Watford makes photographic history

12200905494?profile=originalSo what is the connection between this Hertfordshire borough, Captain Robert Scott's doomed Terra Nova expedition of June 1910 and photography?

Well, I only just came across this news article published in the local Watford Observer (August 2010) of an unexpected find of Watford photographic history in the Antarctica by a South Oxhey conservation expert, Georgina Whiteley. The project project was centered on restoring items, including 150 packages of glass plate negatives, from photographer Herbert Ponting's darkroom. 

Ms Whiteley, 30, said: "The majority of plates are by the Paget Prize Plate Company, an old Watford-based manufacturer. The company was not in existence for very long, which makes these packages very rare indeed. It was a very nice surprise to be working on so much Watford material out there."

12200906087?profile=originalThe full news article can be found here. So, I guess no more 'north of Watford' jokes from now on, as it appears this town has made its mark in photo history!

 

Photos: A selection of glass plate negatives by Paget Prize (copyright Georgina Whiteley)




 

 

 

E-mail me when people leave their comments –

You need to be a member of British Photographic History to add comments!

Join British Photographic History

Blog Topics by Tags

Monthly Archives