EPS

EPS Publications

Almost all the original Minutes of EPS Council Meetings can still be found. Most are in large bound volumes of handwritten notes.

Unfortunately, Volume 1 has been lost. This covers the years 1861 to 1865. A search was made for this book in 1885 but it was not found, so it seems unlikely that it will turn up now.

Photographic Journals (from 1850s)

Photographic Journals, particularly the British Journal of Photography, are a useful source for finding information on the activities of early photographic societies including PSS and PS. These journals give announcements and reports of Photographic Society Meetings. Sometimes they include the full text of Papers that were read.

Transactions (1880-1926)

Transactions of Edinburgh Photographic Society were a printed leaflets, giving details of forthcoming meetings, and reports including full text of past meetings. Transactions were issued monthly as stand-alone publications, free of charge to members, beginning in Dec 1880 and continuing until 1926.

The Edinburgh Journal (1926-50)

In 1925, EPS sold its premises at 92 Castle Street and in order to lease larger premises at 117 George Street from the Royal Scottish Society of Arts (RSSA) - then subsequently moved into 16 Royal Terrace with RSSA from 1929 to 1952.

Throughout almost all the period of shared premises, RSSA published its magazine:

The Edinburgh Journal of Science, Technology and Photographic Art.

The Edinburgh Journal consisted of Transactions of RSSA and its affiliated societies:

- Edinburgh & District Radio Society

- Edinburgh Electrical Society

- The Edinburgh Association of Science and Arts

- Electrical Association for Women

- Edinburgh Photographic Society

The Bulletin (1947 to date)

In the post-war years, publication of RSSA’s Edinburgh Journal had become infrequent due to shortage of paper. So In 1947, EPS Council decided to produce its own Bulletins, three times a year.

The first twelve issues of The Bulletin single sheets - typed and duplicated. Subsequent issues were longer and were printed.

Content of the Bulletins

Bulletins were news about EPS in a style that was less formal than in the previous Transactions. Regular features included reports of:

- Reports on EPS Members’ Exhibitions

- Reports of EPS Open Exhibitions

- Hints and advice on photographic techniques.

From time to time, a series of articles was run over several months. Subjects included:

a) Neighbouring Societies

b) Members You May Like to Meet

c) Club Personalities

d) Letters from the Country

I don’t know what members thought about being put into category c) rather than b).

The frequency of publication has remained approx 3 or 4 issues per year. Since 1993, alternate bulletins have been titled Interim Bulletins. The intention was that these would be briefer than the full Bulletins and would be made left at EPS Premises for collection by members, rather than posted to all Members - in order to save postage.

The Syllabus (c.1880 to date)

The EPS Syllabus gives brief details of the Society including Office Bearers and an Application Form for joining , together with a list of Meetings for the forthcoming season.

I have not discovered when the Syllabus was first published as a separate document. At one time, it was included as an integral part of EPS Transactions at the start of each season, or in some years in two parts covering the periods October to December and January to May.

I have found only one Syllabus separately bound earlier than 1920

Early Syllabuses measured about 5 ins by 3 ½ ins, and had 4 pages. Recent Syllabus measure 6 ins by 4 ins, and have 24 pages.

Exhibition Catalogues (c.1880 to date)

Open Exhibitions have been held annually by Edinburgh Photographic Society from 1861 to date. Catalogues include details of exhibitors, and in some years details of the processes used.