Cookies

We use necessary cookies to make our site work. We'd also like to set optional analytics cookies to help us improve it. We won't set optional cookies unless you enable them or accept our recommended settings. Using this tool will set a cookie on your device to remember your preferences.

Options
Necessary cookies enable core functionality on our website. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.
We use marketing cookies to personalise your visit to our website and show you tailored advertising based on your likes and interests.
We use analytics cookies to monitor visitor behaviour patterns and improve our website performance.

Your preferences have been set. If you wish to change your preferences, you may do so on our cookies page.

Search My Trust
Join now
Join
Close

Looking for places? Use our place search to find them by name, town or postcode.

See all stories
27 Feb 2017

Everyday photographs reveal history

A black and white photograph of three women and a man sitting on a bench outdoors. They are having cups of tea or ice creams (Miss Toward on the far left has both!).
A photograph of Miss Toward from the Tenement House collection
A collection of photographs found in a box in the Tenement House appears, at first glance, to be an ordinary pile of family images, gathered by the lady who lived in this flat for most of her life.

However, these photos tell many more stories.

One of these is the tale of Miss Toward’s life: growing up in Glasgow, working in a shipping firm, and holidaying with friends on the coast.

The photographs also reveal the changing trends and fashions from the late 19th and 20th centuries, while providing evidence of the increased leisure time available to the expanding middle classes.

Another narrative tells of the important role that photography has played in people’s lives, from the initial marvel at being able to obtain a likeness of yourself in the 1840s (and saving up in order to visit a studio, dressed in your best clothes) to the informal holiday snaps of the 1950s.

This collection of photographs reveals how layers of social history are packed into humble family albums.

Explore the Tenement House

Visit now

Read next

Black and white photograph of Miss Toward

She was aye workin’

Team West are discovering the personal archive of Miss Agnes Toward at the Tenement House in Glasgow.

A black and white photograph of a line of people, sitting on a path beside a row of stone houses. They lean their backs against the wall of the house.

Photography on the edge

George Washington Wilson’s photographs of St Kildans were popular with a curious Victorian public.

A black and white photograph of four Japanese women in traditional dress, kneeling on the floor. They are smiling and are chatting to each other.

Japanese photographs influence Scottish artist

Edward Atkinson Hornel purchased hundreds of photographs in Japan in 1893.

Everyday photographs reveal history at the Tenement House: Part 1

The most ordinary looking box of photographs can tell the most remarkable range of stories.

Read more stories on

Back to top