Tag Archives: Capital Collections

The Usher Hall’s centenary

February 24, 2014 Ms Padgett Leave a comment

A new Capital Collections exhibition gives a detailed insight into the history of the Usher Hall.

From 1896, when Andrew Usher donated £100, 000 to the city for the building of a new music hall, various sites and designs were considered. Sadly, Usher died in 1898 never to see his generosity and vision realised. However, a location on Lothian Road was finally chosen, in spite of it being occupied by Lothian Road School at the time (!) and the iconic design was chosen by competition. Our exhibition includes the original architect’s drawing as well as a page from one of the Usher Hall’s plasterer’s notebook.

The music hall opened its doors for its very first concert on 6th March 1914. Our exhibition contains a selection of programmes and leaflets to give an indication of the range of performances that have taken place at the Usher Hall and also how the design of promotional material has evolved over the years.

Visit Capital Collections and discover the history of Edinburgh’s magnificent concert venue.

Early photography in Edinburgh – the story told on film

August 9, 2013 Ms Padgett Leave a comment

A little while ago we blogged about the first film in our Early Photography film series. We’ve now published all three short films in the trilogy. Take 15 minutes to discover Edinburgh’s significant part in the history of photography.

Film 1 describes the birth of photography in Edinburgh and the first photographic club in the world alongside the pioneering and world-renowned duo, Hill and Adamson.

Film 2 describes how photography was used as a tool to record social change and with the upsurge in tourism to Scotland, a means to earn a living.

Film 3 gives an account of how photography became available to the masses due to the Victorian craze for studio portraiture and the camera’s now fundamental role in family memento.

All images used to tell the early history of photography are taken from our collections here at Central Library. And don’t forget you can find many more fantastic pictures from the past on Capital Collections, our online image library.

We hope you enjoy the show!

Edinburgh Zoo – 100 years in pictures

July 22, 2013 Ms Padgett Leave a comment

A new exhibition on Capital Collections marks 100 years since Edinburgh Zoo first opened its doors to the public.

From early archive pictures and a maps of the zoological gardens to captivating pictures of the giant pandas, you’ll be able to see how Edinburgh Zoo’s landscape, residents and approach has changed over the years. Images show the lions’ den being built c1914, visitors getting up close to an elephant, the original and rather grand Fellows’ Luncheon and Tea Room and the view in 1911 from the top of the Mansion House from the original zoological gardens proposal document. And of course there’s the famous penguin parade through the years.

And coming later this week, news of a special zoo centenary collaboration…

Animals in Art Nouveau

May 20, 2013 Ms Padgett Leave a comment

Our latest Capital Collections exhibition lets you browse through ‘L’animal dans la Decoration’. This volume is by French artist Maurice Pillard Verneuil and dates from 1897. One of the most influential works from the Art Nouveau movement, it shows how animal themes could be used to influence design and decoration. The perfect sourcebook for researching this distinctive and decorative period of art, generating ideas for fashion, furnishing and interior design, or just for creating some beautiful and inspirational posters for the classroom.

Our Town Stories

February 18, 2013 Ms Padgett Leave a comment

Edinburgh Libraries has launched a brand new online heritage resource which tells the story of the city’s historical past. Our Town Stories (www.ourtownstories.co.uk) highlights some of the fantastic images from Capital Collections, and allows us bring them together with historical maps to tell the stories of people, places and life in the city.

Take a look at our fantastic Then & Now pictures and use the slider to play spot the difference. See buildings rise, or disappear, see ghosts from the past vanish and reappear, and townscapes grow. Use the same tool on our historical maps to see how the the city’s layout has developed since 1742.

The timeline ruler is another really useful tool which allows you to quickly zip to any time period between 1700 and the present day to see how Edinburgh looked at a particular point in history. Or you can use the dropdown menu to filter images on the map by century or by Then and Nows only.

See our full list of stories from the Story dropdown menu. The stories are built on the heritage collections of Edinburgh Libraries along with some fascinating tales contributed by partner organisations. Find out how fire-fighting has developed in Edinburgh since medieval times with a story by the Museum of Fire or take a literary tour across the map of Edinburgh with stories by Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature. We’ll be continuing to add stories to Our Town Stories over the coming months. If your school has a story to tell and would like to share it online, get in touch with informationdigital@edinburgh.gov.uk to discover how.

James Valentine: Photographs of Scottish Scenery

October 22, 2012 Ms Padgett Leave a comment

Taken from the library’s metaphorical attic and now Capital Collections newest exhibition is this wonderful album of photographs from the 19^th century photographer and publisher, James Valentine. James Valentine’s album is far removed from the traditional photo album with crumpled pictures of Great Uncle Charles and Granny with her army of spaniels; these pictures capture some of Scotland’s most fantastic scenery, landmarks and historical sites.

