The Janette Rosing Collection Highlights England’s Transformation in the 19th Century

A remarkable collection of early photographs, chronicling England’s transformation during the Industrial Revolution, has been acquired by Historic England. This collection, known as the Janette Rosing Collection, includes 8,000 images dating back to the mid-1830s and covers a diverse range of subjects, including landscapes, street scenes, and historic buildings.

The images offer a rare glimpse into the country’s landscape and urban development during a period of significant change. Captured by some of the earliest pioneers of photography, the collection includes photographs of locations across southern England, from the harbours of Clovelly and Plymouth in Devon to London’s River Thames and Bethnal Green.

Janette Rosing, a photographic consultant who worked with the royal collection at Windsor Castle, auction houses, and museums, spent years curating this impressive archive. She built the collection through diligent attendance at photograph fairs and auctions, acquiring both well-known and rare images over decades.

The collection’s importance was highlighted by Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England, who described it as one of “great national significance” due to its scale and rarity. Some of the images, particularly those featuring coastal and inland landscapes, ancient monuments, and urban life, provide valuable insight into 19th-century England.

Rosing’s archive includes works by renowned photographers such as WG Campbell, William Russell Sedgfield, and Henry William Verschoyle. The photographs utilise various early photographic techniques, including calotype, collodion, dry plate, and platinum prints, and represent all the major processes of the era.

Among the most notable images in the collection are maritime scenes by James Mudd, architectural studies by Linnaeus Tripe, and detailed photographs of towns, villages, and street life. Historic England’s collections manager, Ian Savage, noted that Rosing’s expert eye for quality ensures that each image is a testament to England’s rich cultural legacy.

The acquisition of the collection was made possible through the government’s acquisition in lieu scheme, which allows individuals to donate significant cultural items to museums in exchange for a tax reduction. As part of this scheme, Historic England will work on digitising the collection for public access, allowing future generations to explore these invaluable historical records.