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Further information and updates The collection contains 28 black and white photographs taken between about 1862 and 1873. Nearly half relate to Crossness Pumping Station before and after its opening in 1865.
The photographs include official group portraits at foundation, inspection and completion of the works, probably taken near the Southern Outfall Sewer at Crossness, and presumably including the key engineer Bazalgette and many others associated with this major London project.
Other subjects represented in the collection are the construction of Chelsea Embankment and the proposed developments associated with Queen Victoria Street and Holborn Viaduct. Also included is the monument in the City of London Cemetery to those disinterred from city churchyards around Queen Victoria Street.
Some of the photographs are very large format, all of them are exhibition quality.
A handlist is available.
Identified photographers represented in the collection include: Negretti & Zambra, Cundall & Downes, London Stereoscopic Co., Maull & Co., and William Brown (who was both an engineer as well as a professional photographer). The source of this unique collection is unknown but is probably linked with the dealer Christopher Wood who allowed the NMR to copy some of these items in 1988. There are prints in NMR's Red Box Collection.
The collection was acquired by the NMR in 2008.
Source: Historic England Archive