Historic England has acquired more than 8,000 rare early photographs of England.
Now, Londoners and other history buffs will be able to peruse some of the earliest pictures of London (and the rest of the UK) on the Historic England online archive – the organisation has just acquired a new ‘world-class’ collection, featuring 8,000 of the earliest and ‘finest’ photos of England.
Historic England (HE) has got its hands on the Janette Rosing collection – a hoard of historic photographs of Old Blighty collected by the renowned photographic consultant, connoisseur, and collector throughout her life, reports Time Out.
Now, many of Rosing’s thousands of 19th and early 20th century photographs have undergone a detailed conservation assessment before being digitised and added to the HE archive.
Among the collection is a photograph of St Paul’s Cathedral from Bankside taken by pioneering Scottish photographer George Washington Wilson at some point between 1860 and 1900 (above).
Duncan Wilson, the chief executive of Historic England, said the “scale and rarity” of Rosing’s images made the collection one of “great national significance.”
The Guardian reports that the trove of images shows England at a time of great change, with a particular focus on “coastal and inland landscapes, built heritage, ancient buildings and monuments, towns and villages, street life and tall sailing ships”.
Ian Savage, the collections manager at Historic England, said: “From maritime scenes by James Mudd to detailed architectural studies by Linnaeus Tripe, each photograph in this exceptional collection offers a glimpse into the past, showcasing Janette Rosing’s expert eye for quality. Rosing’s collection will continue to connect us with our history and inspire future generations to appreciate England’s rich cultural legacy.”
The collection has been acquired as part of the government’s acceptance in lieu scheme, administered by Arts Council England. The scheme allows individuals to donate important cultural items to museums and galleries in return for a tax reduction, and preserve them for the benefit of the public.
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