[Views in Monmouthshire]

Three modern digital prints prepared fror a small exhibition in conjunction with LENS 2010. These show York Place, Newport; Christchurch Hill, Caerleon; The Bon Marche, Abertillery.

Martin J. Ridley (1861-1936) was a Bournemouth based photographer who specialised in photographing views in south Wales, Southern England and Australia. He was most active as a photographer during the 1890s-1920s. Most of his photographs of south Wales date from 1900-1910. The majority have been annotated in ink on the plate margin by Ridley. Some were used in the publication 'Sixty One Views of the Rhondda Valley'. Many others were published as picture postcards. Most of those published as postcards can be identified by the use of a four digit number inked on the negative. In May 1964 some 6000 or so Ridley glass plates were to be destoyed. They were however rescued at the last minute and placed in storage. It was not until 2007 that work on cataloguing and sorting the collection began. The 800 or so Welsh views were acquired by the National Library of Wales shortly afterwards.

Access to the original work by authorised permission only. Users are directed to use the digital image.

Martin J. Ridley (1861-1936) was a Bournemouth based photographer who specialised in photographing views in south Wales, Southern England and Australia. He was most active as a photographer during the 1890s-1920s. Most of his photographs of south Wales date from 1900-1910. The majority have been annotated in ink on the plate margin by Ridley. Some were used in the publication 'Sixty One Views of the Rhondda Valley'. Many others were published as picture postcards. Most of those published as postcards can be identified by the use of a four digit number inked on the negative. In May 1964 some 6000 or so Ridley glass plates were to be destoyed. They were however rescued at the last minute and placed in storage. It was not until 2007 that work on cataloguing and sorting the collection began. The 800 or so Welsh views were acquired by the National Library of Wales shortly afterwards.

Title and date suppplied by cataloguer.

[graphic].

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales