{"id":6215,"date":"2014-04-24T15:15:00","date_gmt":"2014-04-24T14:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/amateurphotographer.co.uk\/uncategorized\/tens-of-thousands-of-historic-images-at-risk-6215"},"modified":"2014-09-02T12:27:41","modified_gmt":"2014-09-02T11:27:41","slug":"tens-of-thousands-of-historic-images-at-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/latest\/photo-news\/tens-of-thousands-of-historic-images-at-risk\/","title":{"rendered":"Tens of thousands of historic images \u2018at risk\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n Picture above: An ambrotype, dated 1861 – showing a butcher’s shop in South Street, Exeter – is among the images under threat [courtesy Peter Thomas]
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The collection of 60,000 pictures of Exeter, Devon \u2013 said to include precious photos of Second World War bombings \u2013 belongs to local author and photographer Peter Thomas, who acquired the archive from the Henry Wykes Studio in the city, which closed in 1974.<\/p>\n

The archive, now called the Isca Historical Photographic Collection<\/a>, includes 42,000 half-plate negatives, transparencies, albums and prints – 85% of which have never been seen in public before.<\/p>\n

\u2018I am now in the unenviable position of facing the fact that the collection is “at risk” if I cannot find a way forward to protect, preserve, extend and exhibit it,’ said Thomas, explaining that many images require specialist preservation.<\/p>\n

In an interview with AP, Thomas added: \u2018From an educational point of view, it is invaluable and historically irreplaceable. It would mean breaking the archive up and selling it bit by bit… if interest could be found to acquire parts of it.’<\/p>\n

Thomas, 66, said the archive includes two images of wartime bombings on Exeter on 4 May 1942, captured from the top floor of a local hotel by one of its guests, using a Kodak folding camera.<\/p>\n

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\n A photo taken from the top floor of an Exeter hotel during wartime bombings on the city in 1942 [courtesy Peter Thomas]<\/em>
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\u2018These images are absolutely iconic in relation to Exeter and the wartime raids,’ added Thomas who wants the archive to remain in the city.<\/p>\n

\u2018It’s ironic, from a cultural point of view, that I’m not being jumped on to use this collection… It needs its own home, to be put on display.’<\/p>\n

After acquiring the collection from the Henry Wykes Studio, Thomas added contemporary photos to the archive.<\/p>\n

He estimates the basic negative stock alone to be worth around \u00a3120,000.<\/p>\n