The photography of CHRISTINA BROOM
Sue Pierson visited the exhibition and enjoyed it so much she wanted to share this review with you and encourage you to come to the talk and visit the Docklands Museum.
If you have never been to the Museum of London in the Docklands, you have missed a treat. Housed in a Grade One warehouse, it chronicles the history of London through the importance of the river. But until 1 November there is an added attraction in the photography of Christina Broom who lived in Chelsea and finally in Munster Road, Fulham. She is regarded as the first female press photographer, admired by royalty and respected by soldiers and suffragettes. Her photographs are largely informal and are all outside. She was a small woman but carried her bulky equipment on public transport or walked it along roads. She was above all interested in people and wasn’t too bothered about backgrounds.
Of particular interest to us in Fulham are her pictures of the Church pageant in 1909 and the Army pageant of 1910 both held in the grounds of Fulham Palace. There is a wonderful snippet of film of her wandering among the 1914 Boat Race crew at Putney no doubt looking for a good angle for her photo!
Christina died in 1939 aged 75 a few days after she had been enjoying her hobby of fishing in Margate. Her daughter Winnie acted as her mother’s assistant. She gave over 300 negatives to the Museum of London in 1945 spurred on by Queen Mary, herself a keen photographer, who said that they were ’for posterity where people may go and look at prints when they have more leisure.’ Last year the Museum acquired the remaining photos and associated material.
Take a helpful magnifying glass from the rack on your way in. If you are looking at the rest of the Museum, allow plenty of time. You won’t be disappointed!
Posted by fhhs 
The Fulham and Hammersmith Historical Society 