My interest in Victorian and Edwardian visual culture led me to initiate contact with the personal curator working on the George Farmiloe & Sons Ltd bicentenary project, managed by Sort & Survive. The curator had already been working closely with the family for two years, and through this collaboration, I was invited to document and digitise their extensive private archive. The collection included a wide variety of 2D and 3D assets: historical documents, original architectural drawings, commemorative plaques, portraiture, and rare photographs spanning over a century of British industrial heritage.
To carry out the work, I established two photographic studios: one at Stansted House, where some of the collection was temporarily held, and another directly at the client’s residence. The technical setup required a flexible and precise approach, particularly when photographing large framed items and wall-mounted pieces at height. I worked from elevated platforms, navigating interior spaces, reflective oil surfaces, and complex lighting conditions caused by natural light from bay windows. Every effort was made to capture true-to-life colour fidelity and surface texture, which was critical for elements like engraved plaques, brushstroke detail, and gilded frames.
This project culminated in a series of images that not only supported the conservation of this extensive archive but also served as illustrations for a published book celebrating the 200-year legacy of George Farmiloe & Sons Ltd, a British building supply company. This experience was a rewarding blend of my heritage photography practice and my passion for storytelling through historical materials.
