A Geographers’ Gaze

A Geographers’ Gaze - Alan Parkinson/Peter Fox
Introduction
The Geographical Association has a large collection of over 10 000 lantern slides,
formerly part of the collection of resources curated by and named after H J Fleure.
They provide an insight into the changing nature of geography during the late
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and highlight a variety of physical and
human features across the globe. Many of the images were created by people
associated with the GA on their travels, or were produced to be sold or loaned to
schools. The production of the slides and associated teaching materials were part of
the early work of the GA and its volunteer officers. The lantern slides were used in
classrooms and lecture theatres using a device called an epidiascope.
The Geographers’ Gaze project team has selected an initial set of 25 images which
we feel would be of relevance for topics taught in the present day geography
curriculum of many schools, or show aspects of our changing landscape which could
be unpicked with students. The images all show locations within the British Isles.
Work on the project has been funded by a donation from Brian Ellis, the former
Honorary Treasurer of the Association.
The GA’s collection of lantern slides were not completely catalogued and had
gathered dust for many years in the warehouse at Fulwood Road and later Solly
Street in Sheffield. There had been an attempt to put them into some sort of order,
but the numbering system was unclear and hadn’t been updated for some time.
The slide collection was cleaned, organised and indexed on a spreadsheet which
contained as much information as was known about the image.Some additional
information was found with some of the slides, such as notes that James Fairgrieve
made for the use of the slides on his travels around the country, lecturing to groups
of people.
Project team
Isabel Richardson carried out the early work cataloguing and cleaning slides and organising
them into a suitable arrangement to enable access. She has had previous experience of
working in a museum environment and curating artefacts of this kind.
Peter Fox - former GA President whose Presidential address was on the theme of images
and chaired the GA’s ICT Special Interest Group for many years
Alan Parkinson - GA President 2021-2
Support also came from Alan Kinder - GA Chief Executive and Ricky Buck - Executive
Assistant.

Slides and narrative
With each of the selected slides, the image could be used in association with an
Ordnance Survey map, whether present day / Victorian or otherwise.
Free Ordnance Survey maps from previous decades can be obtained from the
National Library of Scotland site https://maps.nls.uk/os/
Another option is to try to locate the place on Google Earth and place yourself in the
same location as close as you can.
E.g. Image #1 - Aberglaslyn Pass
Image copyright: Google Earth and associated imaging partners.
A range of strategies can be used with images, including the image frames
suggested by Margaret Roberts for layers of inference.

THE FIRST 25 IMAGES
1. Aberglassylyn Pass / Aberglaslyn Pass [Bwlch Aberglaslyn]
Snowdonia Gwynedd, Wales Summer
Unknown Photographer and date
The Aberglaslyn Pass is a narrow gorge followed by the A498 and A4085 along the
Afon Glaslyn through the pass to Beddgelert. The road can be seen following the
right bank of the river in the photograph. The Afon Glaslyn is shown meandering
through a relatively flat floodplain. The river was at one time navigable by small
boats. The steep slopes in the fore-ground of the photograph show little evidence of
vegetation but some scree. Some of the less steep slopes are tree covered.
Evidence that the Afon Glaslyn has undercut the bank on the right background of the
photo is evident.
Question: What types of land uses can be seen in the photograph. Is all of the land
in this area economic to farm?
Activity: This is an attractive route for tourists – find the pass and the route on a map
on the internet. At what exact point do you think this photograph was taken?

The image is of a view looking down the valley with a meandering channel occupying
part of the valley floor.
The foreground has rock outcrops and steep ground. This would form a barrier to
road traffic. Some of the steep slopes are forested.
What does the word Aberglaslyn mean in Welsh? Explore the vocabulary of place
names - this is a feature of several of the other images which are located in Scotland
and Wales where names are often descriptive of particular features but require
translation to uncover these meanings)
A guide can be seen here:
https://getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/guides/the-welsh-origins-of-place-names-in-
britain/
The image was taken at the Aberglaslyn Pass itself, south of the settlement of
Beddgelert, where the road is able to pass through the steep landscape. The view
looks to the south.
The nature of the local geology can be explored on the BGS Geology of Britain
Viewer: https://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html
Part of the area is now managed by the National Trust:

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/craflwyn-and-beddgelert/trails/cwm-bychan-and-aber
glaslyn-pass-walk
Current OS Explorer Sheet: OL17
The origin of this image and photographer are not known currently - any information would
be gratefully received.
2. Blencathra Mine, Saddleback, Cumberland
Blencathra Mine or Saddleback, Lake District, England
W L Turner negative unknown date
The photograph shows a mine on Blencathra - meaning ‘blain’ –top or summit and
‘cadeir’ – seat or chair. – the summit of a seat-like mountain although Blencathra is a
small range of fells rather than a single summit. In common with the northern fells of
the Lake District geologically it is part of the Skiddaw Group of mudstones, siltstones
and sandstones. There were several reasons for the mines being opened in this area
to explore for lead, limonite, copper and barite. Most of these mines closed by 1920
and the area is now used for farming, forestry and outdoor recreation.
Question: Describe the mine as shown in the photograph. What is the large wheel
and the wooden trough leading to it being used for?
Activity: Metals such as lead, limonite, copper and barite are now becoming
increasingly important – for each one say why - what is its modern usage?

