Official Police Photographs

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Below is the first photograph ever supplied to the press by the Metropolitan Police. The year was 1885 and the newspaper was Lloyds Weekly News. Its editor was Thomas Catling.



Half-tone reproduction of photographs was not possible at the time, so Alfred Bryan made a sketch from the photograph, and it is this which Lloyds Weekly News published.



The man in the photograph is James Gilbert Cunningham, charged with causing the explosion at the Tower of London, January 1885.

Regards,

Simon

[Monty]

Fascinating stuff Simon,

Thanks for sharing.

Monty

[Johnr]

An Historic Photo

Fascinating stuff Simon,
An historic photo indeed.Who was the advanced-thinking Police official who embraced photography so early?
Yes, I understand it was common for journal artists to base their illustrations on photographs, at least from the 1890's.
Much obliged to you for showing us that photo and its end product drawing.
JOHN RUFFELS.

[Hdivision]

Just read this thread, and thought this picture would be good to add on. It shows newpaper sketches of the 'infernal' machines used during the Dynamite Plots. Some failed to go off and were recovered by police. Interestingly one of the arresting officers was Insp Abberline, and I have a Met Police 1887 Jubilee medal to an Inspector who recovered one of the bombs, and gave evidence at the Old Bailey with Abberline.
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[Simon Wood]

Hi Hdivision,

Many thanks for the great illustration.

Could you please tell me the source and date of the press cutting?

Regards,

Simon

[robhouse]

From what I have read, halftone reproduction of photos has been in use by newspapers since 1873. Maybe it was a question of cost?

[Natalie Severn]

Thanks Simon-that is certainly one of the most fascinating photos I have seen in a long time.I once read so much about Cunningham-and now I am able to put a name to a face.Brilliant!
Thanks also Hdivision---I enjoyed looking a these diagrams which are also fascinating.Must get a print out them and the photo,
Best,
Norma

[robhouse]

Sorry, I take that back. Ignore my previous post.

[Simon Wood]

Hi Rob,

No, you were right. The first halftone photograph appeared in the New York Daily Graphic, 1873.

Thomas Catling, editor of Lloyds Weekly, pleaded "innovation" in 1885, so maybe the UK was behind the curve at the time.

Here's Catling's blurb which accompanied the Cunningham illustrations.



Regards,

Simon

[robhouse]

Hi Simon,

No I think you were right. (This is different aint it?)

The first halftone was printed in 1873, but I do not think halftones came into general use until the 1890s or later. Not sure the timing exactly, but it seems newspapers employed artists to do drawings like this until at least the 1890s.

I would assume that the technology took several years to be figured out, and to come into general use by newspapers.
Rob

[Hdivision]

Hi Simon,

If you search Google images for "Dynamite outrages" and find the images hosted by Life magazine, there are quite a few illustrations from 1885 showing the court case and bomb scenes etc.
I have spent a lot of time researching this story and have many images, let me know if there is anything you are after.

Abberline was praised by the judge at the Old Bailey for his hard work into this case, and interestingly another ripper connection is that one of the offenders (Burton) rented a room at 5 Mitre Square, the home address of Pc Wilson from the City Police!
The photo below shows Pc Cole who recieved the Albert medal for his actions, he was injured whilst removing one of the bombs at Westminster.

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi HDivision. It's not possible to e-mail or PM you through your profile. Not sure if you're aware of that. But please send me a PM when you get a chance.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Hdivision]

Hi Tom,
Sorry only just joined here, so still finding my way around. I have changed my setting so you can email me, but i have no messaging service. Can you try emailing me again please?

Thanks, Jon

[lynn cates]

nice

Hello Simon, H. Nice work.

Cheers.
LC

[mariab]

To Hdivision:
Welcome to the boards. You need to have 25 posts for your PM to be activated.

To Lynn Cates:
Hello Lynn. I'm about to email you. Apologies for the delay.