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National Photographic Record Albums: photographs by Walter Stoneman, circa 1916


284 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).

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William Moore Ede, by Walter Stoneman, for  James Russell & Sons - NPG Ax39133

William Moore Ede

by Walter Stoneman, for James Russell & Sons
platinum print, 1900s
NPG Ax39133

(Katherine Helen) Maud Diver, by Walter Stoneman, for  James Russell & Sons - NPG Ax39229

(Katherine Helen) Maud Diver

by Walter Stoneman, for James Russell & Sons
bromide print, 1910s
NPG Ax39229

Silas Kitto Hocking, by James Russell & Sons - NPG Ax39056

Silas Kitto Hocking

by James Russell & Sons
platinum print, 1910s
NPG Ax39056

Edwin Abbott Abbott, by James Russell & Sons - NPG Ax39124

Edwin Abbott Abbott

by James Russell & Sons
platinum print, 1910s
NPG Ax39124

Arthur Hacker, by James Russell & Sons - NPG Ax39215

Arthur Hacker

by James Russell & Sons
platinum print, 1910s
NPG Ax39215

Briton Riviere, by James Russell & Sons - NPG Ax39218

Briton Riviere

by James Russell & Sons
platinum print, 1910s
NPG Ax39218

Sir William Edmund Franklyn, by Walter Stoneman, for  James Russell & Sons - NPG Ax39041

Sir William Edmund Franklyn

by Walter Stoneman, for James Russell & Sons
bromide print, circa 1912
NPG Ax39041

Sir Horace Lockwood Smith-Dorrien, by Walter Stoneman, for  James Russell & Sons - NPG Ax39028

Sir Horace Lockwood Smith-Dorrien

by Walter Stoneman, for James Russell & Sons
bromide print, circa 1914
NPG Ax39028

James Sant, by James Russell & Sons - NPG Ax39193

James Sant

by James Russell & Sons
platinum print, circa 1914
NPG Ax39193

John Collier, by James Russell & Sons - NPG Ax39219

John Collier

by James Russell & Sons
bromide print, 1915
NPG Ax39219

Robert Baden-Powell, by James Russell & Sons - NPG Ax46141

Robert Baden-Powell

by James Russell & Sons
platinum print, circa 1916
NPG Ax46141

Sir Theodore Morison, by James Russell & Sons - NPG Ax39131

Sir Theodore Morison

by James Russell & Sons
platinum print, circa 1916
NPG Ax39131