The negative is attributed to W L Turner. It is described as the property of W E
Howarth.
Blencathra is a popular peak with walkers in the NE Lake District, close to the town
of Keswick and overlooking Castlerigg Stone Circle. It is also known as Saddleback.
Students may be asked to explore an OS map of the same area to explore the
legacy of mining.
What was being mined here? How many people worked in these mines? What sort of mine
is shown? What happened to the product that was mined - how was it used? How was it
transported away from the valley?
There are several routes to the summit of the peak which can be taken by walkers.
One of the more challenging routes is to access via a ridge called Sharp Edge. This is a
fairly narrow, steep sided ridge which is relatively dangerous to access and requires
occasional help from the mountain rescue team.
Blencathra has a mining museum.
Students could be asked to consider the evidence for this mine being one of the mines in the
Glenderaterra valley. The nature of the local geology can be explored on the BGS Geology
of Britain Viewer: https://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html
3.
Borth Beach [Y Borth] Ceredigion, Mid-Wales [7 miles north of
Aberystwyth] on the Ceredigion Coastal Path
Unknown photographer and date
The photograph shows part of the seaside resort of Borth and its beach. There is a
submerged forest visible at low tide some of which may be seen in the photograph.
The forest dates from 1500 BCE. More stumps from the forest were exposed by
storm Hannah in 2019. This stretch of coast is exposed to erosion and the
photographs show how groynes have been installed to mitigate against sand
migration. The photo also shows a rudimentary type of wooden sea wall made of
wooden planks to protect the sea front houses. Both was and still is a small fishing,
tourist and retirement village.
Question: In 2011 a coastal protection scheme was started from Borth to Ynyslas.
List the types of coastal protection measures that might be appropriate for this
stretch of coast.
Activity: Draw a plan or map of the area shown on the photograph and mark the
different areas.

The town lies within the Dyfi Biosphere.
The Welsh Coastal Path also runs through the town.
These houses appear to be at particular risk of damage from the waves. How are
they protected?
How is the present day settlement protected?
http://borthcommunity.info/index.php/planning-drawings/235-borth-coastal-defence/4
6-overview
May be worth introducing students to the future fate of the village of Fairbourne:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/welsh-village-being-abandoned-sea
-16330847
Current OS Explorer Sheet: 213
4.
Brandon Hill [St Brandon Hill] view of Bristol between the districts of
Clifton and Hotwells
George Washington Wilson c1896
The photograph shows Brandon Hill Park overlooking Bristol – the park is named
after the Irish Saint Brendan. Cabot Tower was opened at this location in 1897 a year
after this photograph was taken. The lower slopes of the hill were developed in the
18th
and 19th
centuries but this park was given to the council in 1174 by the Earl of
Gloucester and was used for grazing until 1625 when it became a public open
space. The space was a popular location for public meetings and views. The park
still retains its Victorian layout.
Question: Why does the path curve across the grass rather than being straight?
Activity: Try to find a modern view of Bristol from the park and annotate a copy of this
photograph with the buildings that can still be seen from this viewpoint.
Many images of this kind were taken at this time, with panoramic views looking
across the city.
A similar contemporary view can be found from Brandon Hill overlooking the city of
Bristol.
How has the park featured in the foreground of the image changed over that time?
Find panoramas taken from Cabot Tower and compare the view.

A look at the image shows a lot of tall structures. What are these structures? Look
closely at the image.
What tall buildings exist in Bristol today?
5. Deal Capstan, Deal Kent
Fairgreave c1930
The photograph shows children talking and looking at capstans and the
photographer on the shore at Deal in Kent. The capstans were used to pull boats up
the beach out of the range of the tides and are anchored to the beach. Note the
period clothes the children are wearing. Deal shoreline is close to the Goodwin
Sands which made this part of the coast both a place for shelter and a place of
danger for boats. Often boats would wait off the coast for a ‘good-wind’ and at this
time the Deal boatmen would provision them. Deal also was used last century as a
convenient landing place for passengers for London – saving the long wait for a
suitable wind to complete their journey. The boats used here were traditionally locally
built and often called luggers which were three masts and clinker built. Deal is one of
the Cinque ports: a group of ports on the SE coast of England which also includes Rye and
Sandwich. They have a military history and purpose at a time when there was a threat from
across the English Channel. https://cinqueports.org/cinque-port-towns/
Question: How were the capstans powered?
Activity: What system is used for this process today – are boats still hauled up the
beach – can you find a photograph?Can students discover whether the capstan is still
there, and where it may have been located?
https://cinqueports.org/cinque-port-towns/
A photo in the Science Museum’s collection, dated 1900 shows a similar capstan
being operated by people who have similar clothing to that in the image - see the
image here:
https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co8226529/turning-capstan-at
-deal-photograph-digital-positive-from-celluloid-negative
Image can be used with citation - CC license
Science Museum Group. Turning Capstan at Deal. 1997-5003/207Science Museum
Group Collection Online. Accessed October 2, 2021.

https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co8226529/turning-capstan-at
-deal-photograph-digital-positive-from-celluloid-negative.
The town has a great deal of maritime history which is explored in one of the
RGS-IBG’s Discovering Britain guided walks
https://www.discoveringbritain.org/activities/south-east-england/walks/walmer-and-de
al.html
Check out pin 12 on the walk’s guide to read about the history of the fishing beach
close to Deal Castle (this can be explored using Google’s Street View feature)
The age of this image is not known currently - any information would be gratefully received.
6. Crossing the Stile Darley Dale Derbyshire Summer
Fairgreave c1930
The photograph shows two ladies dressed in their ‘Sunday best’ crossing a stile in a
dry stone wall. Most of the fields are divided by these dry stone walls. Notice their
dress and particularly their decorated hats. Perhaps they are on their way to church
or to another celebration, perhaps around May Day or spring. Some parts of the Peak
District have well dressings made from flowers.
Question: Why are dry stone walls so common in this part of Derbyshire – several
reasons. What rock are the walls composed of? This area of the Peak District is
called the White Peak.
Activity: Think about the ladies – are they related – where do you think they are
going? Why are they not going by car or bus?
The image was one taken by James Fairgrieve, who was GA President in 1935. He
donated many slides to the collection, along with notes that he took on their use with
teachers, which can be seen within the GA Archive. Many of them had captions, but
this one does not, and the location is a bit of a mystery.
https://gapresidents.blogspot.com/2019/09/1935-james-fairgrieve.html
Dry stone walls were often constructed using stones cleared off the land, and
became a method of confining livestock as well as determining the edges of estates,
including land owned by monasteries.
What does this say about the quality of the soil in these areas, and the type of
farming that is likely to take place here?
If the walls are to keep sheep in one location, why is there a gap in the wall rather
than a stile to climb over it?
This is an area where there is a lot of vernacular/local language used for particular
landscape features.

