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Edinburgh Photographic Societies

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Museum of Edinburgh Talk
4 February, 2013

PAGE INDEX

The History of

Edinburgh Old Town & Royal Mile

in Pictures

0.

Introduction

Lots of photos to see.
EdinPhoto web site.

1.

Early Photography and Engravings

Talbot, Daguerre, Hill & Adamson,   Engravings.

2.

Edinburgh Photographic Societies

Edinburgh Calotype Club
PSS, EPS.

3.

Old Town  -  Houses and Streets

Dumbiedykes,
St Leonard's.

4.

Old Town  -  Shops and Police Boxes

Shops,  Shops and Cars,
Police Boxes.

5.

Royal Mile  -  Earlier Views

Festivals and Processions,
Closes,  Castle to Palace

6.

Royal Mile  -  Recent Photos  2013

Castle to Palace

7.

Panoramas

Royal Mile.
From Camera Obscura,

 

Edinburgh

Photographic Societies

Edinburgh Calotype Club  -  Photographic Society of Scotland  -  Edinburgh Photographic Society

1.

EDINBURGH

CALOTYPE

CLUB

 

Edinburgh Calotype Club

Early-1840s

Founding of the Club

A group of legal men from Edinburgh visited Sir David Brewster in St Andrews in the early-1840s.  They then formed the Edinburgh Calotype Club, the first photographic society in the world.

Members met in each other's houses to discuss their calotype photography and compile albums of their work.

Calotype Club Albums

It is believed that the Edinburgh Calotype Club compiled three albums of their work.  Two have survived.  It is only about twelve years ago that the second of these turned up at auction after having been undiscovered for many years, so perhaps the third album will turn up one day!

-  The Edinburgh Room at Edinburgh Central Library acquired their Edinburgh Calotype Club album in 1952.  It contains 126 calotypes, mounted about three to a page on large pages.

-  The Edinburgh Calotype Club Album now in the collection of the National Library of Scotland is similar but contains 206 photos.  It was found in a private collection of books in England then  auctioned by Dominic Winter in December 2001. 
The album was bought for £234,000, against strong competition from the USA, by a consortium led by the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh.  It has now been fully restored by the library and added to their collection.

Here are a few photos from the Edinburgh Calotype Club Albums.  These photos are quite small, perhaps about 4 ins x 3 ins.

Hugh Lyon Playfair with Cello

Photograph from Edinburgh Calotype Club album -  Volume 2, Page 31  -  Hugh Lyon Playfair with Cello  

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to the Trustees of the National Library of Scotland

George Heriot's Hospital

Photograph from Edinburgh Calotype Album  -  Volume 2, Page 26  -  George Heriot's Hospital  

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to the Trustees of the National Library of Scotland

Dean Orphanage

Photograph from Edinburgh Calotype Club album  -  Volume 2, Page 35  -  Dean Orphanage

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to the Trustees of the National Library of Scotland

Holy Trinity Church  -  Dean Bridge

Photograph from Edinburgh Calotype Album  -  Volume 2, Page 11  -  Holy Trinity Church, Dean Bridge

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to the Trustees of the National Library of Scotland

Head of West Bow

near the top of the 'Royal Mile' and Edinburgh Castle

Photograph in Edinburgh Calotype Club album  -  Volume 2, Page 29  -  Head of West Bow

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to the Trustees of the National Library of Scotland

 

2.

PHOTOGRAPHIC

SOCIETY

OF

SCOTLAND

 

Photographic Society of Scotland

1856 - 1873

Founding of PSS

Photography came to the attention of many of the public in Britain when it was included in the Great Exhibition of 1851.  Over the next few years photographic societies were established in several of Britain's major cities including London, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh.

It was The Photographic Society of Scotland that was  established in Edinburgh.  The society was founded in 1856.  Sir David Brewster was President throughout the life of the society.

______________________________________________________________

Sir David Brewster

PSS President

Sir David Brewster  -  a calotype by Hill & Adamson

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services

Sir David Brewster (1781-1868) was President of PSS throughout the life of the Society.

  • Attended Edinburgh University from the age of 12

  • Awarded an Arts Degree by Edinburgh University in 1900

  • Became editor of the Edinburgh Magazine, later Scots Magazine, aged 20.

  • Editor of Encyclopaedia Britannica for 22 years

  • President of Photographic Society of Scotland from 1856

  • President of Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1864

  • Principal of Edinburgh University, from age 78 until his death, 9 years later.

______________________________________________________________

Members

PSS Members included both professional and amateur photographers. The society held major photographic exhibitions for about ten years from 1856.  These attracted entries from the most prominent photographers in Britain.

