census lists him as a Photographer, born at Aston Upon Trent, Derbyshire and living in Market Jew street, Penzance. John Moody Jr was born in 1824, the son of John and Mary Moody. The family had moved to Taunton Somerset where three of John Jr's siblings were born before John Sr died in 1835. Mary and her children moved within Taunton to live with a married older sister (1841 Census record). By 1851 John had moved on to Marylebone, Middlesex to work as a cordwainer (boot and shoe maker) where he married in 1852. Sometime after 1861 he moved to Redruth where his brother, the Redruth photographer James Moody was living. John's wife died at Redruth in 1870. It has been assumed previously that John was James' son but they were siblings. By 1871 James Moody had opened a photographic branch at Penzance and installed his brother, John, as the manager. When John became the sole proprietor of the Penzance business is not clear as photographs for both Redruth and Penzance are inscribed J Moody, but John Moody only is entered in Kelly's directory as sole photographer at 27 Market Jew Street in 1883. However brother James Moody died in 1887 and John continued as a photographer in Penzance probably until 1900. The 1901 census describes him as a retired photographer and he had moved from the Market Jew Street premises. He died in 1914 having lived with his daughter, Mary Ann Stewart and her family for the interim years.