The existence of dry stone walls can be dated as far back as over 3,500bc. It is
believed that farmers of the Iron and Bronze Ages constructed their agricultural walls
with the huge structures arranged by the ethnic chiefs and lords. In Derbyshire alone
we have standing walls that go back to Roman times; ancient clearance walls built to
mark boundaries and contain livestock; slavers walls built by people who were
captured and brought here because they could build walls effectively; and famine walls
built by Irish labourers in the 1800s, working either for homesteads or wealthy
land-owners.
At a glance, the ages and types of dry stone walls are identifiable by their shape, form
and location. Enclosure by Act of Parliament was standard in the mid 1700s, although
the first Enclosure Act was passed in 1604. Walls built in this period are the most
common in the countryside, dividing land in straight strips of a rectangular shape and
called the enclosures walls, as seen in the countryside near Monyash and Flagg.
Source:
https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/homes-and-gardens/places-to-live/derbyshire-dry-st
one-walls-6515414
The location of this image, and the identity of the photographer are not currently confirmed -
any information would be gratefully received.
7. Crowborough Heath Sandstone Quarry, East Sussex
Unknown Date
The photograph shows a relatively shallow but small quarry with quarrymen and their
equipment. The massive and thick bedded fine to medium grained quartz sandstone
found here is sometimes called the Tunbridge Wells Sands. Crowborough is in the
Weald on the edge of the Ashdown Forest 7 miles from Royal Tunbridge Wells.
Much of this area is now a protected area of ecological importance and was the
setting for A A Milne’s Winnie the Pooh.
Question: How are the wooden triangular structures (called shear legs) being used?
Is there any indication as to how the sandstone is being cut? Is the use of sandstone
a sustainable use – think of its use compared with other materials used in
construction. The equipment being used is simple and lacking in the use of motorised
equipment and vehicles which one would expect in a modern quarry environment.
Activity: Many quarries like this one have become disused – but are now used for a
variety of other purposes – suggest some other purposes and verify your answers
from the internet.
The nature of the local geology can be explored on the BGS Geology of Britain Viewer:
https://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html

A Historic England report on the local geology also provides a great deal of additional detail
on the area, and the legacy of quarrying:
https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/East_Sussex_Building_Stone_
Atlas.pdf
This suggests the rock is Wealden Sandstone, and was used as a building stone. Students
may be asked to explore local villages to see if they can identify properties built with this
stone.
Bedrock Geology Map
8. Dover Harbour, Kent
York & Son 1893
The photograph shows the inner and outer harbours with warehouses and different
types of ships moorings. A variety of different types and sizes of ship are illustrated –
some are sailing ships, others steam powered and probably some with a
combination of steam and sail. The harbour is sheltered from the sea. Dover Harbour
is a point of entry for many to the UK and another port linked with the Cinque Ports - see #5.
A modern day ferry port offers a number of crossings to locations within the EU.
Question: Are sailing ships a more sustainable and economical alternative to modern
ships? What are the advantages and disadvantages of sail?
Activity: Warehouses are now very uncommon in port areas – why?

This image forms part of a collection which was published by York and Son, in 1893,
which was part of a collection called South Coast Dover to Portland - this was slide
#1 in that collection. It is also found in the Manchester Library Collection.
The image was taken from up towards the castle.
Further along from the harbour is Samphire Hoe which was made from the spoil
created by the creation of the Channel Tunnel.
https://www.samphirehoe.com/
https://www.samphirehoe.com/content/uploads/2021/06/environmental-plan-2025-U
K.pdf
Students can identify the routes taken by cross-channel ferries and other vessels on
the Marine Traffic website.
The Strait of Dover is described as one of the busiest stretches of water in the world.
https://www.britannica.com/place/Strait-of-Dover
Add in the file and help sheet that I wrote for the CILT resources on the use of AIS.
8. Haymaking Essex Summer
Fairgreave c1930
The photograph shows a number of men unloading a cart full of hay onto a haystack
or rick. Hay was stored like this until it was required for cattle fodder during the winter
months when feed was short. A tarpaulin sheet is spread on the ground in the front
of the cart – this will be used to cover the stack/rick to keep water and air out and
was often weighed down with ropes and heavy stones. Agriculture has changed over
the years as mechanisation has removed much of the need for a workforce to
provide manual labour. This image shows haymaking in the county of Essex. Several
people are shown in the image, helping to transfer the hay from a horse drawn
wagon to a large rick or stack using pitchforks or similar tools.
Question: Is this a sustainable, economic method of working? What systems are
used now and what are their advantages and disadvantages?
Activity: There are/were many different types of hay rick/stack – investigate the
shapes and types associated with different parts of the country.
9. Handfast Point – Old Harry Rocks, Ballard Down - Dorset
SHR 1912

The photograph shows an eroded limestone [chalk] headland leaving behind stacks
and wave cut caves and notches in the base of the steep cliffs. Notice the nature of
the rock, the wave cut platform. The chalk was formed with bands of flint about 66
million years ago. These have been gradually eroded – Harry lost his wife [another
stack/stump] in 1509. The sea gradually erodes along the joints and bedding planes
where softer chalk meets harder bedrock to form a cave or enlarge a joint in the rock
– weathering also has a part to play in this process. The gap at the end of the point
is called St Lucas’s Leap.
The Old Harry rocks are a familiar feature in many geography textbooks as an
example of coastal erosion, or the stages in the erosion of a headland.
Old Harry itself is a sea stack which is slowly being removed by a number of coastal
erosion processes as well as sub-aerial weathering. The top of the cliff nearby is
known as Old Nick’s Ground which is another name for the devil.
Question: Why has the cliff been eroded in these specific spots and not others?
Which area is prone to most erosion and why?
Activity: Find a recent view of these rocks and identify any changes or not. What
does this tell you about the nature of this coast?
Not all stacks are given names. What other stacks are given names and where are
they located?
Handfast point lies at the end of a headland close to the town of Swanage in Dorset.
It has a distinctive geology which creates a coastline studded with distinctive
landforms including Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door. The nature of the local geology
can be explored on the BGS Geology of Britain Viewer:
The feature sits on the eastern edge of the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, southern
England. The rocks here also mark the most easterly point of the Jurassic Coast, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site which starts at Exmouth.
The image was taken in 1912 and is in the SHR collection.
The route leading to Old Harry is popular with both walkers and cyclists and forms
part of the South West Coast Path.
https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/
This drone film is an example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIsRbUAaaeI

