Aerofilms
Encyclopedia
Aerofilms Ltd was the UK's first commercial aerial photography
company, founded in 1919 by Francis Wills and Claude Graham White. Wills had served as an Observer with the Royal Naval Air Service during the Great War, and was the driving force behind the expansion of the company from an office and a bathroom (for developing films) in Hendon to a business with major contracts in Africa and Asia as well as in the UK. Co-founder Graham-White was a pioneer aviator who had achieved fame by making the first night flight in 1910.
Operations began from the Stag Lane aerodrome at Edgware, using the aircraft of the London Flying School. Subsequently the Aircraft Manufacturing Co Ltd, later The De Havilland Aircraft Co Ltd, hired a DH9 along with pilot entrepreneur Alan Cobham
. In its early years Aerofilms had links with pioneer cinematographer Claude Friese-Greene
.
Vertical photography for survey and mapping purposes was carried out by Aerofilms from as early as 1921 and during the 1930s the company pioneered the science of photogrammetry
(mapping from aerial photographs), with the Ordnance Survey amongst the company's clients. In its earliest days the main work of the company had been oblqiue photography, the images often sold to postcard manufacturers.
The company's staff and state-of-the-art equipment were co-opted into the war effort in 1940, forming the nucleus of the Allied Photographic Interpretation Unit at Medmenham. It was at this time that Sir Percy Hunting became interested in the company, which led Aerofilms to become a member of the Hunting Group of Companies in 1942. After the war Aerofilms became responsible for oblique photography whilst Hunting Surveys Ltd undertook vertical photography for survey.
Post-war redevelopment and industrial expansion kept both Aerofilms and Hunting Surveys Ltd hard at work, which has resulted in an expansive library of historic aerial photography.
Aerofilms photographs have been extensively used in books relating to geography, topography and travel, and have featured in books such as The Aerofilms Book of England from the Air (1988) and Coastlines from the Air (1996). In addition its photographs have been used in the long-running series Football Grounds from the Air, updated on an annual basis. Perhaps the best known example of the company's work is the title-sequence mosaic of east London used for the BBC soap EastEnders
. Photographs from the archive feature in the 2008 book British Seaside Piers by Richard Riding and Chris Mawson, former Aerofilms librarian.
Unlike other photographic libraries, a significant percentage of Aerofilms photos is already in the public domain, albeit protected by copyright. The company would send out batches of photos to public libraries, and many remain there today. In addition, key images were reproduced as postcards from the 1920s through to the 1980s. In addition to Aerofilms’ own imagery, the firm expanded its holdings with the purchase of two smaller collections – AeroPictorial (1934-1960) and Airviews (1947-1991).
In 1997 the parent company of Simmons Mapping (UK) Ltd acquired Aerofilms Limited, and in 2001 the two companies merged to form Simmons Aerofilms Ltd. In 1999 Aerofilms formed a joint venture, called UK Perspectives, with Infoterra Ltd (A subsidiary of Astrium) to capture 1:10,000 vertical aerial photography of the UK and produce the Country's first map accurate digital photographic data set. Not only did this strategy revitalise the Aerofilms vertical archive, but the UKP data set has since been used in countless applications around the world including Google Earth. The Company's flying operations during Simmons Aerofilms watch included vertical photography of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, numerous countries across Europe, and the Caribbean including British Virgin Islands, Montserrat and Antigua. More recently the Company had mapping operations in Romania and Ukraine, with its head office in Cheddar, England.
In 2005 Simmons Aerofilms was taken over by Norwegian based geographical information and offshore technology company Blom
and is now known as Blom Aerofilms. In June 2007 Blom Aerofilms sold their historic oblique library to English Heritage
in partnership with The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
(RCAHMS) and The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
(RCAHMW). This was possible because of generous financial support from English Heritage’s donors and supporters, the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Friends of National Libraries. The vertical historic library is still available through Blom Aerofilms.
The Aerofilms Historic Collection is a significant archive of oblique aerial photography of the United Kingdom. It includes 1.26 million negatives and more than 2000 photograph albums. Its chronological and geographical coverage is superb and documents the face of Britain dating from 1919 to recent years, providing unique evidence of a period of intense and unparalleled change and includes the largest and most significant number of air photographs of Britain taken before 1939. The collection covers the countryside, industrial and urban landscapes, archaeological sites and historic buildings and charts the growth of new towns and the spread of motorways across the landscape. Almost every community is represented, many with a series of views taken over the decades showing how cities, towns and villages have changed and grown. This provides an important resource for understanding and managing the built and natural environments.
The albums containing photographs are held in England, Wales and Scotland according to their coverage. In England the negatives, albums and associated documentation are in specialist archival storage at the National Monuments Record (NMR) in Swindon.
Aerial photography
Aerial photography is the taking of photographs of the ground from an elevated position. The term usually refers to images in which the camera is not supported by a ground-based structure. Cameras may be hand held or mounted, and photographs may be taken by a photographer, triggered remotely or...
company, founded in 1919 by Francis Wills and Claude Graham White. Wills had served as an Observer with the Royal Naval Air Service during the Great War, and was the driving force behind the expansion of the company from an office and a bathroom (for developing films) in Hendon to a business with major contracts in Africa and Asia as well as in the UK. Co-founder Graham-White was a pioneer aviator who had achieved fame by making the first night flight in 1910.
