Historical and interesting photos
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London Underground, 24th May 1862: Chancellor of the Exchequer, William Ewart Gladstone, and directors and engineers of the Metropolitan Railway Company, embark on an inspection tour of the world's first underground line. Built between Paddington and the City of London, it opened in January of the following year. Gladstone - who became Prime Minister in 1868 for the first of four terms in office - is seen in the front row, near right.
Christina, the daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Mervyn O'Gorman, the Superintendant of the Royal Aircraft Factory, taken around 1913. The close-up colour photo of O’Gorman’s daughter was dramatic and unusual for the time. It was taken on the beach at Lulworth Cove, Dorset, during a family holiday. Christina featured in much of O'Gorman's work. As well as his military career O'Gorman also had artistic interests and was known as somewhat of a dandy
Fading Away, 1858, by British photographer Henry Peach Robinson, shows a young girl on her deathbed, dying of consumption, and surrounded by her family. It is an example of combination printing, and five different negatives were used to make one complete print. The print was controversial when it was exhibited, with many believing death was not a suitable subject for photography
A member of the warden's service fitting a gas mask, 1944, a photograph by John Hinde. The picture was taken as part of an illustration for the book Citizens at War - showing the role that civilians had in defence. Born into a Quaker community, Hinde became a photographer for the civil defence forces instead of a soldier. He was one of the pioneers of early colour photography
Back in the good old days when the whole of the island of Ireland, rather than just the top bit, was part of the UK. It was one of the tragedies of 20th century history that what is now the Republic of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922 against the wishes of most of its people.
Forced into a head brace, bound and held up by police officers, or sitting down with their eyes rolled back in their heads - these are the harrowing faces of mental illness in the Victorian era.
Diagnosed with conditions such as ‘imbecility,’ ‘simple mania,’ and ‘acute melancholia’, all of them were patients at the West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum, Yorkshire, in 1869.
But while some of their treatment may appear barbaric by modern standards, this asylum, its founder William Tuke, and chief neurologist Sir James Crichton-Browne, actually paved the way for ethical treatment of the mentally ill.
The West Riding Asylum, based near Wakefield, was the sixth institution of its kind in the UK to take those with mental conditions out of the way of regular society to a place of relative protection.
To that end, the hospital-come-boarding house was entirely self-sufficient, housing its own bakery, butchery, dairy, shop and laundry.
Previously those with mental disorders were exhibited in bedlams, such as the famous one in London, imprisoned in cells, or chained to walls in workhouses.
This new, relatively compassionate approach was driven by the asylum's founder, William Tuke, a Quaker who believed in the sanctity of life and of behaving kindly and morally to all of humanity.
Mark Davis, author of Voices From The Asylum, a book on the West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum, said: 'This new, relatively compassionate approach was driven by William Tuke the founder of the York Retreat which opened in 1796 after Hannah Mills, a Quaker, died at the York asylum in 1790.
'Tuke, a Quaker believed in the sanctity of life and of behaving kindly and morally to all of humanity. At that time Dr Samuel Best who superintended York asylum regarded the mentally ill as less than human, and while in the asylum inmates were denied access to religion and God.
'Quakers, who believe there is a spark of divinity in everyone, were appalled by this. The Retreat is still famous today for having pioneered the humane treatment and moral treatment that became a model for asylums around the world.'
The West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum influenced the name of the 2009 album by Leicester neo-psychedelic rockers Kasabian: West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum.
These pictures, taken in 1869 at the West Riding Pauper Launatic Asylum near Wakefield, Yorkshire (now West Yorkshire), show some of the patients interred there. While some of the treatment looks barbaric to modern eyes, in fact the centre pioneered the way for ethical treatment of the mentally ill
The photographs are part of a 5,000-strong collection of detailed documents on patients taken by Sir James Crichton-Browne, the chief neurologist at West Riding, who helped lead the way in medical treatment of mental disorders
Two men interred at West Riding Asylum are pictured. While the patients were cut off from regular society, they were kept out of restraints as much as possible, allowed to partake in hobbies, and could get jobs at the on site bakery, butcher, or shop
Read more: Portraits of patients at Victorian lunatic asylum treated for 'mania and melancholia' | Daily Mail Online Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Diagnosed with conditions such as ‘imbecility,’ ‘simple mania,’ and ‘acute melancholia’, all of them were patients at the West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum, Yorkshire, in 1869.