They can also be reached by sea kayak or stand up paddle board - a sport that has
grown in popularity, meaning the splendid isolation of the stacks is sometimes
disturbed by visitors.
As with other stretches of the UK’s coast, the area is managed by the National Trust.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/studland-bay/trails/old-harry-rocks-walk
A useful BBC Bitesize clip:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/zdmb4wx
11.Holborn Policeman, London
Fairgreave c1926
The photograph shows a policeman on ‘point-duty’ directing traffic in Holborn
London. Notice the nature of the traffic and its quantity. The shop on the corner –
many shops were on corners – is typical of 1926. This shows a large corner shop
with separate entrances to shops selling specific goods under the ownership of one
firm. The windows facing the sun have large blinds to protect the goods on display in
the large display windows.
Question: What are the main advantages for a shop to have a corner site? Would the
shop have extended to the other floors – is there any evidence in the photograph?
Activity: What changes have taken place in town shopping since 1926 – what are the
advantages and disadvantages?
Some of the images in the collection focus on detail rather than broader landscapes or urban
areas. These can often be some of the most interesting images as individual people can be
seen, along with their clothes. This shows changes in our daily lives, which are often more
dramatic than those which take place in landscapes.
According to ‘Geography’, James Fairgrieve was living in London at the time, and his
address is shown as: Frocester, Friern Lane, New Southgate, London, N11.
Holborn is in the London borough of Camden in WC1.
This image was taken near to the present day Holborn underground station and shows part
of a junction which exists today, and has very busy traffic flow. A policeman is shown
apparently ‘directing traffic’ according to the caption. As London’s historic law district,
Holborn is, even today, a bustling mix of legal buildings and offices, such as the imposing
Royal Courts of Justice and the nearby Inns of Court. Someone fairly important is probably a
passenger in the cab being shown.
This shows part of the city of London and the horse drawn traffic which used to be seen on
the city’s streets.
The use of so many horses created some issues for the city, which were different to the air
quality issues that the city faces today.
Also consider the retail premises that can be seen on this corner.

Identify which one of the buildings at the main junction it is. It is at the junction of High
Holborn and Southampton Row.
Metro Bank building - what clues tell you that this is the correct building?
https://goo.gl/maps/M83SzbCNGM8KYPqc9
London’s traffic congestion led to the development of an underground railway, which is now
extensive (and being added to be Crossrail)
https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/stories/transport/very-short-history-underground
12. Inverness [Inbhir Nis] from the Castle, Scottish Highlands, Inverness
shire
George Washington Wilson 1904
Inverness is a city in the NE of Scotland. It became a city at the turn of the millennium in
2000.
The photograph shows a view of the River Ness as it flows out to the sea. The River
Ness flows from Loch Ness into the Moray Firth which is at the end of the Great
Glen. Ness means mouth of a river. The city of Inverness is divided by the river
which is crossed by several bridges. The castle stands at the right hand corner of the
photograph.
Question: What are the advantages and disadvantages of a town which is located on
a river but is divided by it?
Activity: Find a more recent photograph of Inverness and identify some of the
buildings shown in this photograph and name the two bridges.
There is a bridge across the river, which has been replaced by a more modern bridge since
the image was taken. The church in the background to the right is still in existence - identify
its name using appropriate mapping.
13. Ladram stacks, looking towards Sidmouth, Devon
For Newton & Company unknown date
The photograph shows a cliff line in the background with a number of isolated stacks
and stumps in the foreground which have been eroded over many years. The cliffs
are composed of Sherwood Sandstone while these particular stacks and stumps are
composed of laminated Otter Sandstone. This sand stone is especially hard and
resistant to erosion and contemporary photographs show very little signs of change.
The stack in the foreground is called Ladram Rock – the others also have local
names. This is a very attractive tourist location and is on part of a coastal path. The

slopes leading down to Ladram Bay are now occupied by hundreds of caravans and mobile
homes and chalets which are operated by the Ladram Bay Holiday Park.
Visit the website https://www.ladrambay.co.uk/ to see the same stack but from the opposite
direction.
The Holiday Park opened in 1943 https://www.ladrambay.co.uk/our-history/ and is a popular
destination for many families.
Question: The stacks/stumps have been eroded unevenly – what could account for
this?
Activity: Investigate the rest of this coastline - are stacks and stumps common – if so
why – if not why? Use the following web site to investigate this coast a little more:
https:// wessexcoastgeology.soton.ac.uk/Sidmouth-Devon.htm
There is a free app called My Soil which can be downloaded to a tablet or other
mobile device for free, created by BGS. The BGS is the British Geological Society.
https://www.bgs.ac.uk/technologies/apps/mysoil-app/
The nature of the local geology can also be explored on the BGS Geology of Britain
The image is attributed to Newton and Company.
14.
Looe, [Logh] South East Cornwall
Valentine & Sons Series 1894
The photograph shows the small town of Looe in Cornwall with the River Looe
flowing out into the sea. Logh means deep water inlet. It lies 20 miles west of
Plymouth. There is a breakwater protecting a small beach and the outlet to the
River Looe. There are some sailing boats off the harbour. The town is located on
both sides of a steep sided valley. The two parts of the town are linked by a bridge
[not shown on the photograph]. Many of the houses are constructed of local stone
although the more recent ones of brick. It is a town crowded with small houses,
shops, services and tourist facilities. Offshore to the west is Looe Island.
Question: Only a few of the inhabitants of Looe rely on fishing, many more on
tourism and some retire to the town. Is this balance of economic activity good or bad
for the town?
Activity: Traffic is a huge problem, especially in the tourist season. How has Looe
addressed this problem at the same time making the town accessible to local
residents and the emergency services?

