Ethnographic Photography in Scotland

1

Early History of
Photography

Page 1

Further Notes

2

Types of Camera and  Photo

Page 2

Further Notes

3

Photographic
Societies

Page 3

Further Notes

4

Professional
Photographers

Page 4

Further Notes

5

Collections of Photos and Books

Page 5

Further Notes

Other talks:    Ethnographic Postcards in Scotland

Other talks:    History of Photography

 

Edinburgh University, School of Literature, Language and Cultures, Celtic and Scottish Studies

2nd Year Lecture:  February 22, 2010  -  Ethnographic Photography

 

Ethnographic Photography  -  Page 5  -  Further Notes

 

Ethnographic Photography in Scotland

Collections of Photos

and

Books

 

Further Notes

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

  • The Edinburgh Room is a reference library at Edinburgh Central Library, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh   -  no appointment necessary

  • It has a large collection of photos, paintings, sketches, engravings of Edinburgh.

  • The photos include work by:

  • Thomas Begbie

  • Francis M Chrystal

  • David Octavius Hill

  • Alexander Adam Inglis

  • Thomas Keith

  • James Patrick

  • John Patrick

  • James Good Tunny

  • James Patrick

  • George Washington Wilson

  • 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.

  • 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:

  • Victorian and Edwardian Edinburgh from old Photographs (CS Minto)

  • Victorian and Edwardian Scotland from old Photographs (CS Minto)

  • Edinburgh Old Town (Susan Varga)

  • Edinburgh New Town (Susan Varga)

  • The collection is gradually being added to the Library's Capital Collections web site.

2.  RCAHMS

  • RCAHMS (Royal Commission on Ancient & Historic Monuments in Scotland) has a Search Room at 16 Bernard Terrace.  No appointment is necessary.

  • There are photos of many streets and buildings in Scotland, stored in boxes on open shelves where they can be viewed.

  • 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.

  • Some of the aerial photographs appeared in these books:

  • Edinburgh from the Air - 70 years of Aerial Photography (M Cant)

  • Above Scotland - The National Collection of Aerial Photography (D Cowley)

3.  Scottish National Portrait Gallery

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • The collection includes work by many prominent photographers from around the world, including the following from Scotland:

  • James Craig Annan

  • Archibald Burns

  • William Carrick

  • William Donaldson Clark

  • David Octavius Hill

  • Thomas Keith

  • John Moffat

  • James Ross

  • James Good Tunny

  • George Washington Wilson

  • John Muir Wood

4.  Museum of Edinburgh

  • The Museum of Edinburgh is at 142 Canongate.

  • 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.

  • There are many categories of social interest:  Co-op, Newhaven Fishwives, Churches, Schools, etc.

  • Some of the photos relate to other museums run by the City of Edinburgh:

  • Newhaven Heritage Museum (currently closed, Jan 2010)

  • Queensferry Museum.

5.  Scottish Life Archive

  • The Scottish Life Archive is an archive within the National Museums of Scotland.  An appointment is needed to consult this archive.

  • 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.

  • The archive includes letters, diaries, books, pamphlets, newspaper cuttings and oral recordings as well as photographs.

  • 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.

6Living Memories Association

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • There is no charge for viewing thumbnail images on the site.  There is a small subscription charge for viewing larger images.

7.  Scran

  • 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.

  • The Scran web site now has over 300,000 images taken from over 300  collections, including the archives of  RCAHMS and Scotsman Publications.

  • 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

  • The School of Scottish Studies is part of Edinburgh University.

  • 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.

  • 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:

  • Stenlake books have a wide range of authors.  They cover villages and towns throughout Scotland and a few specialist themes, particularly transport.

  • 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

  • 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:

  • Malcolm Cant has been writing books on Edinburgh since 1984.  His more recent books (the last of which was published by Stenlake) include many previously unpublished photos from private collections.

  • Some recent titles: 

-  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:

  • Scotsman Publications publish 'The Scotsman' and the 'Evening News'.

  • 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.

  • They appear regularly in special features in the 'Evening News' and in calendars, and many have been added to the SCRAN web site.

  • 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:

  • Here are books about some of Edinburgh's better known 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

  • I've found that a good way to discover about photographic collections and the types of photo that they hold is to look at the credits beneath the photos that appear in books.

 

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End of Page 1

 

Ethnographic Photography in Scotland

1

Early History of
Photography

Page 1

Further Notes

2

Types of Camera and  Photo

Page 2

Further Notes

3

Photographic
Societies

Page 3

Further Notes

4

Professional
Photographers

Page 4

Further Notes

5

Collections of Photos and Books

Page 5

Further Notes

Other talks:    Ethnographic Postcards in Scotland

Other talks:    History of Photography

 

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