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Scottish Photographic Federation
and
Midlothian Photographic
Association
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Invitation to EPS
to join the
Scottish Photographic Federation
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Edinburgh
Photographic Society was invited to join a newly-formed body in 1903 -
'The Scottish Federation of Photographic Societies'.
The Society
sent two delegates to hear the proposals, then reported back to EPS Council.
The Council considered the matter, but declined the invitation. Their
reason is given in the following letter to the SPF, sent by J S McCulloch,
Hon Sec, EPS:
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Letter from EPS to SPF
23 January 1902
Dear Sir,
The
delegates which this Society sent to Perth on the 17th curt. to confer
with those sent by other Scottish Photographic Societies on
their affiliation, reported on the result of that meeting to the
Council of this Society last night; and I have been instructed to
convey to you the decision come to by the latter on the subject as
follows, viz:-
My Council was
led to believe that the Affiliation of the Scottish Photographic
Societies was the object of the meeting; and it was prepared, although
it would undoubtedly entail much labour on it and its officials, to
entertain the idea favourably, more for the benefit of those other
Societies who may not be in such a fortunate position, than for any
advantage which might accrue to this Society beyond what it at present
enjoys.
My Council regret that the
original Scheme of Affiliation has been departed from in favour of a
Federal Scheme; and while wishing you all success in your undertaking
if your Committee feel that the objects they have in view will be more
readily attained by the latter method, this Society must most
respectfully beg the Federated Societies to be excused from joining
them.
I am
DEAR SIR
Yours faithfully
J S McCulloch
Hon. Sec.
[Transactions of EPS: Feb
1903, p.69] |
In fact, both the Edinburgh and Glasgow societies declined
to join the SPF. They received criticism for doing so in the
photographic press. In Photographic Notes, "'Wide Angle"
described Edinburgh's position as "the art of quibbling" and
"the most egotistical one that might be imagined". |
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Establishment
of
Midlothian Photographic Association.
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Representatives of EPS attended the
first meeting of the Scottish Photographic Federation in the rooms of the
Perthshire Society of Natural Science on 17 January 1903. However
EPS was not represented at the second meeting. For several years,
EPS discussed the merits of becoming affiliated to the SPF, but
still declined to join the SPF
A
group of prominent EPS Members consequently broke away from the Society
and formed a new society in 1907. They discussed several possible
names for their new society, than chose The Midlothian Photographic
Association.
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Midlothian Photographic Association.
President
Archibald MacLucas
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Archibald
MacLucas became President Midlothian Photographic Association and
brought the two societies back together again in 1915. |
SPF
In his President's Opening Address to EPS, delivered on 1
October 1919, P T Mackintosh looked back on some recent events and said:
" ... A little earlier we had an important
accession to our ranks, when the Midlothian Photographic Association linked
up with us.
The members of that Association,
enthusiastic hard-working amateurs for the most part, have proved a great
source of strength to the old Society"
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Archibald MacLucas
Archibald MacLucas became President of EPS in 1917 and
again in 1942.
It was reported in 1951 that
“the
Grand Old Man of EPS has been taken ill”, but he survived a
little longer. He was elected
Vice President of EPS in 1954, but died the following day. |
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Scottish Photographic Federation
Later Years |
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Edinburgh
Photographic Society went on to become a prominent member of the Scottish
Photographic Federation and still competes in the SPF print and slide
competitions. EPS entries in the SPF competitions were particularly
successful until the mid-20th century. |
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In his
President's Opening Address to EPS, delivered on 1 October 1919, P T
Mackintosh said:
"Recently, we joined the Scottish
Photographic Federation, and in 1916 as you all know, we secured the Henry
Coates Challenge Shield for lantern slides." |
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