Thomas Annan facts for kids

A back-alley in Glasgow, photographed in 1871

Main Street in Gorbals, Glasgow, looking north in 1868

The Tontine Hotel on the Gallowgate in Glasgow, from Photographs of streets, closes &c., Taken 1868-1871 Glasgow

Thomas Annan (born 1829, died 1887) was a famous Scottish photographer. He is especially known for being one of the first to take pictures of the difficult living conditions of poor people. His photos helped show the world what life was like in crowded city areas.

About Thomas Annan

Thomas Annan was born in Dairsie, Fife, Scotland, in 1829. He was one of seven children. His father, John Annan, worked with flax, a plant used to make fabric.

Starting His Career

Thomas first trained as a lithographer and engraver at the Fife Herald in Cupar. Lithography is a printing method that uses a flat surface, like a stone or metal plate. In 1849, he moved to Glasgow and continued working as a lithographer and engraver.

By 1855, Thomas Annan started his own business with George Berwick. They were "calotypists," which means they used an early type of photography called calotype. One of his first big projects was photographing the ship RMS Persia while it was being built.

His Photography Business

In 1857, Thomas Annan opened his own photography studio at 116 Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow. Later, in 1859, his business moved to 200 Hope Street. He also set up a printing workshop in Hamilton in 1863.

At first, Annan mainly took pictures of buildings and people. He also photographed artworks and maps. But in 1866, he started taking pictures of the very crowded and unhealthy areas of Glasgow. These photos were used by the Glasgow City Improvement Trust. This group wanted to show how bad the living conditions were before they started rebuilding parts of the city.

The photos he took between 1868 and 1871 became very famous. This series was called Old Closes and Streets of Glasgow. These pictures made sure Thomas Annan would be remembered for a long time.

Important Connections and New Techniques

In 1869, Annan bought many photos and negatives from another famous photographer, David Octavius Hill. Thomas's son, James Craig Annan, later showed these pictures. They were even printed using a special method called photogravure in a well-known journal called Camera Work.

Thomas Annan's work was often praised for being beautiful and technically skilled. For example, his photos of the Loch Katrine Waterworks were highly admired. People said he created "beautiful pictures" of Scottish castles and homes.

By 1880, Annan had started a new company called T & R Annan. This business, located at 153 Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow, sold fine art and photographic prints.

In 1883, Thomas Annan bought the rights to use the photogravure process in Britain. He learned this technique from Karel Klíč in Vienna. His son, James Craig Annan, became a skilled photogravurist too. James continued the family business and even received a special honor from the Queen.

His Lasting Impact

Thomas Annan passed away on December 14, 1887, at his home in Lenzie.

His family business, the Annan Fine Art Gallery, is still open today in Glasgow.

Many of Annan's important photographs have been shown in art galleries. For example, some of his pictures from the Glasgow Improvements Act series were displayed at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery from 2011 to 2012. In 2017, the Getty Museum had a special exhibition called "Thomas Annan: Photographer of Glasgow." This was the first major show to look at his whole career.

In 2021, a collection of Annan's Old Closes and Streets photos was sold for a large sum of money at an auction.

Thomas Annan's Works

A photograph of David Livingstone taken by Thomas Annan in 1864

Here are some of the important works Thomas Annan created:

• Bond and free: five sketches illustrative of slavery (1863) - Photos for a book about slavery.
• Portrait of David Livingstone (1864) - A famous picture of the explorer.
• Photographs of Glasgow College (1866) - Pictures of the university buildings.
• The Painted Windows of Glasgow Cathedral (1867) - Photos of the beautiful stained-glass windows.
• Photographs of Glasgow with descriptive letterpress (1868) - Pictures of Glasgow with descriptions.
• Days at the coast, or the firth of Clyde, its watering places, scenery, and associations (1868) - Photos of the Scottish coast.
• Glasgow improvements act 1868: photographs of streets, closes & c. Taken 1868 - 71 (1872) - The famous series showing poor housing.
• Scottish landscape: The works of Horatio McCulloch (1872) - Photos of Scottish landscapes.
• Photographic views of Loch Katrine, and some of the principal works constructed for introducing the water of Loch Katrine to the city of Glasgow (1877) - Pictures of the waterworks.
• The old country houses of the old Glasgow gentry (1878) - Photos of old homes around Glasgow.
• The Castles and Mansions of Ayrshire (1885) - Pictures of castles and large homes in Ayrshire.

Works After His Death

After Thomas Annan passed away, his company continued to publish books of photographs.

• The Castles and Mansions of Renfrewshire and Buteshire (1889) - More photos of castles and mansions.
• University of Glasgow Old and New (1891) - Pictures of the university.
• Photographs of Glasgow Harbour and Docks (1892 - 1898) - Photos of the busy Glasgow harbor.
• The old closes and streets of Glasgow (1900) - A new edition of his most famous work.