A beautiful building housing one of the UK's finest collections of fine and decorative art.
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A beautiful building housing one of the UK's finest collections of fine and decorative art.
An Edwardian Family Album exhibition
An exhibition at the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight, 23 October 2009 - 3 May 2010
Mary fishing c1915 © National Museums Liverpool (by kind permission of Heather Price)
This exhibition gives a fascinating glimpse into the life and leisure time of a Wirral family during the Edwardian era. The pictures were taken by Jack Urton, a keen amateur photographer, who lived in Birkenhead and later in Bebington. We see his family at home and in the garden, with relatives and friends, and on days out in Wirral and further afield.
Early 20th century photographs, particularly the kind of snapshots taken by Urton, portray an idealised image of the comforts of family life. They record personal and economic achievements, providing evidence of the family’s status through such things as their holidays, clothing, large garden and even transport.
Improvements in technology meant that families no longer relied on commercial or professional photographers and their formal studio portraits. Instead, as demonstrated by Urton’s pictures of his own family, photography entered the domestic setting, showing people more relaxed and spontaneous.
This personal, intimate view of an Edwardian family evokes a bygone age. The pictures resonate today with an immediacy and familiarity that recalls our own family photographs.
If anything in the exhibition reminds you of photographs in your own family album, you can visit the response area to share your memories. Children can also have fun dressing up as little Edwardians in costumes inspired by the exhibition!
Wirral archives events
Special events at Wirral Archives, Cheshire Lines Building, Canning Street, Birkenhead. Call 0151 606 2929 to book.
Edwardian Wirral workshop
24 March 2-4pm
Learn about the highs and lows of Edwardian life using original archive documents.
Edwardian Journalism workshop
27 April 2-4pm
Use archive newspapers discover the news the Urton family would have been reading!
The story behind the pictures
This exhibition was the idea of David Price (1945-2008). To read more about David and his wife Heather visit The story behind the pictures.
Book available
'An Edwardian Family Album' by David and Heather Price will be available from the Lady Lever Art Gallery shop, The Bookshop Mold and other local bookshops. The cover price is £9.99 and all proceeds will go to Clatterbridge Cancer Care.