The School Archive holds about 50 photographs from the late Nineteenth Century and these were my starting point when I started organising the collection in 2008.  Many in the files are in poor condition or are simply copies of originals and I always wondered how it was that, in a school that had a photographic society on and off for over a century, so little remained.  Glass plates are so fragile and photographers so numerous in Victorian Nottingham, it seemed impossible that I would ever see one of ours. So in September when I was handed a small well-wrapped package of seven glass plates, I was (almost) speechless; a holy grail moment for me. 

The far-sighted collector, Roger Duckworth (ON 1958-1965) identified an approximate date range judging by the visible buildings as between 1880 and 1906.  We have one identical professional image of the front of the school already, mounted with the photography company identified as JB Smith & Son, 1, Portland Road, Nottingham, dated from a piece of newspaper in the back of the original frame at 1891.  I believe the evidence is that all the images can be assumed to be from that date although there appears to be an early electricity pole on the road in front which might knock it on a year.

These plates had been carefully stored by the enthusiastic Photo Society pupil for over sixty years and, but for that, would certainly not have survived.  This is another example of the unique beauty of an Archive and the things that return to us. We are extremely grateful. More research will hopefully identify the Master and who knows…maybe your great grandfather.