National Photographic Record: prints by Walter Bird, 1958-67
1338 Portraits in set
The National Photographic Record began in 1917, during the First World War, at the instigation of Walter Stoneman, the chief photographer for the long established firm of Russell & Sons. A selected range of eminent people of the day were invited to make an appointment to sit at Stoneman's studio and from each sitting a mounted print was added to the NPR. Reproduction fees from the publication of any of these photographs were shared between the photographer and the National Portrait Gallery. The collection was made for record purposes only, with no intention of the results being exhibited. Despite controversy caused by working exclusively with one selected photographer, the collection of postcard-sized prints of eminent people of the day grew over the years to an archive of over 10,000 subjects. Each year approximately 200 new subjects were added to an alphabetical sequence now housed in 436 boxes and viewable by appointment. Stoneman was succeeded, on his retirement and death, by Walter Bird (active 1958-1967), and then by Godfrey Argent (active 1967-1970). In addition, the Gallery also holds approximately 10,000 NPR whole- and half-plate glass negatives taken between 1917 and 1958, arranged chronologically, which consist of up to five alternative poses taken at the NPR sitting.
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1949
NPG x159758
Robert Hugh Turton, Baron Tranmire of Upsall
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1949
NPG x185762
Louis Mountbatten, Earl Mountbatten of Burma
by Walter Bird
bromide print on card mount, 1950s
NPG x28757
Sir Frederick Robertson Parham
by Walter Bird
bromide print, July 1950
NPG x169808
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1951
NPG x33860
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1954
NPG x167699
Philip Le Marchant Stonhouse Stonhouse-Gostling
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1954
NPG x185506
Sir Alexander Colin Burlington Symon
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1956
NPG x185578
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1957
NPG x163479
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1957
NPG x163554
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1957
NPG x165406
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1957
NPG x165614
by Walter Bird
bromide print on card mount, 1957
NPG x166897
Gerald Chester Kearley, 2nd Viscount Devonport
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1957
NPG x167119
Mary Alice (née Gascoyne-Cecil), Duchess of Devonshire
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1957
NPG x167122
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1957
NPG x167397
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1957
NPG x167709
Christopher Grey Tennant, 2nd Baron Glenconner
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1957
NPG x167824
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1957
NPG x168194
Kenneth James William Mackay, 3rd Earl of Inchcape
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1957
NPG x168534
Bernard Marmaduke Fitzalan-Howard, 16th Duke of Norfolk
by Walter Bird
bromide print, October 1958
NPG x163112
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1958
NPG x163462
by Walter Bird
bromide print, December 1958
NPG x163619
by Walter Bird
bromide print, June 1958
NPG x163681
by Walter Bird
bromide print, July 1958
NPG x163911
Arthur Henderson, Baron Rowley
by Walter Bird
bromide print, August 1958
NPG x164029
Lawrence Roger Lumley, 11th Earl of Scarbrough
by Walter Bird
bromide print, September 1958
NPG x164272
by Walter Bird
bromide print, August 1958
NPG x164302
by Walter Bird
bromide print, October 1958
NPG x165278
George Patrick Demaine Blacker
by Walter Bird
bromide print, August 1958
NPG x165291
by Walter Bird
bromide print, October 1958
NPG x165387
David Vivian Penrose Lewis, 1st Baron Brecon
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1958
NPG x165506
by Walter Bird
bromide print on card mount, June 1958
NPG x165780
by Walter Bird
bromide print on card mount, September 1958
NPG x165790
by Walter Bird
bromide print, July 1958
NPG x166545
Richard Kidston Law, 1st Baron Coleraine
by Walter Bird
bromide print, May 1958
NPG x166661
by Walter Bird
bromide print, July 1958
NPG x166709
by Walter Bird
bromide print, October 1958
NPG x166817
Sir (Walter) Ferguson Crawford
by Walter Bird
bromide print, July 1958
NPG x166819
George Rowland Stanley Baring, 3rd Earl of Cromer
by Walter Bird
bromide print, October 1958
NPG x166872
by Walter Bird
bromide print on card mount, August 1958
NPG x20449
by Walter Bird
bromide print on card mount, August 1958
NPG x21933
Oliver Charles Harvey, 1st Baron Harvey of Tasburgh
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1958
NPG x33861
Dame Alix Hester Marie Meynell (Lady Meynell)
by Walter Bird
bromide print, July 1958
NPG x34727
by Walter Bird
bromide print, October 1958
NPG x87341
by Walter Bird
bromide print, June 1958
NPG x166948
Evelyn Adelaide Sharp, Baroness Sharp
by Walter Bird
bromide print, October 1958
NPG x167170
by Walter Bird
bromide print, September 1958
NPG x167269
John Benedict Eden, Baron Eden of Winton
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1958
NPG x167344
Dame Katherine Elizabeth Bruce (née Cochrane), Countess of Elgin
by Walter Bird
bromide print, July 1958
NPG x167368
Evelyn Violet Elizabeth Emmet (née Rodd), Baroness Emmet of Amberley
by Walter Bird
bromide print, November 1958
NPG x167398
by Walter Bird
bromide print, August 1958
NPG x167424
Sir Charles Fletcher Fletcher-Cooke
by Walter Bird
bromide print, June 1958
NPG x167581
by Walter Bird
bromide print, November 1958
NPG x167636
Annie Muriel Gammans (née Paul), Lady Gammans
by Walter Bird
bromide print, November 1958
NPG x167733
Sir (Sydney) Harold Gillett, 1st Bt
by Walter Bird
bromide print, November 1958
NPG x167806
Sir George Colvile Hayter Hames
by Walter Bird
bromide print, September 1958
NPG x168076
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1958
NPG x168179
by Walter Bird
bromide print, 1958
NPG x168202
by Walter Bird
bromide print, August 1958
NPG x168210