Second homes & honeypots
Looe is a popular resort destination today, with a great many people having their
holidays in the county, particularly in the last couple of years when overseas travel
has been quite difficult and more expensive.
There is an issue with second homes raising house prices in the town (as with many
other towns in that area).
Protests have occurred as a result:
https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/looe-vandalism-tells-tourists-seco
nd-5500126
The S W Coastal Path also runs through this location, as with several other locations in this
slide collection.
Activity
Find the elevated location from which the image was taken, and compare with the present
day and also consider the different uses of the properties now compared to when the image
was taken.
OS Explorer Sheet: 107
15.
Mousehole [Porthenys] Cornwall
Fairgreave c1930
The photograph shows the small harbour at Mousehole in Cornwall with the village
clustered around it and the small port filled with mainly clinker built sailing boats at
low tide. An islet called St Clement’s Isle lies 350 metres offshore. The picturesque
nature of the village has had both positive and negative effects. Particularly in the
summer it is overcrowded on most days with holidaymakers and tourists. Fishing for
pilchards has always been important to this small village.
Question: Is the success of a village like Mousehole its own failure?
Activity: Find a recent photograph of Mousehole.and compare it with this one. Can
you spot any changes?
A second place in Cornwall after Looe (#14) which is also very popular with tourists,
and also has a historical association with fishing.
Mousehole is a popular tourist resort, and even back in the days when the image was
taken,which is unknown, it would have been attracting visitors.

Looking closely at the boats, you can see they have numbers which is a registration number
as a commercial vessel, rather than the pleasure boats which generally have a name
instead.
The large vessel in the image and the smaller image bottom right have a code which starts
with the letters PZ.
What place does that refer to?
https://www.maritimeviews.co.uk/west-cornwall-luggers-and-mfv/the-penzance-sea-fishing-b
oat-registers/
The village still has some fishing taking place, although not to the extent that it used to rely
on it. There has been some concern about the impact of Brexit in locations such as this. The
issue of second homes is one that also affects this village (as with all villages in Cornwall)
https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/families-forced-out-cornish-villages-11780
50
The SW Coastal Path also runs through this location, as with several other locations in this
slide collection.
Explore possible changes to the sea wall which protects the buildings behind the harbour.
Can students identify the place from which the photograph was taken?
16. Tilbury Docks Essex and the Orient Liner
Fairgreave c1930
Tilbury is located on deep water near the mouth of the River Thames on the north
bank in Essex. This photograph shows the Orient Liner – used for both passengers
and goods and a number of large barges which have been used to bring goods down
the Thames to Tilbury. The quayside is lined with dock side sheds and cranes.
Question: What systems are now in place which have transformed the movement of
goods by sea – and what have the key advantages been? Consider recent
vulnerabilities to this system.
Activity: Tilbury Port is still a growing and important port – find out what it looks like
now and what goods it handles and from where.
As ships grew in size, Tilbury grew in significance and much of the container shipping
coming into London no longer moves towards the city centre in the way it used to.
The meanders which are known to many from the opening credits of Eastenders caused
some issues for manoeuvring.
The area also has the Swanscombe Peninsula, which is the planned location for a new
theme park.
The date for this image is not known currently - any further information would be gratefully
received.

17. Ross on Wye, horseshoe bend
Ross on Wye [Rhosan or Wy] Horseshoe Bend Herefordshire Summer
The photograph shows a view of the River Wye near Ross on Wye. It shows the
River Wye almost doubling back on itself to form a large horse-shoe bend or
meander. This is caused partly by the differential erosion of the river – the outside
eroding quicker than the inside bend depositing material on the inside bend and
eroding it on the outside bend. Eventually the bend will be cut off to form a cut-off or
ox-bow lake. This process causes the river to move or migrate down the valley over
time.
Question: Would the settlement in the foreground be in any danger from this river
process?
Activity: Find any cut-offs or ox bows that have been formed along the River Wye by
looking at internet maps of the River’s course.
Ross on Wye lies close to the border between England and Wales. Ross-on-Wye itself is a
market town with a population of around 11 000 people (more than it would have had when
this picture was taken). It lies in south-eastern Herefordshire.
The horseshoe bend here is a meander - a typical river feature of many stages of a river’s
development (not just the middle and lower section). Over time, there is the potential for this
meander to be cut off from the main channel and become the familiar ox-bow lake which has
become a stereotypical memory of school geography by those of a certain age.
Proximity to the river brings some positives, but also the risk of flooding.
18. Staithes, Borough of Scarborough, North Yorkshire
George Washington Wilson c1896
The photograph shows the village of Staithes which is built upon the sides of
Staithes Beck which collects water from the Easington and Roxby Becks. The village
forms the border between Scarborough and Redcar and Cleveland – the area on the
north [left side is called Cowbar and is in Cleveland] The village is now in the North
York Moors National Park. The photograph shows one bridge across the Beck and a
few small fishing boats. Staithes has a sheltered harbour bounded by high cliffs and

