(Above) View from Avenham Walk, Charles Wilson (circa 1850-1853). Picture courtesy Harris Museum, Preston
Exhibition: Visions of an Industrial Age, Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston, until September 4 2010.
A fascinating collection of photographs uncovering the industrial past of Preston is currently showing at the Harris Museum and Art Gallery.
Visions of an Industrial Age showcases large-scale reproductions of the earliest surviving photographs of the North-West city, taken between 1850 and 1853.
Believed to be among the oldest ever pictures taken of a British town, the pictures are thought to be the work of Charles Wilson, an amateur photographer who lived and worked in Preston, which by 1850 had transformed itself from an ancient market town to a major industrial centre.
(Above) Mechanics Institute, Charles Wilson (1853). Picture courtesy Harris Museum, Preston
Wilson's remarkable images capture some of the industrial developments of a town which saw its population grow from 7,000 to 70,000 between 1770 and 1850 as a direct result of the booming cotton industry in Lancashire.
Highlights include photographs of the new railway bridges and housing in the Avenham area and views of Preston's historic Market Place, shown alongside architectural fragments from the buildings featured.
Research reveals that many of the places he photographed were personally connected to him. Wilson lived in the Avenham area, and was involved in running a successful business selling ready-made and tailored clothing from a shop on Cheapside.
(Above) View of the gardens of Ribblesdale Place and the tram road, Charles Wilson (circa 1850-1853). Picture courtesy Harris Museum, Preston
"Charles Wilson's photographs are some of the most exciting photographs in the Harris collection," said Emma Heslewood, the Harris Museum's Keeper of History.
"They offer not only a rare glimpse of old Preston, but have also taken me on a journey into the intriguing life and world of one man."
Taking an active interest in local and national affairs, Wilson was a member of the Society of Friends, Preston Peace Society, the Preston Auxiliary Anti-Slavery Society and the Preston Institute.
A programme of Curator's Talks accompanies the exhibition.
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