The big picture

BIG PICTURE: the Hunter Penrose industrial camera

2 More Image(s) In Gallery

A giant piece of Oldham’s manufacturing heritage has been brought back to use after being discovered in the stores at Gallery Oldham.

Saddleworth photographer Ian Beesley, who spent two years working with the gallery as an artist in residence, came across the huge Hunter Penrose industrial process camera.

The vintage piece had been used in the manufacture of wallpaper at Rome Mill in Springhead for many years before being donated to the gallery. Ian made a snap decision to restore the giant camera to working order.

“People are fascinated by its scale and by the effort involved in making just one image,” he said.

“It’s been great fun and a real challenge, getting this far. I’m hoping to produce a full scale exhibition with the camera eventually.”

The work involved specialist restoration of the lens as well as a lot of cleaning. - after which Ian had to meet the challenge of using a camera that was designed for negatives 20 inches square.

His solution was to create a grid that could take smaller negatives - so images would be made up of 20 separate negatives.

A van was needed to transport it - and double as a darkroom, so slides to be reloaded in the field.

Several images have been taken around Oldham, which visitors can now see in the gallery’s “Designs on our Future” exhibition until October 3.



Did you work at Rome Mill and use the camera? The gallery would love to hear from you. Email Sean Baggaley: sean.baggaley@oldham.gov.uk.