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Edinburgh Photographic Society
Survey Section
Later known as the
Record Group
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Survey
Section
Established 1886
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In
July 1886, 13 years before the EPS Survey Group was established, GG
Mitchell delivered a Paper to EPS in which he said:
"I
have for some years thought it would be a very interesting thing
to have originated a really good collection of photographic views
of what is commonly designated “Old Edinburgh”.
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In
December 1886, an announcement was made by EPS:
"The
Secretary will be glad to receive any photographs or pictures of
“Old Edinburgh” for the Old Edinburgh Album, as proposed in
the July number of Transactions. |
Survey
Section
Established 1899
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Edinburgh Photographic Society Survey Section was established in 1899, and
over the early years of the 20th century created a collection of
photographs of streets and buildings of Edinburgh.
Similar
groups were also created in other British photographic
societies. Birmingham Photographic Society was reported to
have undertaken a systematic Photographic Survey in 1889. By
1914 over 30 surveys were being conducted - almost all in
association with public libraries. [CS
Minto: Edinburgh Public Library]
Edinburgh Photogrpahic Society Survey Group
produced over 1000 prints. These were presented to Edinburgh
Council. I believe that some are now held by Edinburgh
Public Library and others by Scottish National Portrait Gallery
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Survey
Section
Objectives |
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Collection to be Created
In the early years of the 19th century, Transactions of the Edinburgh
Photographic Society regularly promoted the objects of the Survey Group,
encouraging EPS Members to contribute to the work of the section.
The Survey Section wished to create a record of Edinburgh past and
present.
Its objectives were declared as being:
1. To make a comprehensive collection of
Original Paintings, Engravings, Prints, Photographs, Lantern Slides and
Illustrations of every description of Edinburgh, Leith and District of
the Past.
2. To secure permanent Photographs (such as
by Carbon or Platinotype Process), Drawings &c. of Streets, Buildings,
Monuments of Edinburgh, Leith, and District as they now exist, and of
all Public and Open Spaces in and around the City, and to obtain
representations of the Civic and Social Life and Customs of the City.
It was proposed that two copies of each
photograph would be created, one to be given to the City of Edinburgh
and the other to be retained in Edinburgh Photographic Society's albums. |
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Where are the Photos Now?
I believe that:
- the 'City of Edinburgh' copy of these
photos is now held within the collection of the Edinburgh Room at
Edinburgh Central Library, and that these are held as individual photos
indexed by photographer and location, rather than as a separate
collection of prints.
- the 'EPS copy' of these photos
is now held by the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, and that these
are held a separate group of photos within the SNPG collection |
Survey
Section
Rambles |
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During the summer months,
Edinburgh Photographic Society arranged many excursions for its members.
Some were organised by the main society, offering trips by barge,
steamer, train, charabanc etc.
Others were organised by sections within the Society:
- The EPC Cycling Camera Corps (by cycle)
- The EPS Survey Section (on foot, described as 'Rambles').
In the summer of 1908, the Survey Section arranged rambles to:
- to Edinburgh Old Town
- to Holyrood
- around the city walls.
1908
Members of the newly formed
Old
Edinbrugh Club were invited to join EPS Survey Group Members on
their ramble around the city walls on July 18, 1908. The ramble
was led by Mr Geddie of The Scotsman newspaper.
2008
As part of their centenary
celebrations in 2008, the Old Edinburgh Club arranged to repeat the
ramble around the city walls on July 18, 2008 following, as closely as
possible, the route taken by the 1908 walk.
About 70 people
wished to join the ramble, so it was repeated the following day, with
about 35 members joining each walk. The leader was Graham
Cruickshank of the OEC. |
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Survey
Section
Exhibitions - 1904
to
1910
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The
Survey Section held an
Exhibition on January 4, 2005. This comprised 50
paintings, 107 engravings and 359 photographs.
A further exhibition was held in
Exhibition in 1910, at which JF Duthie,
EPS President, said:
"[The
Survey Section]
was formed with a view of having a record of Edinburgh,
past and present. There were in Edinburgh several
societies earnestly engaged in trying to prevent the doing
away with bits of old Edinburgh.
While
these societies were doing good work, and had been able to
influence some people, they could not get at the
multitude. They could not get the people of Edinburgh
interested in their work. That could only be done by photography,
and by the Edinburgh Photographic Society. By photography,
they could show the people
old Edinburgh still standing, and in danger of being swept
away."
JF
Duthie urged the Edinburgh Council to take an interest
in preserving old Edinburgh. The Councillor present at
the opening ceremony welcomed the initiative being taken by
the EPS Survey Group
[BJP 1910 p.172]
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Survey
Section
Progress
to 1911
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The
British Journal of Photography reported on the 1911
Open Exhibition preceded by the 10th EPS Annual
Dinner.
Mr
Eddison, in proposing a toast to The Lord Provost, Magistrates, and
Town Council of Edinburgh said:
"The
Society now had in its possession nearly five hundred photographs of
Old Edinburgh, and it was their intention to pass these on to the
Corporation Museum.
They
aimed at making a complete selection of photographs of Edinburgh at
the beginning of the twentieth century, which would be handed down to
show Edinburgh at that time.
This
involved expenditure and they hoped to receive some little financial
assistance from the Corporation."
[BJP:
10 Mar 1911, p.183]
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Survey
Section
End of Activities - 1911-17
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Unfortunately,
the activities of the Survey Section were curtailed with the
outbreak of the War in 1914, and brought to a standstill in
1916-17:
“in
view of the conditions which still prevail in regard to the
carrying of cameras and the restriction of photography within
the city”
In
fact, the Survey Section appears to have remained in existence
until 1926. A similar group, the Record Group was
established in 1947 and remained in existence until
1978.
Further attempts were made to
revive the survey group around 2000 and again in 2006, but
without success.
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Survey
Section
or
Record Group
1959
to
1961
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The
Survey Section came to life again, briefly, in 1959. It was
proposed to carry out a photographic survey of the whole city but, in
fact, only the St Bernard's Ward was photographed. However, this
area includes some interesting views ranging from Stockbridge and
Comely Bank to Haymarket.
The
results of this survey can be found in the Edinburgh Room of Edinburgh
Central Library. There are 479 photographs, mounted on boards,
following conservation work on the collection in 2001.
The
photographs were taken by some EPS Members:
-
Cawley
-
Knox
-
Hay
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Nicholson
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Pringle
-
Russell
-
Scott
-
Siller and
-
Young
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Meetings of the Group, described in
the EPS Syllabus as Record Group Meetings were held in:
- 9 Oct 1958, 13 Nov 1958,
11 Dec 1958
- 8 Jan 1959, 12 Feb 1959,
12 Mar 1959, 9 Apr 1959
- 8 Oct 1959, 12 Nov 1959,
10 Dec 1959
- 14 Jan 1960, 11 Feb 1960, 10 Mar
1960 |
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I don't know how many photos
were produced by this Group, but I have seen some photos attributed to D
Young now held by Leith Library. They may have been produced as
part of this group's activities. |
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