William Smedley Aston Collection

Georgie Gaskin, photo by William Smedley Aston

William Smedley Aston was born in Witton, Birmingham, in 1868. He was an associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and his practice, W.S. Aston & Co, was based at 45 Newhall Street.

Smedley Aston was also on the board of the Birmingham Hospital Saturday Fund and the Central Birmingham Mutual Aid Society. He was a famous amateur photographer who displayed landscapes and figures at national and international exhibitions, and contributed to the photographic press and other magazines.

Mrs Patrick Campbell, photo by William Smedley Aston

The William Smedley Aston Collection comprises pictorial landscape and portrait studies (carbon, gum, platinum and albumen prints), glass negatives, competition medals, family photographs including members of the Birmingham Arts and Crafts Movement.

The collection, which covers the period c1890-1910, also includes a small body of portraits by Smedley Aston's fellow Birmingham photographer, Marianne Silverston.

The collection can be seen in Archives and Heritage Service on Floor 6 of Birmingham Central Library.

For more details Tel: 0121 303 4549
or Email archives.heritage@birmingham.gov.uk

Central Library Photographic Collections
Glossary of Photographic Terms

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