Edinburgh Calotype Club Album  -  Volume 2

Montgomery Family's Album

126 Photographs

The Calotype Club Album held by Edinburgh City Library includes 126 photographs, both portraits and landscapes, many from around Edinburgh and St Andrews, and three from Lacock Abbey attributed to William Henry Fox Talbot. 

Talbot was is believed to have been a member of the Edinburgh Calotype Club.  But, around the time that the Edinburgh Calotype Club was established, Talbot visited Edinburgh.  Fro many years, previously, he had been corresponding with Sir David Brewster of St Andrews who played a prominent part in the history of the Edinburgh Calotype Club.

The Photographers

This album, compiled by James Francis Montgomery, later Dean of St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place, Edinburgh, contains photos attributed to the following early photographers:

 **  Following discovery of the Tennent family's Edinburgh Calotype Club Album in 2001, with its full index, it may have become possible to attribute some of the remaining 73 photographs.

 NOTES on the PHOTOGRAPHERS

 *  This photograph, marked 'McP' was attributed to Robert MacPherson when the Album was acquired by  Edinburgh City Libraries.  However following further investigation, when the second album was acquired by the National Library of Scotland, no evidence has been found that Robert MacPherson was ever a Member of the Edinburgh Calotype Club.  it is now believed that the photographer is likely to have been James Calder MacPhail.

Similarly, photographs marked 'P' were attributed to Mungo Ponton, but no evidence has been found that he was ever a member of the Edinburgh Calotype Club. It is now believed that these photographs are likely to have been taken by Hugh Lyon Playfair.

** In the list above, there are 73 photos listed as  'photograph [not known]'.  However, the acquisition of the Tennent album and associated notes by the National Library of Scotland in 2001 has enabled some [how many?] of these photos to be attributed.