two long breakwaters [not seen on the photograph]. At Boulby Cliff near Staithes
alum was mined and exported through the port. The surrounding geology is from the
Jurassic [Lias] where in the early 1900s a fossil of a seagoing dinosaur was found.
Question: What are the advantages and disadvantages living in a small village like
this one? What is /was Alum used for?
Activity: Find an illustration of the sea-going dinosaur found here in the early 1990s.
It was taken around 1896 and originally had the caption “A river valley with sloping sides,
debouching into the sea”.
Consider the word debouching: an unfamiliar one - what do students think it might mean?
It is taken from the top of the valley down which the Staithes Beck runs down, with Cowbar
Nab on the left and Penny Nab on the right. The nature of the local geology can be explored
on the BGS Geology of Britain Viewer:
At first glance, if one compares it with a contemporary image there is not much difference
with the present day, but look more closely to identify as many differences as possible.
In recent years, Staithes has been protected by a new sea wall to create a protected
harbour, following earlier problems with storm damage, most recently during the
storm surge of 2013.
The village gained some fame when a children’s TV series called “Old Jack’s Boat’,
featuring Bernard Cribbins as Old Jack was filmed in and around the village of
Staithes, particularly down on the quayside near the lifeboat station.
20. Stornoway Cottage
Stornoway Cottage, Western Isles, Scotland
The photograph shows a small ‘crofters’ cottage near Stornoway. The one storey
cottage is probably constructed of stone with a chimney at both ends and a thickly
thatched roof. The photograph shows two front windows and a smaller window in the
gable end. The cottage would probably only have two main rooms with a smaller
room in the roof space. The cottage probably used locally cut peat for heating and
cooking. Notice the peat stack to the left of the cottage – which has been piled to dry.
Question: Is peat a sustainable fuel? What types of energy are available to isolated
communities in the Western Islands of Scotland which are more sustainable and
ecologically friendly?

Activity: Find out what economic activities people and communities living in these
areas might do?
Images of housing are useful for students to see the changing designs and materials
of housing over time. This would include an exploration of rurality and the changing
nature of these remote places.
Stornoway is the main town on the Outer Hebridean island of Lewis.
Scottish Gaelic: Steòrnabhagh
The island chain is also known as the Western Isles, and lies a short ferry ride from
the Isle of Skye.
Heating was from peat which was cut from the local area using a special tool. Peat
cuttings can still be found, although peat is no longer required in most homes. The
peat blocks are stacked up to the left of the house, and are a substantial volume.
https://www.virtualheb.co.uk/peat-cutting-western-isles-history-of-peat/
Peat is an organic soil which has a very high organic content.
An article in The Scotsman dating back to 2012
https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/fuel-poverty-has-prompted-re
vival-peat-cutting-lewis-2462556
Students could explore whether there has been a recent resurgence in the use of
peat as a domestic fuel.
One important role that peat plays for modern geographical study (particularly at ‘A’
level is as a carbon store. Burning peat releases this carbon which is not ideal, but
has been a traditional form of heat for centuries. Peat fires burn slowly, and give off a
little amount of heat compared to coal / anthracite. It has recently been called carbon
gold:
https://blogs.gov.scot/rural-environment/2021/02/16/restoring-our-peatlands-is-a-hug
e-win-for-scotland/ and efforts are being made to restore peatlands.
https://www.nature.scot/peatland-action-announces-first-funding-outer-hebrides-mark
-international-bog-day
Check the @PeatlandACTION Twitter feed.
be gratefully received, including an idea of location relative to the centre of Stornoway.
21.
Deep Cow Gulch Jersey Channel Islands
Flatters & Garnett Collection c1899

The photograph shows a stack called Isle Agois.
Two people are shown in the photograph to show the scale of the feature. Large
rocks can be seen on the valley floor. The cliffs look to be composed of hard and
massive rock formation.
Question: How do you think this feature has been formed? Why is it so narrow with
high steep sides to the valley?
The caption on this image provides a name for this landform, which is not found on
contemporary maps. It shows a gap which has been cut, or formed between two tall vertical
cliffs.
What is a gulch?
How does the definition suggest that the gap was formed?
Jersey is the largest of the Channel Islands.
Ask students to identify the location of the Channel Islands.
What is their underlying geology? Is it rock which is resistant or is susceptible to erosion?
be gratefully received as this is somewhat of a mystery.
22. Flamborough Headland
Flamborough Head, Holderness Coast, Yorkshire
Wrench & Son c1896
The photograph shows a view of one of bays and cliffs at Flamborough Head and its
associated coastal features; Wave cut platform, bay head beach, cliffs, wave cut
notches, stacks and stumps, and geos. The photograph also shows how the
composition of the cliff has been eroded at different rates. The cliffs are composed of
Chalk [Limestone] which is a hard but well jointed rock upon which is a layer of
glacial material called glacial till lies which is much easier to erode as shown in the
photograph.
Question: Estimate the different slope angles for the chalk and the boulder clay. How
are these materials eroded?
Activity: Draw a sketch map of the photograph and mark on it as many features as
you can.
This part of the East Yorkshire coast lies at the far north of the rapidly eroding
Holderness Coastline where the chalk reappears and the height of the cliffs rise
compared to the boulder clay / till cliffs to the south, which were laid down during a
period of glacial retreat.
The image is taken from the top of the cliffs close to the lighthouse (which has been
rebuilt a number of times).

The chalk stack in the image is also featured in a video produced by Time for Geography.
https://timeforgeography.co.uk/videos_list/coasts/formation-of-a-sea-stack/
It is located in Selwicks Bay.
The web page also includes some GCSE style questions relating to the formation of
stacks. This connects with another stack: Old Harry, featured in #10.
The area nearby at Bempton is a famous bird reserve operated by the RSPB.The
sea cliffs here are home to many sea birds including puffins at particular times of the
year.
I use the following image with students and teachers. It was taken in 1967, close to
Selwicks Bay, when I was three years old - the same area as the image on the
lantern slide.
The present day arch behind me is considerably higher and wider than it was just
over 50 years ago when I stood in front of it, but has another 50-100 years yet before
it is in danger of collapsing to form a stack. This is a reminder that coastal erosion is
a slow process, but that change can be seen within a few decades.
The chalk at Flamborough forms part of a large deposit which can be explored on
the BGS Geology of Britain Viewer:
The Chalk is described as follows:
These rocks were formed in warm shallow 'Chalk' shelf seas with little sediment input
from land. They often consist of a calcareous ooze of the microscopic remains of

