59 Rodney Street, Liverpool

I went to Liverpool yesterday, 30th May 2010, with the express intention of visiting this studio at 59 Rodney Street, Liverpool. This was the last home and studio of Margaret and Edward Chambre Hardman, and is the only known British studio of the mid-20th century where the photographer's entire output has been preserved. It is now cared for by the National Trust.I had booked a tour(only 6 people at a time) and a whole new world was opened up. There currently is an exhibition dedicated to Margaret, which is quite unusual. You can see virtually the whole extent of the areas in which they worked, which have been carefully preserved (under NT conditions), but the staff are brilliant and knowledgeable, and the displays are good. But, when you get into the small darkroom that they used for their personal work you get the overwhelming feeling of the joy that they had in creating their work. It makes you want to do the same. They even play the music that they had in the room. Hanging on the walls are things like his mask for clouds for the Landscapes they enjoyed, and his other dodging tools for example. I was there for 3 hours, and you can take photos inside, but it is quite dark and flash is forbidden.

This is the exterior, and also shows the basket of flowers they put up so that they would be easy to find in the street. Note the 2 plaques each side giving the name of the studio. This is an elegant street.















This image shows the garden and rear of the property, also the balcony where the 2 of them used to breakfast, and has a great view of the Anglican Cathedral. The building has been extended 3 times, but this was done prior to the Hardmans buying the place in 1949. There are still 2 rose bushes in the garden that they used to have.
















This is the chair that the majoity of the sitters would use. You can just see the edge of the tray of tea that was also offered to the sitter/s. Part of the reason was to relax the sitter, but also to moisten the lips, which would then photograph better. This chair was slightly elevated on a small dias, and for this shot was lit by one of Hardmans actual lights. His electrics were somewaht chaotic though, and all lights were operated from one 2 pin socket!!!!!!! When the NT dismantled the kit the wall was very burnt, but no recorded fires have been found!








This image shows the area where the retouching of the image was done. Positioned very near the window this would have been a very delicate process. This area was also a very busy where the staff took tea braeks, chatted etc, so the person had to really concentrate when touching up the photographs, as this was done "longhand", not in photoshop. Mistakes could not be rectified.



These are boxes of film that Hardman recovered from the radiographers next door, who were throwing tham out, to store his prints and other papers in, and fill many shelves in the mounting office. A wonderful room where all the prints were packages etc.