The Brunskill Glass Plate Collection

J W Brunskill was a local photographer who had a studio in Bowness, Windermere between 1860 and 1900. Biographical information about Brunskill is very sketchy but we know from the trade directories that he was one of the first professional photographers to operate in Bowness. He was based in his studio on Lake Road and premises on Biskey Howe, known as "Brunskill's Wood Shed".

The Armitt has recently acquired a collection of his glass plates. The collection of just over 17,000 glass plates (1.5 tons!) covers the period 1860-1906. All the plates are portraits of mainly local people, nearly all of which are named and dated. It covers a geographical area spreading west from Windermere which includes Ambleside, Hawkshead and Troutbeck. The images cover a wide range of social groups from yeoman farmers to the local MP as well as portraits of tourists and their servants staying in the local area. The plates are of exceptionally high quality. A full paper catalogue of the collection has already been prepared and the collection is generally in very good condition.

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