Railways and Rural Life: S W A Newton and the Great Central Railway (English Heritage) - Hardcover

Boyd-Hope, Gary; Sargent, Andrew

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1850749590 ISBN 13: 9781850749592

Publisher: Historic England, 2007

Synopsis

This beautiful photography book records the work of Sydney Walter Alfred Newton, a commercial photographer who was based in Leicester in the late 19th and early 20th century. The young Newton recorded the London Extension of the Great Central Railway – the last main line – between Nottingham and London, travelling the route with his camera. Significantly, in addition to photographing the railway and its associated features, Newton also recorded the navvy community and the rural life in the villages along the course of the line.

Railway interest, local history and social history intertwine to provide a unique picture of life in Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Leicestershire and Warwickshire around the turn of the 20th century. This lavishly illustrated book, printed in striking black and white throughout, draws on the extensive archive holdings of English Heritage and the Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland and offers a unique picture of our railway heritage.

About this title

Review

"This book, produced in conjunction with the Record Office of Leicestershire County Council, is a splendid tribute to his work." "The photographs are excellently reproduced one to a page, with concise yet informative captions, and this book provides an outstanding picture record of not only a massive railway construction project, but also of ordinary rural life in Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Buckinghamshire in the years around the turn of the century." Backtrack April 2009

Synopsis

This beautiful photography book records the work of Sydney Walter Alfred Newton, a commercial photographer based in Leicester in the late 19th century. He was still in his teens when he began photographing the extension work to Britain's last main line railway - the Great Central Railway. Travelling the entire route with his camera, Sydney photographed the work carried out between Nottingham and London from 1894 to 1906. Significantly, in addition to photographing the railway and its associated features, he also recorded rural life in the villages along the course of the line. Railway interest, local history and social history intertwine to provide a unique picture of life in Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire and Leicestershire around the turn of the 20th century. This lavishly illustrated book, printed in beautiful duotones throughout, draws on the extensive archive holdings of English Heritage and the Record Office for Leicestershire, Leceister & Rutland and offers a unique picture of railway heritage.

Edition details

• Publisher: Historic England
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1850749590
• ISBN 13: 9781850749592
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 216