IWM Photo Archives Austral Street..No more?

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Kallag
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Posts: 33
Joined: 02 May 2013, 21:00

IWM Photo Archives Austral Street..No more?

#1

Post by Kallag » 20 Dec 2016, 08:32

During a visit to the IWM in August, I walked over to the Photograph Visitors Room in Austral Street to arrange for a copy of a WW1 photograph I've been meaning to get for some time.

To my horror, the room was in the process of being emptied out.....all the files of photographs gone and not accessible to the public any more. Some files evidently destined for Duxford.

I was told that anything you want now will have to be sourced and ordered via their Website. Funding of staff and keeping the place going appears to have become a financial problem.

My visits to the Visitors Room over the years always yielded fantastic results when searching the files and Index cards. The photo captions, when given were not always dead accurate with the photographs giving some valuable information upon examination.

Not all photographs have been scanned for viewing online, neither do the captions always match items searched.

Now to my question. Would any of the members here perhaps know who I should be contacting to inquire about the future and information on the photo files, specifically where the files could be accessed in future.

Looking forward to your assistance.

Kallag

steve248
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Posts: 4309
Joined: 10 Aug 2003, 21:53
Location: Hertfordshire, England

Re: IWM Photo Archives Austral Street..No more?

#2

Post by steve248 » 23 Dec 2016, 14:52

I have any enquiry and will let you know what transpires.


Kallag
Member
Posts: 33
Joined: 02 May 2013, 21:00

Re: IWM Photo Archives Austral Street..No more?

#3

Post by Kallag » 24 Dec 2016, 07:50

Appreciate, thanks Steve.

steve248
Member
Posts: 4309
Joined: 10 Aug 2003, 21:53
Location: Hertfordshire, England

Re: IWM Photo Archives Austral Street..No more?

#4

Post by steve248 » 12 Jan 2017, 09:46

I am now informed that the bulk of the IWM Photographic section is being moved to Duxford/Cambridgeshire.
There has been IWM archive here for many years for books, journals, and Nuremberg war crimes material; and huge quantities of other stuff the IWM collects.

So far there is no possibility of visiting the Photo archive or explanation of what "bulk" might mean.

I will post again when there is more news.

Like many archival outposts such as Austral Street, if it is leased it becomes increasingly expensive when the lease comes up for renewal. If the IWM owns the site, it is probably worth as a site for new housing, the proverbial but one-off gold mine.

Kallag
Member
Posts: 33
Joined: 02 May 2013, 21:00

Re: IWM Photo Archives Austral Street..No more?

#5

Post by Kallag » 17 Jan 2017, 20:00

Thanks Steve,

Having the collection out at Duxford is a slight inconvenience when on a quick visit to London.

What would be nice to know is how accessible the photo files would be (if at all).

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