plankton, especially the disc shaped calcite plates or coccoliths that make up the
spherical coccolithophores.
23. Ben Cruachan [Cruachna Beinne] Argyll & Bute, Scotland Easter
Fairgrieve c1930s
The photograph shows part of the ridge leading to the peak of Ben Cruachan at
1126m the highest point in Argyll & Bute with two climbers walking on a partially
snow covered ridge towards the peak. This is the highest point of a ring of glaciated
peaks known as the Cruachan Horseshoe which surrounds the present day
Cruachan Dam and pumped storage scheme – the horseshoe includes several other
‘Munros’. This mountain landscape has very little soil or vegetation with a number of
frost pockets, however, like most mountains it is open to erosion now from the
increased use by rock climbers and walkers.
Question: What other glacial features might be expected to be seen in this
landscape?
Activity: Plan a route to explore the Cruachan horseshoe and the Cruachan pumped
storage scheme
The mountain is a Munro.
What does that mean? How high does a mountain have to be to become a Munro. How
many Munros are there? Find out about the pastime of ‘Munro bagging’.
What is a Corbett?
https://getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/local/ben-cruachan-argyll-and-bute
The image was one taken by James Fairgrieve, GA President in 1935, which
presumably meant that he ascended to the ridge shown, which is impressive.
https://gapresidents.blogspot.com/2019/09/1935-james-fairgrieve.html
How common is snow coverage on Ben Cruachan in Easter? One would imagine
that the frequency of such snow depth would have reduced in recent decades.
Consider the way that snow patches survive in the Cairngorms and other areas of
Scotland.
There is a Facebook community which keeps tracks of these and posts news and
images of how snow persists
https://www.facebook.com/groups/snowpatchesscotland/
The mountain lies between Loch Etive and Loch Awe.
It contains part of a hydro-electric power scheme. This is a pump storage scheme
which includes a pair of reservoirs. The turbines are located within Ben Cruachan

itself. This did not exist when Fairgrieve climbed the mountain, and was opened by
the Queen in 1965.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruachan_Power_Station
Can you name other similar pump storage schemes where the turbines are hidden within an
actual mountain?
A large number of other mountains can be seen from its summit:
http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/GRW/CRUACHAN.GIF
24. Dalveen Pass, looking South West
Dalveen Pass Lowther Hills – Dumfriesshire looking west
Fairgrieve c1930s
The photograph shows part of the Dalveen Pass, an important mountain pass
connecting Nitherdale and Dumfriesshire to Clydesdale in Lanarkshire. This route
has been an important one since Roman times - a Roman road runs through the
northern end of the pass which is partially now followed by the A702. The
photograph of Dalveen Lane carves a steep deep dale through the Lowther Hills
which forms the watershed between the Clyde and the Solway. The photograph
shows a valley with steep sides and a flat valley floor with a stream flowing through
it. There is some evidence of erosion on the right of the photograph and on the left
some scree or alluvial slip off slopes. A gash has been eroded into the mountain on
the right hand side with an outflow fan or deltaic feature.
Question: Is there any evidence that this is a tidal area?
Activity: Draw a sketch of the photograph and mark on the two distinct areas – label
them. Draw in the stream and indicate its meandering nature.
Dalveen Pass is located in Dumfries and Galloway.
The Dalveen Pass threads its way through the southern part of the Lowther Hills,
following the broad Lanarkshire glen of the River Clyde, before clinging to the edge
of the Carron Valley in a long but gradual descent to Durisdeer and Carronbridge in
Dumfriesshire.
The road that now runs through the pass has been created in recent decades and
needs a lot of upkeep. It did not exist when the image was taken:

Source: https://sobt.co.uk/dalveen-pass/
Parts of the route along the valley towards the pass were previously a Roman Road
it seems.
The image shows a dramatic and remote valley. The flat valley floor is occupied by a
small meandering channel. The valley slides are indented and incised by other
channels. The image shows a good example of what can be called interlocking
spurs.
25.
Scuir-Na-Gillean [Sgurrnan Gillean] Isle of Skye Highlands and Islands
of Scotland
George Washington Wilson 1877/1904
The photograph shows Sgurrnan Gillian in the Cullin Range – Isle of Skye in
Scotland. The mountain has a height of 966.1 metres ot 3,169 feet 7 inches with a
rocky river bed. It is one of eleven Munros in the Cuillin Range with a typical
glaciated triangular form. The Cullin Range are the remains of the roots of an early

Palaeogene volcanic centre composed of gabbros and granites. This is a popular
climbing location.
Question: These are some of the oldest rocks in Britain – exactly how old are they?
Activity: Sketch the photograph and mark on it four distinct areas – describe each
and say how they differ.
This peak is one of the most prominent peaks on the Isle of Skye. It is a peak in the
Red Cuillins rising to 966m, which makes it a Munro. (see Ben Cruachan for another
Munro)
It overlooks Glen Sligachan and the Sligachan Hotel. A famous old road bridge offers
a wonderful view looking up the Pinnacle Ridge of the mountain towards its summit,
which can be accessed via an easier route to the north which is also known for
obvious reasons as ‘the Tourist route’. Its triangular profile makes it instantly
recognisable.
Its Gaelic name translates as ‘the Peak of the Young Men’.
Like all mountains, it undergoes changes which means that weathering removes
rocks, or weakens them. This would include the action of freeze-thaw weathering at
the altitude of the summit.
Find out about the disappearing Gendarme, for example.
How dangerous is the mountain for those who climb or walk up to the summit?
Check the incidents logged by the Skye Mountain Rescue Team - does it feature?
What sorts of issues do such landscapes cause for visitors?
https://skyemrt.org/
What do you notice about the mountain which features on the SMRT logo?