Valentine’s album contains photographs covering all areas of Scotland and all aspects of Scottish life. Photographs of ancient castles, of hills filled with folklore of fairies and magic, photographs of Burns cottage in Alloway and Sir Walter Scott’s mansion Abbotsford, and historical images of Scotland’s biggest cities such as Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. Browse the full album online at Capital Collections.

Victorian bridge building

September 24, 2012 Ms Padgett Leave a comment

A new exhibition on Capital Collections showcases a fantastic collection of Victorian photographs which document the engineering feats constructed to realise the aim of opening up Scotland’s Highlands to rail travel. The Inverness and Perth railway was built to provide the quickest means possible of getting between Inverness, Central Scotland and further south into England. However, between Inverness and Perth lay mountain ranges and river valleys which would have to be traversed.

Civil engineer Joseph Mitchell and his partner Murdoch Paterson were tasked with the job and they have left a remarkable and enduring legacy. They were responsible for engineering the vast majority of the canal, road and railway infrastructure that took place in the Central and Northern Highlands in the 19th Century. Many of their bridges and viaducts are still in regular use by passenger trains today whilst others are still standing but with changed use. One notable exception is the Ness Viaduct at Inverness. It stood for over one hundred years, but was washed away in a heavy downpour and ensuing flood water in 1989.

Edinburgh and the Olympic Torch Relay

July 30, 2012 Ms Padgett Leave a comment

Capital Collections, is not just the online home of for all our archival material, it also has some great contemporary images – the archival material of the future. We’re committed to documenting the changing face of the city and when possible, even record momentous events for posterity. This summer, our photographer has so far captured the Dalai Lama’s visit to Edinburgh and the Queen’s Jubilee visit to St Giles’ Cathedral for her grandson, Prince William’s Order of the Thistle ceremony.

Our photographer was also on hand to capture the journey of the Olympic Torch from it’s arrival in the city centre and then followed it as it set off the following day to Duddingston and Musselburgh as it travelled south.

Follow the Edinburgh leg of the Olympic Torch Relay with our latest online exhibition on Capital Collections.

‘The Art of Swimming’ by Monsieur Thévenot

July 23, 2012 Ms Padgett Leave a comment

Disregarding its title, Thévenot’s swimming handbook seems to have been designed less as a means of perfecting one’s style in the water, and more as a tool for survival in late 17^th century France. He lists a number of advantages to learning how to become adept in the water in the introduction to his book:

In case of Shipwreck, if one is not very far from Shore, the Art of Swimming may set one safe there, and to save from being drowned.

In case of being pursued by an Enemy, and meeting a River in one’s way, you have the advantage of escaping two sorts of Death, by gaining the Shore on the other side, and so escaping from your Enemy, and from being drowned in the attempt of doing it.

This printed treasure from our Special Collections is our latest exhibition on Capital Collections. Enjoy the full volume of wonderful illustrations as well as some of the more intriguing techniques such as ‘The Agility of the Dolphin’ or ‘The Leap of the Goat’. There’s even advice on how ‘To cut the nails of the toes in the water’. The reader is assured this is an easier task to perform in water than out – though best not try this one down the local swimming baths!

Jubilations!

May 21, 2012 Ms Padgett Leave a comment

Get ready for the Jubilee Bank Holiday and take a look back in time to 1950s Edinburgh with our special Whose Town? 1950s exhibition on Capital Collections.

Newton Street Coronation Party, Edinburgh — 1953 Coronation Street Party

Here a street party is in full swing in Gorgie. All over Edinburgh residential streets were decorated with balloons and bunting on Coronation Day, Tuesday June 2nd 1953. After months of fundraising, the big day for the street’s celebrations had arrived. Tables were set up in the streets and children wore paper hats and played games such as pitching a lucky ball through the porthole of a model ship. Food consisted of cold ham and salad for the adults washed down with tea, while children enjoyed buns and cakes with lemonade. Singing and dancing went on for many hours.

The city centre was decorated with flowers and banners and buildings were floodlit. For 48 hours leading up to the day, there was a programme of events, including a ball in the Assembly Rooms and a Youth Vigil Service. Coronation Day was a holiday for almost all citizens, with bus and train services reduced and shops closed and no mail deliveries. As well as street parties, those lucky enough to own a television, organised parties in their homes to watch the ceremony. The day ended with spectacular firework displays and bonfires lit on the surrounding hills of the city.

Visit Whose Town? and hear Bill’s memories of growing up in Edinburgh and how he got the day off school to join the Coronation celebrations.