But while some of their treatment may appear barbaric by modern standards, this asylum, its founder William Tuke, and chief neurologist Sir James Crichton-Browne, actually paved the way for ethical treatment of the mentally ill.
The West Riding Asylum, based near Wakefield, was the sixth institution of its kind in the UK to take those with mental conditions out of the way of regular society to a place of relative protection.
To that end, the hospital-come-boarding house was entirely self-sufficient, housing its own bakery, butchery, dairy, shop and laundry.
Previously those with mental disorders were exhibited in bedlams, such as the famous one in London, imprisoned in cells, or chained to walls in workhouses.
This new, relatively compassionate approach was driven by the asylum's founder, William Tuke, a Quaker who believed in the sanctity of life and of behaving kindly and morally to all of humanity.
Mark Davis, author of Voices From The Asylum, a book on the West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum, said: 'This new, relatively compassionate approach was driven by William Tuke the founder of the York Retreat which opened in 1796 after Hannah Mills, a Quaker, died at the York asylum in 1790.
'Tuke, a Quaker believed in the sanctity of life and of behaving kindly and morally to all of humanity. At that time Dr Samuel Best who superintended York asylum regarded the mentally ill as less than human, and while in the asylum inmates were denied access to religion and God.
'Quakers, who believe there is a spark of divinity in everyone, were appalled by this. The Retreat is still famous today for having pioneered the humane treatment and moral treatment that became a model for asylums around the world.'
The West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum influenced the name of the 2009 album by Leicester neo-psychedelic rockers Kasabian: West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum.
These pictures, taken in 1869 at the West Riding Pauper Launatic Asylum near Wakefield, Yorkshire (now West Yorkshire), show some of the patients interred there. While some of the treatment looks barbaric to modern eyes, in fact the centre pioneered the way for ethical treatment of the mentally ill
The photographs are part of a 5,000-strong collection of detailed documents on patients taken by Sir James Crichton-Browne, the chief neurologist at West Riding, who helped lead the way in medical treatment of mental disorders
Two men interred at West Riding Asylum are pictured. While the patients were cut off from regular society, they were kept out of restraints as much as possible, allowed to partake in hobbies, and could get jobs at the on site bakery, butcher, or shop
Read more: Portraits of patients at Victorian lunatic asylum treated for 'mania and melancholia' | Daily Mail Online Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
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These 170-year-old images reveal what life was like in the world’s most famous canal city before it was mobbed by hordes of gondola-riding tourists.
Some of the earliest photos of Venice – snapped in the 1840s and 1850s – show an empty piazza in front of St Mark’s Basilica, the Ca’ d’Oro palace under restoration, and a Grand Canal with very little boat traffic.
The tranquil scenes are a far cry from modern-day Venice, which is visited by an estimated 10 million tourists a year.
The black and white photos, discovered in a UK country auction in 2006, have been confirmed as daguerreotypes – images developed on a polished metal plate – that belonged to influential English art critic and writer John Ruskin.
The ‘lost photographs’ were taken mostly by Ruskin, who died in 1900 at the age of 80, while he was working on his three-volume treatise on Venetian art and architecture.
They include the largest collection of daguerreotypes of Venice and possibly the earliest surviving photos of the French and Swiss Alps.
The photos have been preserved and identified by collectors and historians Ken and Jenny Jacobson, who have co-authored a book that documents Ruskin’s photography.
Based on their suspicion that the images belonged to Ruskin, the Essex couple acquired the lot at an auction in Cumbria, where Ruskin lived.