Here is a stereo view of PSS Members on a photographic outing in 1856:

Stereo Pair of Photographs  -  PSS Outing 1856

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services

______________________________________________________________

Horatio Ross

PSS Vice-President

Horatio Ross, a keen amateur photographer since 1847.  Here is a self-portrait of him preparing a photographic plate:

Horatio Ross  -  Amateur photographer

© Reproduced with permission of Christies Images Limited, London

Horatio Ross was elected Vice President of PSS in 1856.

  • Horatio Ross was born in 1801.

  • Named after his godfather, Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson.

  • He was a wealthy landowner.

  • 1832-34: MP for Arbroath.

  • Won the first steeplechase on record.

  • Represented Scotland at shooting.

  • He once walked from the Dee to Inverness, 97 miles without stopping

______________________________________________________________

3.

EDINBURGH

PHOTOGRAPHIC

SOCIETY

 

Edinburgh Photographic Society

1861 -

Founding of EPS

Some of the amateur photographers broke away from the Photographic Society of Scotland in the late-1850s, following a dispute over the PSS's rejection of one of the prints for the PSS 2nd Exhibition in 1857.  They began to meet privately, then went on to form Edinburgh Photographic Society in 1861.

This is the picture that was at the centre of the dispute, a composite composition, printed from32 different negatives, by OG Rejlander, titled "Two Ways of Life".

Two Ways of Life  -  Oscar Gustav Rejlander

©  The Royal Photographic Society, Bath, England.  web site http://www.rps.org.

Rejlander considered his photography to be Fine Art, and his photo had been highly praised when exhibited in Manchester.

However, the PSS Hanging Committee declined it because of its semi-nude female figures.  The Daily Express wrote:

“O G Rejlander's ‘Two Ways of Life’ was exhibited in the Art Treasures Exhibition in Manchester.  The Prince Consort has three copies of it.

Sir David Brewster, the President has one copy.  It will scarcely be credited that the amateur ‘hanging committee’ of PSS rejected it because there were half-draped female figures in it.

Call at Mr Wood’s, 88 Princes Street, where the rejected photograph may be seen.”

Activities of EPS

Edinburgh Photographic Society began to hold Annual Photographic Exhibitions.  These are still continuing today.  These are the years that various EPS activities began:

 

1861

International Exhibitions

Outings

Popular Meetings

Wednesday Lectures

1862

Beginners’ Classes

1864

Outings by train

1865

Colour Darkroom

1866

Conversazzione

1867

Annual Dinner

1869

Photograph Album

1871

Outings by Canal Barge

Picnics

1872

Distribution of Photographs

1876

Outings by Wagonette

Presentation Print

1881

Edinburgh Photographic Club

1882

Members’ Exhibition

1884

Library created

1890

Exhibition Entertainment

1892

Bought   38 Castle Street

Darkroom

Debates

Elementary Section

Lantern Section

1898

EPS Cycling Camera Corps

Outings by Cycle

Outings by Steamer

Practical Photography Section

1899

Essay Competition

Survey Group

1903

EPS Golf Club

1909

Ladies’ Practical Meetings

1914

Outings by Motor Car

Outings by Motor Charabanc

1915

Outings by Motor Bus

1916

Portfolio Section

1919

Whist Drive

1923

Pictorial Group

Rambling Club

1924

Hat Nights

1925

Exchange of Photographs

1927

Ciné Section

1928

Bromoil Working Party

1930

Instructional Lectures

1946

Inter-Club Competitions

1947

Beetle Drive

Record Group

1948

Sale & Exchange

1953

Christmas Parties

Monthly Competitions – Prints

1954

Bought   68 Great King Street

1955

Club Night

Colour Group

Studio

Studio Group

1956

Gadget Night

1957

Monthly Competitions – Slides

Colour Printing Group

1972

Improver Courses

1973

Advanced Course

Creative Group

1974

New Members’ Group

1975

Children’s Lectures

Natural History Group

Nature Photography Group

1987

Audio-Visual Group

1995

Print Auction

1997

Digital Imaging Group

2000

Print Group

 

End of Page 2

 

Museum of Edinburgh Talk
4 February, 2013

PAGE INDEX

0.

Introduction

Lots of photos to see.
EdinPhoto web site.

1.

Early Photography and Engravings

Talbot, Daguerre, Hill & Adamson,   Engravings.

2.

Photographic Societies

Edinburgh Calotype Club
PSS, EPS.

3.

Old Town - Houses and Streets

Dumbiedykes,
St Leonard's.

4.

Old Town - Shops and Police Boxes

Shops,  Shops and Cars,
Police Boxes.

5.

Royal Mile - Earlier Views

Festivals and Processions,
Closes,  Castle to Palace

6.

Royal Mile  -  Recent Photos  2013

Castle to Palace

7.

Panoramas

Royal Mile.
From Camera Obscura,

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh
 Web site:
www.edinphoto.org.uk

 

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