Godfrey Bingley day at Leeds
It is 100 years since Leeds industrialist Godfrey Bingley donated his photographic collection to the University. Two family-friendly events have been planned on Saturday 4 May to mark the centenary.
Godfrey Bingley, a former foundry owner, took up photography after his
retirement and took thousands of photographs from 1884-1913. In 1913,
when his eyesight failed, he donated his entire collection of glass
plate and film slides, as well as accompanying notebooks, to the
University. These amazing images include settings such as Kirkstall
Abbey, Fountains Abbey, Headingley, Bolton Abbey and Scarborough, giving
a unique insight into Victorian and Edwardian Leeds and Yorkshire.
On Saturday 4 May at Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds, the Library's digitisation team will be working with
Leeds City Museum staff to recreate some of Godfrey Bingley's original
photographs of Kirkstall Abbey, taken on 4 May 1888. Bingley's notebooks gave details of the
date and time when each photograph was taken, as well as technical information such as lenses used and exposure times. These will be used to
re-photograph the scenes exactly 125 years on. Members of the public will be able to join in and make their own re-creations - 'X' will mark the spot where Bingley stood to take his photographs, and information display boards will describe his methods.
On the same day, in the afternoon, the Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery will host a family-friendly art workshop about the Bingley slides. You can be part of the team's activities at Kirkstall Abbey in the morning and join the Gallery's fun workshop in the afternoon.
Read more about the Kirkstall Abbey event.
Read more about the Gallery event.
Both events are free, but you will need to reserve a place in advance for the Gallery workshop.