Henry Taunt
Encyclopedia
Henry William Taunt was a professional photographer based in Oxford
, England
. His studio was in Broad Street, Oxford
.
Henry Taunt was born in Penson's Gardens in St Ebbe's, Oxford
. He was the son of a plumber and glazier, also Henry, and his wife Martha, who came from West Ilsley
in Berkshire
.
At the age of 14, Taunt joined Edward Bracher
as a member of staff in 1856 at his photographic premises based at 26 High Street, Oxford
. In 1868, he set up his own photographic business in Oxford.
Henry Taunt's black-and-white photographs are mainly views of Oxford, Oxfordshire
(together with surrounding counties) and the River Thames
. He produced the first pocket guide to the River Thames to be illustrated with photographs. In the 1860s, it covered the upper Thames, but it expanded its range over several editions. The wet collodion
process, invented by Frederick Scott Archer
, was the best means to capture negative images on glass until the end of the 1870s, by which time many of Taunt’s pictures for his ‘Illustrated Map of the Thames’ had been taken. He would row his skiff
to a location, set up his dark tent, set up his camera and tripod, sensitise and coat the glass plate, immediately make the two- or three-second exposures, develop and fix the images, wash them in river water, perhaps dry them in the sun and row back to his lodgings or set up camp with his assistants. At the beginning of the 1860s this was an incredible feat of skill. Henry Taunt was at the cutting edge of Victorian location photographic technology.
In 1893, Henry Taunt was elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
. This was a considerable honour in recognition of the remarkable feat of cartography
and accuracy of measurements that featured in the ‘New Map of the Thames’.
Books such as Three Men in a Boat
or Wind in the Willows might never have been written, or certainly would not have achieved such popularity, were it not for his albums, postcards, lectures and detailed and enthusiastic descriptions of the River Thames
from its Cotswold
source to London
.
Taunt's photographs are reproduced in many books (e.g., see below) and form a useful historical record of social history
and architecture
. Major collections of his work are held by English Heritage
: 14,000 images, Oxfordshire County Council
: Oxfordshire Studies and the River and Rowing Museum
at Henley.
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. His studio was in Broad Street, Oxford
Broad Street, Oxford
Broad Street is a wide street in central Oxford, England, located just north of the old city wall.The street is known for its bookshops, including the original Blackwell's bookshop at number 50, located here due to the University...
.
Henry Taunt was born in Penson's Gardens in St Ebbe's, Oxford
St Ebbe's, Oxford
St Ebbe's is a Church of England parish church in central Oxford which is in the conservative evangelical tradition. It has members from many nations, many of whom are students at Oxford University...
. He was the son of a plumber and glazier, also Henry, and his wife Martha, who came from West Ilsley
West Ilsley
West Ilsley is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England.-Location and amenities:It is situated in the West Berkshire district north of the town of Newbury on the Berkshire Downs. There is also an East Ilsley approximately a mile southeast of the village.West Ilsley has a public house, The...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
At the age of 14, Taunt joined Edward Bracher
Edward Bracher
Edward Bracher was a pioneering Victorian photographer based in Oxford, England.Edward Bracher had photographic premises at 26 High Street, Oxford from 1852 to 1863...
as a member of staff in 1856 at his photographic premises based at 26 High Street, Oxford
High Street, Oxford
The High Street in Oxford, England runs between Carfax, generally recognized as the centre of the city, and Magdalen Bridge to the east. Locally the street is often known as The High. It forms a gentle curve and is the subject of many prints, paintings, photographs, etc...
. In 1868, he set up his own photographic business in Oxford.
Henry Taunt's black-and-white photographs are mainly views of Oxford, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
(together with surrounding counties) and the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
. He produced the first pocket guide to the River Thames to be illustrated with photographs. In the 1860s, it covered the upper Thames, but it expanded its range over several editions. The wet collodion
Collodion
Collodion is a flammable, syrupy solution of pyroxylin in ether and alcohol. There are two basic types; flexible and non-flexible. The flexible type is often used as a surgical dressing or to hold dressings in place. When painted on the skin, collodion dries to form a flexible cellulose film...
process, invented by Frederick Scott Archer
Frederick Scott Archer
Frederick Scott Archer invented the photographic collodion process which preceded the modern gelatin emulsion. He was born in Bishop's Stortford in the UK and is remembered mainly for this single achievement which greatly increased the accessibility of photography for the general public.tyler was...
