A proud photographic heritage…
In a busy street near the railway station in Derby you will find a wonder – Winter’s the photographers. This history of a British industrial city, its generations of people and the history of photography, are all intertwined in this special place.
The business can trace its origins to 1852, at the very dawn of commercial photography. Exploiting the opportunities presented by the railway network, Emmanuel Nicolas Charles, the first photographer settled on Midland Road in Derby by 1854.
Derby offered him every opportunity to grow the business and is where he handed it over to his assistant Walter William Winter in 1863. In 1867 the flourishing business moved to a purpose built photographic studio across the street at 45 Midland Road where it remains today.
Winter’s photographers have captured the town’s changing times, events – both big and small – preserving special moments, happy and sad, photographing its factories, its businesses, its leaders, its workers and the collection represents an astonishing visual archive of Derby and its people.
…with a keen eye on the future
It’s a big task protecting Winter’s unique history for future generations, scanning over a million glass plate and film negatives to create a digital archive for the future.
Our ambition is to preserve Winter’s heritage alongside the photographic business. With support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the W W Winter Heritage Trust began a journey in 2015 with three aims:
- Develop an exciting programme of educational and artistic engagement for the community, ensuring W W Winter remains at the social and cultural heart of the community in the years to come
- Undertake a sensitive restoration of the Grade II listed building, a purpose built photographic studio dating back to 1867
- Preserve the huge collection of props, backdrops, cameras, equipment and negatives of all kinds which show the evolution of portraiture and commercial photography.
We are now seeking corporate and individual financial support to help us achieve these aims.
You can find out more about our fascinating history and archives here.
