Welcome...

Welcome to the British photographic history blog which was launched at the start of 2009. There are now over 4200 members, in addition to regular readers. These range from museum and gallery curators, photographic academics, students, collectors, dealers and representatives from the photographic press from around the world. The blog provides a forum for news of events and happenings within the British photographic history community. This can include lectures or meetings, exhibition news, jobs, reviews and general news affecting collections of photographic material or individuals within the field. While the focus is on Britain it may, on occasion, include material that is of wider interest from Europe, the United States, Africa and Asia.

A summary of the previous week's posts is usually emailed to signed up readers each Monday. 

Dr Michael Pritchard

PS. Thanks to George Eastman House (now George Eastman Museum) and History Today magazine blogs for recommending British Photographic History as one of their own favourite blogs. The Daily Telegraph made BPH one of its photography websites of the week

A collection of extraordinary 19th-century portraits that radically shifts our understanding of the presence and identities of the Black subject in Victorian Britain. These striking studio portraits, curated and brought together following ten years of research championed by Autograph, constitute the most comprehensive collection of 19th-century photography depicting the Black subject in the Victorian era, including some of the earliest known images of Black people photographed in…

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13551654876?profile=RESIZE_400x We are delighted to advertise a job opportunity at the museum. There is a vacancy for the post of Curatorial Assistant, a position funded by our award from Research England's Higher Education Museums, Galleries, and Collections Fund. The role will help extend our services to external researchers, as well as assist with general duties in the museum. You can find the advert and…

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13551654666?profile=RESIZE_400x The programme has been published and registration open for the Photographic History Research Centere's annual conference, which is themed Photography, Value, History

What is the history of photography’s value a history of? Is it a labour and economic history? An institutional history of museum cataloguing systems and art market pressure? A history of the values…

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13109473453?profile=RESIZE_400x A groundbreaking new tour tracing the footsteps of legendary 19th-century photographer John Thomson is set to launch this season. This unique journey offers photography enthusiasts, history buffs, and cultural explorers the chance to experience the people, landscapes, and traditions of China as Thomson did during his pioneering travels in the 1860s.

The John Thomson in China – A…

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Call for book donations - Focal Press


The Kraszna-Krausz Foundation is seeking donations of Focal Press books or the two magazines published by Focal, the publishing imprint specialising in photographic and film processes and techniques. Books with illustrative covers and dust wrappers would be welcome in particular. In addition, any catalogues or other Focal Press printed materials from the period 1938 to 1978 would also be of interest. Focal Press was founded in 1938 by Andor Kraszna-Krausz, who established the charitable…

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I am currently writing the Eastham brothers’ life story for inclusion in the PCCGB’s book to commemorate their 50th Anniversary. Over the years I have assembled a collection of their cartes de visite, and those of their brother Enos  (1826 – 1886).

I need help trying to ascertain whether they actually purchased a daguerreotype licence in late 1845 or early 1846 presumably from Beard’s licensee for Lancashire, John Johnson.

On 25 August 1845 Messrs. Holt and Eastham,…

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13543342278?profile=RESIZE_400x The Directory of Travelling Photographers. Part 1: 1841-1881 and the new Part 2: 1882-1921 are now both available online via the Romany and Traveller Family History Society (RTFHS) website. The website has just been updated with part 2. Additional records have been found for the earlier period, and for post -921. It is hoped to incorporate these into one consolidated…

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The receipients of the Archives Revealed Scoping Grant programme for 2025-26 managed by The National Archives have been announced. Inevitably photography is integral to many of the recipients' collections. The programme is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Pilgrim Trust, the Wolfson Foundation and The National Archives.

Of particular note is Oldham Archives which holds the Oldham Chronicle collection. The Chronicle archive is 77.3 cubic metres in…

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Information and discussion on all aspects of British photographic history ranging from news, exhibitions and museum updates, to publications, and jobs. BPH is intended to be collaborative so do add your own posts. 

 

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