Diary 13

I’d seen some of the photos before as original glass negatives; like Stockton Mill, Hanley Mill, the Severn Hampton Loade, and Hay Bridge. Others were new. Downton Mill near Ludlow, Tetstill Mill Neen Sollars in winter, Old Paper Mill Cleobury Mortimer, and Silvington Mill. Then there was an intriguing group of photos headed, ‘Site of Roman Mill Chesterton near Bridgnorth’. It is a lovely book. The man was an artist, and seeing, perhaps, the only compilation of his work gave me a renewed urge to carry on.

I had slowed down. The novelty had worn off. I had taken away three more boxes of the larger negatives and with my ground glass screen produced some  good results; easy to do and satisfying. The small boxes though were a different story. I’d picked out six. I did not scan them all. In those few boxes alone there were over 400 glass slides, many of  little interest. I did look through them all and just copied a selection. Then for each box I wrote a brief summary to give an insight and an excuse for only copying part. But now that I had seen the album in the library I was raring to go again and get on with more copying. After all, I may find somewhere the original negatives of some of those prints in Albert’s precious album.

When I handed back the book to the librarian be suggested I contact a member of the staff who might be able to help further. He was out that day.

“Give him a call; here’s our number. He’ll be interested, I’m sure.”

Next day I rang Jez Hamblett,  but he only knew of the book which he to too thought was great.

“I’ve often thought of going to the places he photographed to see what is there now; but you know how it is; other things come along. But I’ll see if I can find out some more and get back to you.”

A few days later, and after the promised phone-call I was able to shine a little more light on A.D. Chambers.

Full name: Albert Dovey Chambers. Born 1865.

Father, James Chambers; brother, Frank Owen born 1867.

Albert started his working life as a tannery assistant. (Box E 7)