The Press Photo History Project
TP
Family Photographers
The Press Photo History Project
9A Forge Ln, Ashford TN27 9QG
# The Press Photo History Project
The Press Photo History Project is a specialised research organisation dedicated to documenting and preserving the history of press photography in the United Kingdom from 1904 to the present day. Based in Ashford, Kent, the project operates as a comprehensive archive and knowledge repository for anyone seeking information about news photographers, photographic agencies and the working culture of the press photography industry.
The business serves academics, authors, publishers, photographers, photo collectors and media professionals who require historical information about the press photography sector. They are particularly recognised by the British Library as a valuable academic resource and have become the definitive go-to authority for press photography history and copyright investigations.
What distinguishes this organisation is its unique access to an extensive global network of commercial photo agencies, retired and working press photographers, private collectors and industry professionals. This enables them to solve historically difficult research problems, including tracing unfindable photograph copyrights and reconnecting photographers with their legacy work. The project actively collects and publishes first-hand testimonies from former Fleet Street workers, creating an invaluable oral history record of the industry.
Beyond research services, the PPHP is developing educational resources for schools and intends to create comprehensive "family trees" mapping photographers and agencies with biographical details and current whereabouts. Their work combines historical preservation with practical problem-solving, answering copyright enquiries weekly and helping reconnect industry professionals whilst building an authoritative archive for future generations.
The Press Photo History Project is a specialised research organisation dedicated to documenting and preserving the history of press photography in the United Kingdom from 1904 to the present day. Based in Ashford, Kent, the project operates as a comprehensive archive and knowledge repository for anyone seeking information about news photographers, photographic agencies and the working culture of the press photography industry.
The business serves academics, authors, publishers, photographers, photo collectors and media professionals who require historical information about the press photography sector. They are particularly recognised by the British Library as a valuable academic resource and have become the definitive go-to authority for press photography history and copyright investigations.
What distinguishes this organisation is its unique access to an extensive global network of commercial photo agencies, retired and working press photographers, private collectors and industry professionals. This enables them to solve historically difficult research problems, including tracing unfindable photograph copyrights and reconnecting photographers with their legacy work. The project actively collects and publishes first-hand testimonies from former Fleet Street workers, creating an invaluable oral history record of the industry.
Beyond research services, the PPHP is developing educational resources for schools and intends to create comprehensive "family trees" mapping photographers and agencies with biographical details and current whereabouts. Their work combines historical preservation with practical problem-solving, answering copyright enquiries weekly and helping reconnect industry professionals whilst building an authoritative archive for future generations.
Services offered
Copyright search and tracing servicesPress photographer identification and researchPhoto agency history investigationFleet Street industry documentationEducational resource provisionOral history interviews and collectionPhotographer reconnection servicesPhoto licensing industry consultation