A bidding war with another collector raised the price to £75,000 from an original estimate of just £80.
Ken Jacobson, who has been collecting historic photos with his wife for almost 45 years, said: ‘The discovery of 188 previously unknown John Ruskin daguerreotypes has been the most exciting of our career.
‘The propitious circumstances of this find were truly magnified many times over by the fascinating discoveries we made during our research and the generosity, intelligence and friendship we shared with other scholars and our conservators.
‘We feel that the quality and unorthodox style of many of Ruskin’s daguerreotypes will come as a major surprise to both photographic historians and those in the field of Ruskin scholarship.
‘It is an astonishing accomplishment for a polymath better known for his achievements in so many other disciplines. Ruskin’s daguerreotypes would be a sensational new revelation in the history of photography even if he were completely unknown. We hope the work will be as intriguing to others as it has been to us.’
Published by Bernard Quaritch, the 432-page book, Carrying Off the Palaces: John Ruskin’s Lost Daguerreotypes, contains a fully illustrated catalogue raisonne of the 325 known daguerreotypes, plus details about the Jacobsons’ research.
At the time these photos were taken in the 1840s and 1850s, Italy didn't exist. Venice was an independent republic, but it was conquered by Napoleon in 1797 during the First Coalition. When these photos were taken, Vienna was part of the Austrian-held Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia before a revolt in 1848/49 re-established the Venetian Republic under Daniele Manin.
This photo from the book shows Venice's tranquil Grand Canal and Ca' d'Oro palace under restoration in 1845
The Ducal Palace (right), Zecca di Venezia (left) and the St Mark's Campanile bell tower are pictured, circa 1851
A small group of people gathers at the piazza in front of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice in 1845; today the square is teeming with tourists
This photo shows Palazzo Gritti-Badoer with laundry drying on lines outside (circa 1846-1852)
Ducal Palace was a popular photography spot; this image shows a south-facing window looking out towards a lagoon (circa 1849-1852)
This photo from John Ruskin's collection shows moored boats in the harbour at Arona, Italy on a summer day in July 1858
John Ruskin snapped or collected the images while he was working on his three-volume treatise on Venetian art and architecture
Read more: John Ruskin's lost photos of Venice published in new book | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Some of the earliest photos of Venice – snapped in the 1840s and 1850s – show an empty piazza in front of St Mark’s Basilica, the Ca’ d’Oro palace under restoration, and a Grand Canal with very little boat traffic.
The tranquil scenes are a far cry from modern-day Venice, which is visited by an estimated 10 million tourists a year.
The black and white photos, discovered in a UK country auction in 2006, have been confirmed as daguerreotypes – images developed on a polished metal plate – that belonged to influential English art critic and writer John Ruskin.
The ‘lost photographs’ were taken mostly by Ruskin, who died in 1900 at the age of 80, while he was working on his three-volume treatise on Venetian art and architecture.
They include the largest collection of daguerreotypes of Venice and possibly the earliest surviving photos of the French and Swiss Alps.
The photos have been preserved and identified by collectors and historians Ken and Jenny Jacobson, who have co-authored a book that documents Ruskin’s photography.
Based on their suspicion that the images belonged to Ruskin, the Essex couple acquired the lot at an auction in Cumbria, where Ruskin lived.
A bidding war with another collector raised the price to £75,000 from an original estimate of just £80.
Ken Jacobson, who has been collecting historic photos with his wife for almost 45 years, said: ‘The discovery of 188 previously unknown John Ruskin daguerreotypes has been the most exciting of our career.
‘The propitious circumstances of this find were truly magnified many times over by the fascinating discoveries we made during our research and the generosity, intelligence and friendship we shared with other scholars and our conservators.
‘We feel that the quality and unorthodox style of many of Ruskin’s daguerreotypes will come as a major surprise to both photographic historians and those in the field of Ruskin scholarship.
‘It is an astonishing accomplishment for a polymath better known for his achievements in so many other disciplines. Ruskin’s daguerreotypes would be a sensational new revelation in the history of photography even if he were completely unknown. We hope the work will be as intriguing to others as it has been to us.’
Published by Bernard Quaritch, the 432-page book, Carrying Off the Palaces: John Ruskin’s Lost Daguerreotypes, contains a fully illustrated catalogue raisonne of the 325 known daguerreotypes, plus details about the Jacobsons’ research.
At the time these photos were taken in the 1840s and 1850s, Italy didn't exist. Venice was an independent republic, but it was conquered by Napoleon in 1797 during the First Coalition. When these photos were taken, Vienna was part of the Austrian-held Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia before a revolt in 1848/49 re-established the Venetian Republic under Daniele Manin.
This photo from the book shows Venice's tranquil Grand Canal and Ca' d'Oro palace under restoration in 1845
The Ducal Palace (right), Zecca di Venezia (left) and the St Mark's Campanile bell tower are pictured, circa 1851
Ducal Palace was a popular photography spot; this image shows a south-facing window looking out towards a lagoon (circa 1849-1852)
This photo from John Ruskin's collection shows moored boats in the harbour at Arona, Italy on a summer day in July 1858
John Ruskin snapped or collected the images while he was working on his three-volume treatise on Venetian art and architecture
Read more: John Ruskin's lost photos of Venice published in new book | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
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Not a photo per se, but interesting none the less. Circ 1897.
Old and antique prints and maps: Canada, Manitoba, British Columbia etc., 1897, Canada antique maps
Old and antique prints and maps: Canada, Manitoba, British Columbia etc., 1897, Canada antique maps
A London Slum: Market Court, Kensington, 1860s. Demolished in the late 1860s. One is used to seeing photographs of the poor in London's East End, but Kensington, the home of Harrods and Harvy Nichols? Today Kensington is a fashionable, very expensive part of London, but once it provided housing for the poor
The very first photograph of the England football team (and an umpire). Taken before England’s fifth international match on March 4th 1876 (they lost 3-0 against Scotland in Glasgow), it shows a line-up featuring the early superstars of the game.
Along with Scotland, England is the oldest national football team in the world, followed by Wales and then Ireland (now Northern Ireland). All four teams were founded before FIFA was founded, which is why one nation state - the UK - has four "national" football teams.
Back row, left to right: E. Field, W.S. Buchanan, C.E. Smith, F.T. Green, W.J. Maynard. Front row: A.H. Savage, J. Turner (umpire), H. Heron (capt), E.H. Bambridge, F. Heron. Sitting on floor: B.G. Jarrett.
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North Street, St Andrews, Edinburgh: women and children baiting fishing line, circa 1843
This photograph, taken between 1843-45, shows Grace Ramsay and four other fishwives in Newhaven, Edinburgh
Left is a photograph of Jimmy Miller, the son of surgeon Professor James Miller, and right are two members of the 42nd Gordon Highlanders, which was taken in 1844
The Thames from London to Oxford in the 1850s, in pictures
Some of the earliest photos taken of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Windsor Castle have emerged for sale - more than 150 years after they were made. The historic shots formed the first documented collection of the River Thames and were taken in the 1850s by Victor Prout. At the time the photos were taken, the Houses of Parliament (above) were being rebuilt after the previous ones burnt down in 1834. Construction started in 1840 and wouldn't finish until 1870. Picture: © SWNS.com
Great Marlow Lock, Buckinghamshire: Prout created the photos using his own innovative technique and processed them on the spot in a boat specially-adapted with a darkroom. Picture: © SWNS.com
Prout was commissioned to take the pictures for The Book of the Thames: From Its Rise To Its Fall, by Mr. and Mrs S.G. Hall. They were eventually published by Prout's father's publishing company, Virtue and Co, around 1862. This is a picture of Richmond Bridge over the Thames in London, which was built between 1774 and 1777 and is now a Grade I listed building
