Affiliated to the MCPF and the PAGB

Wolverhampton Photographic Society History Section

Wolverhampton Photographic Society was the first photographic group established in the City and in 2023 it is 135 years old - quite an achievement don’t you think! In 1725 German Professor Johan Schulze discovered that light could cause silver salts to darken and by 1790 Thomas Wedgewood was making photo-grams by placing objects on leather which had been sensitised using silver nitrate. Later, names such as Jacques Daguerre, William Henry Fox Talbot, Sir John Henry Herschel and others become prominent as they developed and improved the early photographic skills. They discovered and improved the methods to make the recording of images, using chemicals to develop and fix them, onto a range of materials in a way which was predicable and reliable. By the time Wolverhampton Photographic Society was formed in 1888 there had been huge advances in techniques and numerous major photographic exhibitions in a number of countries - there was even a way of taking 3D stereoscopic images. Over the years, Wolverhampton had also become a base for a number of professional photographers including OG Rejlander who, around 1857, developed a technique to create a photograph by combining as many as thirty negatives - a new and skilled technique in its day which led him to become known as the father of art photography. With this as a backdrop perhaps it is no coincidence that Wolverhampton Photographic Society was formed in the same year the Eastman Dry Plate & Film Company produced the Kodak Camera and roll film which was undoubtedly the first step towards the photography we know today. It is not hard to imagine a group of enthusiasts coming together at that time to further their interests and enthuse others about photography. Wolverhampton Photographic Society is fortunate to have two members, Roy Hawthorne and the late David Kingston, who have a keen interest in the history of photography and, in particular, the history of the oldest photographic society in the City. Roy and David spent many hours researching and collecting information and have created documents and articles which have been published by the Royal Photographic Society and others. They have also been key instigators in obtaining funding which resulted in the erection of a commemorative plaque to celebrate the work of Oscar G Rejlander who in the end died in obscurity. The History Section of the Wolverhampton Photographic Society web site will be updated over time to include a selection of the research which Roy and David have undertaken, as well as extracts from the Society’s archive which Roy manages. To begin with, you can read about the Rejlander commemorative plaque which can be seen in Darlington Street, Wolverhampton. Click on the photograph below to find out more.