In 2006, Warwickshire County Record Office purchased a collection of historic lantern slides and stereoscopic photographs of Warwickshire from Philip Banham, a prominent collector.
This collection of Warwickshire lantern slides and photographs contains images produced by a number of well-known nineteenth century photographers such as Francis Bedford, George Washington Wilson, James Valentine and William Russell Sedgfield. These photographers were not based in Warwickshire, but spent a great deal of their time documenting Warwickshire’s landscape and architecture due to the county’s outstanding natural beauty.
As well as images of town and village life and pastoral scenes, the collection also contains images of a munitions factory in Coventry and images of Birmingham from the early twentieth century.
The entire collection of lantern slides, reference PH 1115, can be viewed for free in our public search room. Please click here for information about visiting the County Record Office.
It was possible for us to purchase this important collection through the generous support of the Henry VIII Endowed Trust, Warwick, the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, the Friends of Warwickshire County Record Office, and the kind donations received from many members of the public.
To celebrate the purchase of the collection, Philip Banham performed a magic lantern show in the Court House (Ballroom), Jury Street, Warwick on 29th September 2006. The event sold out, but it was filmed so that we could make the magical experience of a Victorian lantern slide show available to everyone.
To view highlights of the show (lasting five minutes), please click on one of the images or links from the collection at the top of this page.
A fuller recording of the event, lasting just under half an hour, can be viewed in the search room at the record office. This recording is also available to purchase on DVD from the record office for £5. This can be bought in person from the record office, or you can purchase a copy by writing to us and enclosing a cheque (payable to Warwickshire County Council) for £5.50, which includes postage and packaging. The address to write to is:
Warwickshire County Record Office
Priory Park
Cape Road
Warwick
CV34 4JS |