Only a handful of copies are known to exist, with most in specialist collections, and the last to appear at auction was at Sothebys in 1981. Above is a photo of a man relaxing by the river in Twickenham in south west London in the 1850s. The area today is famous for Twickenham Stadium which, with a capacity of 82,000, is the fourth-largest sports stadium in Europe and the largest stadium in the world dedicated solely to rugby union
The collection will be sold by Antiquates Ltd - Fine and Rare Books, at the Oxford book fair for £28,500. Above is the medieval Wallingford Bridge over the Thames, which connects the Berkshire town of Wallingford with the village of Crowmarsh Gifford, which was in Berkshire at the time this photo was taken but is now in Oxfordshire
Windsor Castle, Berkshire, was already nearly 800 years old when this photo of it was taken in the 1850s. One of the Royal Family's official residences, the castle was built by the Normans in the late 10th Century and has been occupied by succeeding monarchs since William the Conqueror's son Henry I, who reigned from 1100 to 1135. It is the oldest and biggest occupied castle in the world
The new Palace of Westminster, the royal palace which is the meeting place of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, being built after the previous one burnt down in 1834. Construction started in 1840 and wouldn't be finished until 1870.
The Thames from London to Oxford by Victor Prout Picture: © SWNS.com
The Thames from London to Oxford in the 1850s, in pictures - Telegraph
Some of the earliest photos taken of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Windsor Castle have emerged for sale - more than 150 years after they were made. The historic shots formed the first documented collection of the River Thames and were taken in the 1850s by Victor Prout. At the time the photos were taken, the Houses of Parliament (above) were being rebuilt after the previous ones burnt down in 1834. Construction started in 1840 and wouldn't finish until 1870. Picture: © SWNS.com
Windsor Castle, Berkshire, was already nearly 800 years old when this photo of it was taken in the 1850s. One of the Royal Family's official residences, the castle was built by the Normans in the late 10th Century and has been occupied by succeeding monarchs since William the Conqueror's son Henry I, who reigned from 1100 to 1135. It is the oldest and biggest occupied castle in the world
The Thames from London to Oxford in the 1850s, in pictures - Telegraph
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At first glance, it looks as if these images of Britain are daguerreotypes taken in the 1840s and 1850s.
But, in fact, they were taken in the 2010s!
Digital cameras have revolutionised photography, making photography cheap, easier and readily available to all.
However, one photographer has shunned modern equipment to use a 160-year-old method that requires a portable dark room and an enormous camera that captures just one image every 15 minutes.
The collodion process - otherwise known as the wet plate process - was wildly popular from the 1850s to the 1880s. Invented by Frederick Scott Archer, it was known for giving fine detail but also for being highly impractical.
Jonathan Keys, 41, from Newcastle, has been practicing the process for three years and says the results are highly satisfying. 'It's definitely far more rewarding than digital photography because of the time and attention needed for each picture,' he said.
Mr Keys will only take two to six photographs per day when using the wet plate process and reckons there are only around 50 people doing it in the UK.
While this style of photography may be completely baffling to most who simply press a button on their phone for instant snaps, Mr Keys takes a lot of joy from it.
He said: 'The fun part of it for myself is the need to be near a darkroom to process each shot. 'It's similar to a polaroid, once it's been shot you can move onto the next shot without thinking about the time you have to spend in Photoshop.'
'In theory it's actually quicker because many working photographers will spend hours on Photoshop, however you do end up with less images.'
The process starts in the darkroom by pouring collodion onto one side of glass and then dipping it into silver nitrate, which makes it sensitive to light. While still under dark room conditions, the plate is then loaded into a camera and taken to Jonathan's desired location.
Jonathan will then take his lens cap off the camera to expose the plate to light and guess how long the cap needs to be off for to obtain correct exposure.
The plate is then taken back to a dark room and developed in a similar way to conventional film negatives.
