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The
current South Shields Photographic Society was founded
in 1913, although we do know of the existence of a former
society of the same name that was founded in 1894 that
ceased to function shortly after 1909 due to the lack
of support and the dearth of new members. Little is
known about this former society other than where it
used to hold its meetings and a few examples of its
fortnightly meetings thanks to the existence of few
copies of syllabuses owned by one of our own members
Mr Jack D Johnson who has been collecting society memorabilia
since he joined our society in 1940.
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In
September 1913 the Northern Counties Photographic Federation
organised a print exhibition that was to be the first
official English Federation Exhibition held, since the
days of the Yorkshire Federation so many years before.
The exhibition was held in the towns library during
September and drew some 20,000 visitors during the four
weeks it was on display, such was its success it sparked
renewed interest in the art that a new South Shields
Photographic Society was formed. The first President
of the society was Mr A E Cowling who was a past President
of the Northern Counties Photographic in 1909
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G. Keen.
(Founder
Member) |
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The
first meeting was held on the 21st October 1913 (no
doubt many of the members of the former society being
founder members of the new society) with a lecture delivered
by Mr R Chalmers of Sunderland titled “Home Portraiture”.
The venue for the meeting was more than likely to have
been the North of England café in King Street, which
was known to be the last meeting place of the former
society. Meetings at first were once a fortnight from
October to May and were later held every week except
during the months of June, July and August.
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South Shields Society 1916 - 1917
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Harrison
Burgess
1913-1914 Honorary
Secretary 1938-1939 Chairman / Honorary President
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Over
the years the society has made its home in a number
of venues around the town some of which have been documented
and some have not as all the records prior to 1950 have
been lost or destroyed. Thanks to living memory of some
of the senior members of the current society we have
been able to piece together some of the blanks, but
there is still an awful lot missing. It is know that
prior to 1937 we did hold our regular meetings in rooms
above a shop known as “Duns the Hatters” in Edinburgh
Buildings, King Street, the shop has long gone but the
buildings are still there across from the alley next
to the railway bridge that spans King Street.
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Hutchinson - Sutton - Farrage 1934 |
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