More than 8,000 black-and-white images, amounting to a collection of some of the finest early English landscape photography that is ‘of national significance’, has been acquired by Historic England (HE) for posterity.
Revered photographic consultant Janette Rosing (1942–2021) spent her life building the collection of 19th- and early-20th-century photographs, a passion that started when she stumbled upon a picture of Hartland Quay, Devon, before it was ravaged by a storm. Acquired as part of the Government’s Acceptance in Lieu scheme, the photographs have undergone a conservation assessment and there are hopes that, with a bit of fundraising, HE will be able to catalogue and digitise the entire collection.
‘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,’ comments Ian Savage, HE’s collections manager. ‘Rosing’s collection will continue to connect us with our history and inspire future generations to appreciate England’s rich cultural legacy.’
HE’s Early Photographic Print Collection, of which these new images are now a part, comprises more than 22,000 items and is available to search online; the entire archive of photographs, drawings, plans, documents and publications from the 1850s to the present day numbers some 14 million items.
Scroll on for some of our favourites and visit the HE website to see more.
Samuel Smith sitting on the porch steps at the ruined Hunstanton Hall, Norfolk, shortly after it was largely destroyed by fire, by Samuel Smith
Fishing boats and the Red Lion Hotel in Clovelly, Cornwall, by James Valentine
Former weavers’ tenement houses at 3-5, Club Row in London's Bethnal Green, by Whiffen
St Clement’s Church in Sandwich, Kent, seen from the south, by W G Campbell
People gathered at the Lookout in Clovelly, Devon, by an unknown photographer
Looking down Watermouth Bay, Devon towards the sea, by an Unknown photographer
Fishing boats in the harbour at Plymouth — with the Barbican in the background Plymouth, Devon, by W. J. Cox
The ruins of St Joseph’s Chapel at Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset, by Linnaeus Tripe
Looking along the River Tees towards the ruins of Barnard Castle in Durham, by James Mudd
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