Unlike negatives and digital photos, the finished plate can be sealed with varnish to stop the silver oxidising and achieves a permanent record, as proven by stills taken 150 years ago.
Mr Keys admits that he's often quizzed by curious members of the public about using such an unusual camera, including famous comedian Johnny Vegas.
Echoes of history: A street scene in MODERN Newcastle city centre near the Quayside area taken by Jonathan Keys using the collodion process - an archaic photographic method
Mr Keys will only take two to six photographs per day when using the wet plate process and reckons there are only around 50 people doing it in the UK. Pictured, a busy street in Newcastle city centre
Clash of cultures: A Roman re-enactor in front of modern cars, captured using a 160-year-old photographic method (top). Bottom, cars sit incongruously in the street scene
But, in fact, they were taken in the 2010s!
Digital cameras have revolutionised photography, making photography cheap, easier and readily available to all.
However, one photographer has shunned modern equipment to use a 160-year-old method that requires a portable dark room and an enormous camera that captures just one image every 15 minutes.
The collodion process - otherwise known as the wet plate process - was wildly popular from the 1850s to the 1880s. Invented by Frederick Scott Archer, it was known for giving fine detail but also for being highly impractical.
Jonathan Keys, 41, from Newcastle, has been practicing the process for three years and says the results are highly satisfying. 'It's definitely far more rewarding than digital photography because of the time and attention needed for each picture,' he said.
Mr Keys will only take two to six photographs per day when using the wet plate process and reckons there are only around 50 people doing it in the UK.
While this style of photography may be completely baffling to most who simply press a button on their phone for instant snaps, Mr Keys takes a lot of joy from it.
He said: 'The fun part of it for myself is the need to be near a darkroom to process each shot. 'It's similar to a polaroid, once it's been shot you can move onto the next shot without thinking about the time you have to spend in Photoshop.'
'In theory it's actually quicker because many working photographers will spend hours on Photoshop, however you do end up with less images.'
The process starts in the darkroom by pouring collodion onto one side of glass and then dipping it into silver nitrate, which makes it sensitive to light. While still under dark room conditions, the plate is then loaded into a camera and taken to Jonathan's desired location.
Jonathan will then take his lens cap off the camera to expose the plate to light and guess how long the cap needs to be off for to obtain correct exposure.
The plate is then taken back to a dark room and developed in a similar way to conventional film negatives.
Unlike negatives and digital photos, the finished plate can be sealed with varnish to stop the silver oxidising and achieves a permanent record, as proven by stills taken 150 years ago.
Mr Keys admits that he's often quizzed by curious members of the public about using such an unusual camera, including famous comedian Johnny Vegas.
Echoes of history: A street scene in MODERN Newcastle city centre near the Quayside area taken by Jonathan Keys using the collodion process - an archaic photographic method
Mr Keys will only take two to six photographs per day when using the wet plate process and reckons there are only around 50 people doing it in the UK. Pictured, a busy street in Newcastle city centre
Clash of cultures: A Roman re-enactor in front of modern cars, captured using a 160-year-old photographic method (top). Bottom, cars sit incongruously in the street scene
A portrait of a couple in Newcastle city centre. While this style of photography may be completely baffling to most who simply press a button on their phone for instant snaps, Mr Keys takes a lot of joy from it
Clash: The historic buildings of the north-east city jar with the modern cars because of the archaic photographic method
Read more: Photographer uses 130-year-old plate camera to capture pictures of modern Britain (but you need to stand still for 15 minutes for it to work) | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Clash: The historic buildings of the north-east city jar with the modern cars because of the archaic photographic method
Read more: Photographer uses 130-year-old plate camera to capture pictures of modern Britain (but you need to stand still for 15 minutes for it to work) | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Re: Few more old and interesting photos
it's called geritolAnd still desperately searching for that mysterious Fountain of Youth!
I like this photo. Reminds me of around the time my grandfather may have been a young man.Nice.. thanks..
ARMY TRENDS @peaceforforces