Additional image:
Clyde Paddle Steamer, River Clyde Scotland
Fairgrieve c1930s
The photograph shows a Clyde paddle steamer on a voyage probably from Glasgow
to Rothesay and other towns known as ‘going doon the watter’. The Clyde paddle
steamers began in August 1812 with a commercial service to Europe. By 1900 there
were over 300 steamers, some of which operated until the early 1960s. This service
was aimed at holiday makers taking people from Glasgow to Largs, Cambelltown
and Inveraray. As the demand grew for holiday destinations from Glasgow Dunoon
and Rothesay became major resorts served by these steamers and the wealth built
large houses at these resorts. The PS [Paddle Steamer] Waverley built in 1947 still
remains. The paddle steamers were used in the Dunkirk evacuation during World
War Two.
Question: Paddle Steamers like these are still important – why?
Activity: Find out what other routes became available to Glasgow holiday makers to
get to Dunoon and Rothesay

Annotations
These can be done on printouts of the images or live using the classroom whiteboard and
pens, or perhaps apps such as Skitch.
Spotlights can also be used on some Smartboards to show part of an image.
Interpretation of the direction that the camera taking the image was facing, using an OS map
is a common theme on GCSE map skills examination questions
A subscription to Digimap for Schools would allow students to interpret imagery and to label
the location on OS Maps. There is also aerial photography provided on the site, which is
used by thousands of schools in the UK. Historical maps are also provided, which will help
with the older images.
Digimap for Schools: https://digimapforschools.edina.ac.uk/
Further Reading
In an article called ‘From lantern slides to software’, published around the GA’s 90th
Anniversary, Richard Daugherty (President in 1989) explained how:
“Lantern slides were not as widely used in 1893 as they might have been. Mr B B
Dickinson of Rugby School wanted to make more and better use of them.
Accordingly he issued a circular inviting public school masters to join him in
formatting a private association for the purpose of subdividing the work of making
lantern slides for the teaching of geography…. What started out as a lantern slide
cooperative has become a complex of interrelated activities, each of which is
designed in some way to help put one geography teacher in touch with another”.
(Daugherty, 1983)
According to Emily Hayes, who has researched their use by organisations including the
Royal Geographical Society:

Relevant GA Presidents blog entries:
https://gapresidents.blogspot.com/2019/07/magic-lantern-slides.html
https://gapresidents.blogspot.com/2019/08/lantern-slides-and-diagram-maps.html

https://www.geography.org.uk/write/MediaUploads/Journals/Boardman_McPartland_Building
_on_the_foundations.pdf
Includes this section:

The way we were...
Using the lantern, 1901
My own classroom has three very large windows, to which dark Holland blinds have been
fitted, with their edges running in grooves. When two of these are down and the third half
down, the room is sufficiently dark for an oil or incandescent lamp to give a good six-foot
picture and yet light enough for the boys to write and the master to control.
- From an article by C C Carter in The Geographical Teacher, 1901.
Showing a slide, 1929
It may surprise some teachers to learn that, in schools fitted with electric light, it is now
possible to take any slide from its resting place, insert it in the lantern, darken the room and
project the image on the screen in less than thirty seconds after the decision to use the slide
is made. - From an article by E S Price in Geography, 1929
Instruction by cinema, 1928
On the Friday afternoon members of the Council were invited to attend a class lesson at
which Mr Fairgrieve illustrated the use of the cinema in the teaching of geography. The
lesson was a glorious triumph over a long sequence of obstacles and was incidentally a
model of adaptation. One did not suspect that things were going wrong when, just before the

demonstration was due to begin, an unperturbed Mr Fairgrieve left the building, as we later
discovered, to look for his boys. He returned without them. It was next discovered that the
plugs in the room allotted were out of order and a select group followed Mr Fairgrieve,
determined though very cheerful, from room to room until one was discovered which would
meet our needs in respect of electrical power. The room was otherwise most unsuitable as
the film had to be projected against a strong light onto the space between two windows, a
severe handicap for a small instrument. In the absence of the class, Mr Fairgrieve, with the
aid of two films, outlined a lesson on the production, collection and preparation of rubber. He
also gave a practical demonstration on the use (and possible misuse) of the instrument. A
disturbance outside announced the arrival of the class, a high-spirited group of Standard IV
boys, who had sacrificed an afternoon's holiday to this end. To witness the response of the
class to what is ordinarily, one would imagine, a very difficult lesson was an experience
which will not readily be forgotten ...
- From a report on the Annual Conference in Geography, 1928
Turning the handle, 1937
If the author's experience is any guide, it would seem indeed that a hand-turned projector is
preferable in the geography classroom to one that is motor-driven. With such a machine
there is the minimum of distraction from one's job of teaching; the handle is the one
moveable part, and when there is need to stop one just ceases to turn that handle, which is
much easier than to stop the motor. Further, there is no need for a speed regulator to which
attention must be given; the speed is regulated by turning the handle faster or slower as
occasion demands, and this is quite automatic, one does so without thinking.
- From James Fairgrieve, Geography in School, 4th edition, 1936
Emily Hayes: 'Geographical light: the magic lantern, the reform of the Royal
Geographical Society and the professionalisation of geography c.1885-1894
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305748817300427
Thesis:
https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/handle/10871/23096
Fleure, H. J. “SIXTY YEARS OF GEOGRAPHY AND EDUCATION. A
RETROSPECT OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL ASSOCIATION.” Geography, vol. 38, no.
4, 1953, pp. 231–264. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40564702.

Source: GA Archive
FOX, PETER S. “Images in Geography — Great Expectations.” Geography, vol. 90,
no. 1, 2005, pp. 3–17. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40574025 - Presidential lecture.
LYDE, L. W. “THE TEACHING OF GEOGRAPHY AS A SUBJECT OF
COMMERCIAL INSTRUCTION.” The Geographical Teacher, vol. 4, no. 4, 1908, pp.
163–168. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41552643.

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