Thames: 135 years of change

Teddington Locks (c1885)

Modern digital photos of the River Thames have been compared to photos from the 19th century.

The exhibition, In the Footsteps of Henry Taunt , charts the transformation of the Thames over 135 years.

It pairs the finest photographs taken by famous Victorian Henry Taunt together with modern images taken of the exact location along the River Thames by photographers Graham Diprose and Jeff Robins.

One cannot overestimate the impact Henry Taunt had on raising the profile of the Thames and the historical photographic legacy he has left us." Graham Diprose, The London College of Communication

The exhibition originally began at the River & Rowing Museum, Henley-on Thames before touring parts of the UK.

The show has moved on from London and is currently on show at the Corinuim Museum, Cirencester from 5th July to 5th September 2009.

Henry Taunt

Henry Taunt, born in 1842, produced a series of photographs, hand drawn maps and text in 1872 leading to a rise in the river's popularity.

His photos depict an idyllic working river with ferryman, barges, horses and people.

Henry Taunt in his houseboat, 1886 (c)Oxfordshire County Council

The images begin at the source of the Thames near the small village of Coates, Gloucestershire down to the Houses of Parliament.

The photos are shown in pairs to give the visitors the chance to view the comparisons along the river.

The biggest change is the increase in trees and vegetation that during the Victorian age would have been cleared to enable horses to pull barges more easily.

The modern images were taken by Graham Diprose, lead Tutor in Photography at the London College of Communication and professional photographer Jeff Robins.