HISTORIC photographic studios in Keighley are to come under the lens of local historian Tim Neal.

Keighley and District Local History Society will host Tim’s illustrated talk about studios around the Keighley area during the second half of the 19th century.

Tim, from Cross Roads, a member of the society, can be heard upstairs in Keighley Library on Wednesday, June 13 at 7.30pm.

The talk is illustrated with dozens of examples of carte-de-visite taken in Keighley during the period.

Doors open at 7pm and tea/coffee is available. Admission is £3 or £1 for History Society members. Everyone is welcome.

Tim said: “I was inspired to put this talk together when I was going through the History Society’s physical archive and came across lots of examples of carte-de-visite taken in Keighley.

“Sadly I don’t know the identity of any of the sitters, but most of the cards have beautifully designed backs with details of the photography studio. I’ve been looking through copies of Keighley News from the 1870s and 1880s, and through trade directories from the period, to try and find out more.

“Each portrait is a wonderful little time capsule – so much more evocative than a modern-day selfie taken with a smartphone!”

The photographers include Arthur Sager who had a studio on Church Green in Keighley, Alexander Jennings whose studio was on Cavendish Street, and William Cooke who seems to have had two or three studios at various times on or just off Skipton Road.

A society spokesman said: “While Keighley produced famous photographers around this time such as Alexander Keighley whose work was exhibited around the globe, there were dozens of ‘jobbing’ photographers who capitalised on this new science to bring the art of portraiture to the masses.

“One of the most popular photographic forms was carte-de-visite – small cards not much bigger than a credit card. Ordinary people would visit a photographic studio on the high street and have their portrait taken and printed on these small cards.

“They would then give copies to their friends and families who would keep them in albums in much the same way that football stickers or the like are collected nowadays.

“The craze for carte-de-visite really took off in 1860 when Queen Victoria featured in a Royal Album that went on to sell hundreds of thousands of copies.

“Between 1870 and 1890 there were over two-dozen high street photographers in Keighley who set up studios where ordinary people could don their Sunday-best and pose for their portrait.

T