E Chambre Hardman's house....

is open to the public again in March 2006. It's a National Trust property - Hardman was a photographer who left his house to them with all it's contents before he died. The house is in Liverpool right opposite the imposing Anglican cathedral.

It's a fascinating place - particularly for photographers - although we were told that not many visitors are photographers - odd that. It is the only known British photographic studio of the mid-20th century where the photographer’s entire output has been preserved intact.

It's full of cameras and has the old studio still set up on the first floor, as it was in the 40's. His personal images are reasonably good - mainly landscapes and streetscapes. There was an exhibition of portraits of performers at the Playhouse. Some were taken by his wife Margaret who was equally skillful. They worked together on the business - portraits in the studio and weddings and the contract with the local theatre.

There is an archive of photographs and some more information about E Chambre and Margaret here on the Mersey museum gateway.

We visited on Friday and it closed today for the Winter. Well worth a visit.....