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Photographic Collections
There are many collections of
photographs in Edinburgh. Here are some that might be of interest,
based on my own experience in Edinburgh. There are also many
others not listed below.
1. Edinburgh Room
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The
Edinburgh Room is a reference library at Edinburgh Central Library,
George IV Bridge, Edinburgh - no appointment necessary
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It has a large collection of photos,
paintings, sketches, engravings of Edinburgh.
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The photos include work by:
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Thomas Begbie
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Francis M Chrystal
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David Octavius Hill
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Alexander Adam Inglis
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Thomas Keith
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James Patrick
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John Patrick
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James Good Tunny
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James Patrick
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George Washington Wilson
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These are indexed by subject and
artist / photographer, and there are 'Visual Index' folders on the
library shelves giving thumbprint images of some of the photos.
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Photos from the Edinburgh Room
collection appear in many books. Here are the titles of a few
books written by staff at the Edinburgh Room and dedicated entirely to
photos from this collection:
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Victorian and Edwardian Edinburgh from
old Photographs (CS Minto)
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Victorian and Edwardian Scotland from
old Photographs (CS Minto)
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Edinburgh Old Town
(Susan Varga)
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Edinburgh New Town
(Susan Varga)
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The collection is gradually being
added to the Library's
Capital Collections web site.
2. RCAHMS
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RCAHMS (Royal Commission on Ancient & Historic Monuments in
Scotland) has a Search Room at 16 Bernard Terrace. No appointment
is necessary.
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There are photos of many streets and
buildings in Scotland, stored in boxes on open shelves where they can be
viewed.
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RCAHMS also has a library of aerial
photographs. To see these photos, phone and make an
appointment to view. Let them know the topic of interest.
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Some of the aerial photographs
appeared in these books:
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Edinburgh from the Air - 70 years of
Aerial Photography (M Cant)
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Above Scotland - The National
Collection of Aerial Photography (D
Cowley)
3.
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
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The
Scottish
National Portrait Gallery has a large collection of photos.
Some of these have been included in exhibitions and books, but most are
normally kept in storage. They can be consulted by appointment,
but I believe that the gallery does not yet have a comprehensive index
for the public to consult.
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The Scottish Notional Portrait Gallery
is currently closed for refurbishment. I don't know to what extent
this has restricted access to their collection of photos.
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It was hoped that these photos might
become more accessible if the plans for creating a Scottish National
Photographic Centre in the former Royal High School came to fruition,
but that seems to be some way away yet.
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However, a book, 'A Companion's Guide
to Photography in the National Galleries of Scotland' was published in
2001. This gives some idea of the scope of the gallery's
collection of 30,000 photos.
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The collection includes work by many
prominent photographers from around the world, including the following
from Scotland:
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James Craig Annan
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Archibald Burns
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William Carrick
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William Donaldson Clark
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David Octavius Hill
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Thomas Keith
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John Moffat
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James Ross
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James Good Tunny
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George Washington Wilson
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John Muir Wood
4.
Museum of Edinburgh
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The
Museum of Edinburgh is at 142 Canongate.
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It has a collection of photos of
social interest, including many that have been donated to it from
private collections. An appointment is needed to see these.
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There are many categories of social
interest: Co-op, Newhaven Fishwives, Churches, Schools, etc.
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Some of the photos relate to other
museums run by the City of Edinburgh:
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Newhaven Heritage Museum
(currently closed, Jan 2010)
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Queensferry Museum.
5.
Scottish Life Archive
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The
Scottish Life Archive is an archive within the National Museums of
Scotland. An appointment is needed to consult this archive.
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The archive
was established in 1959
to collect, record and preserve documentary and illustrative evidence of
Scotland's material culture and social history. Most of the
material dates from 1880s onwards.
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The archive includes letters, diaries,
books, pamphlets, newspaper cuttings and oral recordings as well as
photographs.
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The National Museum of Scotland
describes the archive as being of interest to people
studying family history, local history and Scottish ethnology.
Images include traditional events, such as the celebrations of Beltane,
the Fire Ball Festival and the New Year's Day Ba' games.
6.
Living Memories Association
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The
Living
Memories Association is based at 64/1 The Causeway, Edinburgh.
It was formed in 1984 and has worked in residential centres,
community homes and elsewhere in Edinburgh, talking to people about
their lives. From these memories it has produced books, leaflets
and exhibitions.
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The Association has built up a
photographic archive of personal 'snaps'. Topics include
childhood, work, recreation, school, holidays and everyday activities.
Over 2,000 of these have now been added to the
archive on the LMA's web site.
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There is no charge for viewing
thumbnail images on the site. There is a small subscription charge
for viewing larger images.
7.
Scran
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Scran is now part of RCAHMS. It
was formed in 1996 to provide educational access to digital material
relating to the material, culture and history of Scotland.
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The Scran
web site now has over 300,000 images taken from over 300
collections, including the archives of RCAHMS and Scotsman
Publications.
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There is no charge for viewing
thumbnail images on the site. There is a small subscription charge
for viewing larger images.
8. School of Scottish Studies
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The School of Scottish Studies is part
of Edinburgh University.
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It has an
archive of 10,000 photos and colour slides, most dating from 1930s
to date in its basement at 27 George Square. These may be viewed
by appointment.
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Subject areas covered in the
collection include; Informants, Domestic Buildings, Household Economy,
Agriculture, Fishing, Transport & Communications, Crafts, Travellers,
Seasonal Customs, Music & Dance
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Books
1.
Stenlake Publishing:
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Stenlake books have a wide range of
authors. They cover villages and towns throughout Scotland and a
few specialist themes, particularly transport.
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Here are a few of the many titles:
- Old Cramond
- Old Dean and Stockbridge
- Old Gorgie
- Old Leith
- Old North Berwick
- Old Perth
- Edinburgh Trams - The Last Years
Vols 1,2,3,4
- Lost Railways of the Lothians
- Steamers of the Forth
Vols 1,2
- The Union Canal: A Capital Asset
- Wheels Around Edinburgh
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These books include old photos,
often taken from old postcards, published up to the 1930s* together
with a brief paragraph commenting on each photo.
* Postcards published more recently are still copyright so
are not normally used.
2.
Malcolm Cant Publications:
- Marchmont, Sciennes and the Grange
- Edinburgh Shops, Past and Present
- Edinburgh People at Work and Leisure
- South Edinburgh
- Edinburgh's Old Town and its Environs
- Edinburgh's New Town and its Environs
3. Scotsman Publications:
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Scotsman Publications publish 'The
Scotsman' and the 'Evening News'.
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Unfortunately, the archive of
'Evening News'
photos was thrown out when the company moved premises in the 1960s.
However, good use has been made of the photos that have survived.
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They appear regularly in special
features in the 'Evening
News' and in calendars, and many have been added to the SCRAN web
site.
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Titles of books featuring photos from
the Scotsman Publications archive include:
- Edinburgh Since 1900
Ninety Years of Photographs
- Edinburgh
The Fabulous 50s
- Living Memories
A Portrait of Edinburgh in the Last Century
4. Books about Photographers:
- David Octavius Hill & Robert Adamson
(National Galleries of Scotland)
- George Washington
Wilson - Artist and Photographer, 1823-93
(Roger Taylor)
- Thomas Begbie's Edinburgh - A
Mid-Victorian Portrait
(D Patterson + Joe Rock)
- Yerbury Photographic Collection -
1850-1993 (Malcolm Cant + Trevor E
Yerbury)
5. Other Collections
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