Exhibition forms part of university festival.
As part of the University of Birmingham’s Arts and Science Festival, Winterbourne House and Garden in Edgbaston plays host to an astounding collection of glass slides taken from a Thomas Cook tour of Egypt in the 1890s. The slides are now resident in the University’s Research and Cultural Collections.
The free event on Thursday 20th March follows a hugely successful show of geographical slides last year from the Lapworth Museum of Geology. The Arts and Science festival, now in its second year, is a week-long celebration of ideas, research and cross-campus collaboration.
Magic Lanterns were popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries as a way of showing family photographs at home, and were also used as a teaching tool at universities.
Winterbourne House and Garden, owned by the University, has an extensive collection of magic lanterns dating back to the 19th century. Built by John Nettlefold the renowned town planner for his burgeoning family in 1903, the house is now a heritage attraction open to the public daily. Keen photographers, the family had many magic lantern glass slides of family holidays which can be seen on display.
Claire Woollard Collections Supervisor at Winterbourne explains: “Both John and Margaret Nettlefold travelled throughout Europe and beyond and the images in this show capture the sense of excitement felt by intrepid travellers at the turn of the century. It’s great to be able to work with our colleagues in Research and Cultural Collections to show previously unseen slides here at Winterbourne House, an Edwardian family home.”
Showings are at 12 and 2pm and last one hour. Places are extremely limited so all visitors are advised to pre-book.