, was the best means to capture negative images on glass until the end of the 1870s, by which time many of Taunt’s pictures for his ‘Illustrated Map of the Thames’ had been taken. He would row his skiff
Skiff
The term skiff is used for a number of essentially unrelated styles of small boat. The word is related to ship and has a complicated etymology: "skiff" comes from the Middle English skif, which derives from the Old French esquif, which in turn derives from the Old Italian schifo, which is itself of...
to a location, set up his dark tent, set up his camera and tripod, sensitise and coat the glass plate, immediately make the two- or three-second exposures, develop and fix the images, wash them in river water, perhaps dry them in the sun and row back to his lodgings or set up camp with his assistants. At the beginning of the 1860s this was an incredible feat of skill. Henry Taunt was at the cutting edge of Victorian location photographic technology.
In 1893, Henry Taunt was elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
. This was a considerable honour in recognition of the remarkable feat of cartography
Cartography
Cartography is the study and practice of making maps. Combining science, aesthetics, and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that communicate spatial information effectively.The fundamental problems of traditional cartography are to:*Set the map's...
and accuracy of measurements that featured in the ‘New Map of the Thames’.
Books such as Three Men in a Boat
Three Men in a Boat
Three Men in a Boat ,The Penguin edition punctuates the title differently: Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog! published in 1889, is a humorous account by Jerome K...
or Wind in the Willows might never have been written, or certainly would not have achieved such popularity, were it not for his albums, postcards, lectures and detailed and enthusiastic descriptions of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
from its Cotswold
Cotswold
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in central England that give their name to:*Cotswold *Cotswold *Cotswold Chase, a horse race*Cotswold Games, annual games in Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire...
source to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Taunt's photographs are reproduced in many books (e.g., see below) and form a useful historical record of social history
Social history
Social history, often called the new social history, is a branch of History that includes history of ordinary people and their strategies of coping with life. In its "golden age" it was a major growth field in the 1960s and 1970s among scholars, and still is well represented in history departments...
and architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
. Major collections of his work are held by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
: 14,000 images, Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council, established in 1889, is the county council, or upper-tier local authority, for the non-metropolitan county of Oxfordshire, in the South East of England, an elected body responsible for the most strategic local government services in the county.-History:County Councils...
: Oxfordshire Studies and the River and Rowing Museum
River and Rowing Museum
The River and Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England, is located on a site at Mill Meadows by the River Thames. It has three main themes represented by major permanent galleries, the non-tidal River Thames, the international sport of rowing and the local town of...
at Henley.
Further reading
- Malcolm Graham, Henry Taunt of Oxford: A Victorian Photographer. Oxford Illustrated Press, 1973. ISBN 0-902280-14-7.
- Bryan Brown (editor), England of Henry Taunt: A Victorian Photographer. RoutledgeRoutledgeRoutledge is a British publishing house which has operated under a succession of company names and latterly as an academic imprint. Its origins may be traced back to the 19th-century London bookseller George Routledge...
, 1973 (hardback), 1980 (paperback). ISBN 0-7100-7542-1 / ISBN 0-7100-0557-1. - Susan Read (editor), Thames of Henry Taunt. Sutton Publishing, 1989. ISBN 0-86299-616-3.
- Malcolm Graham and Laurence Waters, Oxford Then and Now: From the Henry Taunt Collection, Sutton Publishing, In Old Photographs series, 2006. ISBN 0-7509-4224-X.
- Graham Diprose and Jeff Robins, The River Thames Revisited: In the Footsteps of Henry Taunt, Frances Lincoln PublishersFrances Lincoln PublishersFrances Lincoln Publishers is a British book publishing company based in London, founded by Frances Lincoln.The company was founded in 1977. It produces illustrated books, especially on art, architecture, design, gardening, landscape, and walking. In 1983, Francis Lincoln also started to publish...
, 2007. ISBN 978-0-7112-2765-1.
External links
- Information from English HeritageEnglish HeritageEnglish Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
Several different collections of Taunt photographs can be found by looking at the Photo Essays on the English Heritage ViewFinder website - Henry Taunt Collection Photographs by Taunt of St Mary's Church, Cricklade
- In the Footsteps of Henry Taunt Photographs & maps from Taunt's 'Illustrated Map of the Thames'
- Oxfordshire County Council: Heritage Search
- River and Rowing Museum