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National Photographic Record


5678 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.

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Sir John Hannah Gordon, by William Hammer & Co - NPG x16469

Sir John Hannah Gordon

by William Hammer & Co
bromide print, 1910s
NPG x16469

Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby, by James Russell & Sons - NPG x167103

Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby

by James Russell & Sons
bromide print, circa 1910s
NPG x167103

Patrick M'Mahon Glynn, by William Hammer & Co - NPG x167836

Patrick M'Mahon Glynn

by William Hammer & Co
bromide print, 1910s
NPG x167836

Sir John Hannah Gordon, by William Hammer & Co - NPG x167876

Sir John Hannah Gordon

by William Hammer & Co
bromide print, 1910s
NPG x167876

Sir Walter Hartwell James, possibly by Walter Stoneman - NPG x168584

Sir Walter Hartwell James

possibly by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1910s
NPG x168584

James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x166190

James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, circa 1916
NPG x166190

Sir Willoughby Robert Dottin Maycock, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x186569

Sir Willoughby Robert Dottin Maycock

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, circa 1916
NPG x186569

Thomas Lough, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x166900

Thomas Lough

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1917
NPG x166900

Alan Archibald Campbell Swinton, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x25014

Alan Archibald Campbell Swinton

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1917
NPG x25014

Francis Seymour Inglefield, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x169345

Francis Seymour Inglefield

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1917
NPG x169345

Sir Godfrey Marshall Paine, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x169561

Sir Godfrey Marshall Paine

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1917
NPG x169561

Sir Archibald Paris, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x169809

Sir Archibald Paris

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1917
NPG x169809

William Huskisson, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x190998

William Huskisson

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1917
NPG x190998

Sir Edward Francis Benedict Charlton, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x166481

Sir Edward Francis Benedict Charlton

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1918
NPG x166481

Herbert Hensley Henson, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x88136

Herbert Hensley Henson

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1918
NPG x88136

Sir Alfred Thomas Davies, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x167025

Sir Alfred Thomas Davies

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1918
NPG x167025

Sir (Pryce) Edward Pryce-Jones, 1st Bt, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x159763

Sir (Pryce) Edward Pryce-Jones, 1st Bt

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1918
NPG x159763

Sir Francis Salwey Winnington, 6th Bt, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x186239

Sir Francis Salwey Winnington, 6th Bt

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1918
NPG x186239

Oldfield Thomas, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x186925

Oldfield Thomas

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1918
NPG x186925

Sir Aylmer Gould Hunter-Weston, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x186970

Sir Aylmer Gould Hunter-Weston

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1918
NPG x186970

Beauchamp John Colclough Doran, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x167624

Beauchamp John Colclough Doran

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1919
NPG x167624

Philip Charles Palin, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x169794

Philip Charles Palin

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1919
NPG x169794

Sir Elliot Graham Colvin, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x66135

Sir Elliot Graham Colvin

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1919
NPG x66135

Frederick Soddy, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x87055

Frederick Soddy

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x87055

Sir Thomas William Holderness, 1st Bt, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x87197

Sir Thomas William Holderness, 1st Bt

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x87197

Sir Beilby Francis Alston, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x163579

Sir Beilby Francis Alston

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print in window mount, 1920
NPG x163579

Sir (John) George Beharrell, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x164016

Sir (John) George Beharrell

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x164016

William Henry Young, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x164377

William Henry Young

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x164377

Sir Francis Henry Dillon Bell, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x164856

Sir Francis Henry Dillon Bell

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920s
NPG x164856

Anthony Ashley Bevan, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x165170

Anthony Ashley Bevan

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x165170

Sir Shadi Lal, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x165472

Sir Shadi Lal

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, circa 1920
NPG x165472

Sir Arthur George Frederic Browne, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x166162

Sir Arthur George Frederic Browne

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x166162

Frederick William Coneybeer, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x166710

Frederick William Coneybeer

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, circa 1920
NPG x166710

Esmond Cecil Harmsworth, 2nd Viscount Rothermere, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x33961

Esmond Cecil Harmsworth, 2nd Viscount Rothermere

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x33961

Sir Richard Threlfall, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x87063

Sir Richard Threlfall

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x87063

Charles Cunliffe-Owen, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x166925

Charles Cunliffe-Owen

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x166925

Sir (William) Howell Davies, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x167036

Sir (William) Howell Davies

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, circa 1920
NPG x167036

Sir (Henry) Ralph Crooke, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x166877

Sir (Henry) Ralph Crooke

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x166877

Sir Stephen Demetriadi, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x167075

Sir Stephen Demetriadi

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x167075

Sir Matthew Nathan, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x167138

Sir Matthew Nathan

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x167138

Sir Charles Edward Down, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x167244

Sir Charles Edward Down

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x167244

David Henry Drake-Brockman, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x167253

David Henry Drake-Brockman

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x167253

Sir Charles Norton Edgcumbe Eliot, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x167370

Sir Charles Norton Edgcumbe Eliot

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x167370

Sir Hugh Jamieson Elles, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x167373

Sir Hugh Jamieson Elles

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x167373

Sir Arthur Upton Fanshawe, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x167483

Sir Arthur Upton Fanshawe

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x167483

Horace Brand Farquhar, 1st Earl Farquhar, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x167490

Horace Brand Farquhar, 1st Earl Farquhar

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x167490

Henry Lawrence Gardiner, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x167739

Henry Lawrence Gardiner

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x167739

Sebert Francis St David's Green, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x167946

Sebert Francis St David's Green

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x167946

John Walter Gregory, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x167970

John Walter Gregory

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x167970

Sir Eric Hambro, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x168085

Sir Eric Hambro

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x168085

Sir (Robert) Leicester Harmsworth, 1st Bt, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x168141

Sir (Robert) Leicester Harmsworth, 1st Bt

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x168141

Martin Bladen Hawke, 7th Baron Hawke, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x168206

Martin Bladen Hawke, 7th Baron Hawke

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x168206

Sir George Burton Hunter, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x168496

Sir George Burton Hunter

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x168496

Valentine Charles Browne, 5th Earl of Kenmare, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x168705

Valentine Charles Browne, 5th Earl of Kenmare

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x168705

Robert Francis Peel, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x169913

Robert Francis Peel

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x169913

Sir Henry Staveley Lawrence, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x168858

Sir Henry Staveley Lawrence

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920s
NPG x168858

Victor Alexander George Robert Bulwer-Lytton, 2nd Earl of Lytton, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x186068

Victor Alexander George Robert Bulwer-Lytton, 2nd Earl of Lytton

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x186068

Roundell Cecil Palmer Wolmer, 3rd Earl of Selborne, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x185206

Roundell Cecil Palmer Wolmer, 3rd Earl of Selborne

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x185206

George Bernard Shaw, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x185231

George Bernard Shaw

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, copied May 1941 (circa 1920)
NPG x185231

Sir Grafton Elliot Smith, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x185350

Sir Grafton Elliot Smith

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 1920
NPG x185350