Operations began from the Stag Lane aerodrome at Edgware, using the aircraft of the London Flying School. Subsequently the Aircraft Manufacturing Co Ltd, later The De Havilland Aircraft Co Ltd, hired a DH9 along with pilot entrepreneur Alan Cobham
Alan Cobham
Sir Alan John Cobham, KBE, AFC was an English aviation pioneer.A member of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I, Alan Cobham became famous as a pioneer of long distance aviation. After the war he became a test pilot for the de Havilland aircraft company, and was the first pilot for the newly...
. In its early years Aerofilms had links with pioneer cinematographer Claude Friese-Greene
Claude Friese-Greene
Claude Friese-Greene , British-born cinema technician, filmmaker, and cinematographer, most famous for his 1926 collection of films entitled The Open Road....
.
Vertical photography for survey and mapping purposes was carried out by Aerofilms from as early as 1921 and during the 1930s the company pioneered the science of photogrammetry
Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry is the practice of determining the geometric properties of objects from photographic images. Photogrammetry is as old as modern photography and can be dated to the mid-nineteenth century....
(mapping from aerial photographs), with the Ordnance Survey amongst the company's clients. In its earliest days the main work of the company had been oblqiue photography, the images often sold to postcard manufacturers.
The company's staff and state-of-the-art equipment were co-opted into the war effort in 1940, forming the nucleus of the Allied Photographic Interpretation Unit at Medmenham. It was at this time that Sir Percy Hunting became interested in the company, which led Aerofilms to become a member of the Hunting Group of Companies in 1942. After the war Aerofilms became responsible for oblique photography whilst Hunting Surveys Ltd undertook vertical photography for survey.
Post-war redevelopment and industrial expansion kept both Aerofilms and Hunting Surveys Ltd hard at work, which has resulted in an expansive library of historic aerial photography.
Aerofilms photographs have been extensively used in books relating to geography, topography and travel, and have featured in books such as The Aerofilms Book of England from the Air (1988) and Coastlines from the Air (1996). In addition its photographs have been used in the long-running series Football Grounds from the Air, updated on an annual basis. Perhaps the best known example of the company's work is the title-sequence mosaic of east London used for the BBC soap EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
. Photographs from the archive feature in the 2008 book British Seaside Piers by Richard Riding and Chris Mawson, former Aerofilms librarian.
Unlike other photographic libraries, a significant percentage of Aerofilms photos is already in the public domain, albeit protected by copyright. The company would send out batches of photos to public libraries, and many remain there today. In addition, key images were reproduced as postcards from the 1920s through to the 1980s. In addition to Aerofilms’ own imagery, the firm expanded its holdings with the purchase of two smaller collections – AeroPictorial (1934-1960) and Airviews (1947-1991).
In 1997 the parent company of Simmons Mapping (UK) Ltd acquired Aerofilms Limited, and in 2001 the two companies merged to form Simmons Aerofilms Ltd. In 1999 Aerofilms formed a joint venture, called UK Perspectives, with Infoterra Ltd (A subsidiary of Astrium) to capture 1:10,000 vertical aerial photography of the UK and produce the Country's first map accurate digital photographic data set. Not only did this strategy revitalise the Aerofilms vertical archive, but the UKP data set has since been used in countless applications around the world including Google Earth. The Company's flying operations during Simmons Aerofilms watch included vertical photography of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, numerous countries across Europe, and the Caribbean including British Virgin Islands, Montserrat and Antigua. More recently the Company had mapping operations in Romania and Ukraine, with its head office in Cheddar, England.
In 2005 Simmons Aerofilms was taken over by Norwegian based geographical information and offshore technology company Blom
Blom
Blom is a Norwegian geographical information and offshore technology company. The company has offices in ten countries in Europe and offers a wide selection of geographical services, including maintaining a database. The company has its headquarters in Oslo, Norway and is listed on Oslo Stock...
and is now known as Blom Aerofilms. In June 2007 Blom Aerofilms sold their historic oblique library to English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
in partnership with The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government 'sponsored' [financed and with oversight] through Historic Scotland, an executive agency of the Scottish Government...
(RCAHMS) and The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales is a Welsh Government sponsored body based in Aberystwyth, Wales. It was founded in August 1908...
(RCAHMW). This was possible because of generous financial support from English Heritage’s donors and supporters, the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Friends of National Libraries. The vertical historic library is still available through Blom Aerofilms.
The Aerofilms Historic Collection is a significant archive of oblique aerial photography of the United Kingdom. It includes 1.26 million negatives and more than 2000 photograph albums. Its chronological and geographical coverage is superb and documents the face of Britain dating from 1919 to recent years, providing unique evidence of a period of intense and unparalleled change and includes the largest and most significant number of air photographs of Britain taken before 1939. The collection covers the countryside, industrial and urban landscapes, archaeological sites and historic buildings and charts the growth of new towns and the spread of motorways across the landscape. Almost every community is represented, many with a series of views taken over the decades showing how cities, towns and villages have changed and grown. This provides an important resource for understanding and managing the built and natural environments.
The albums containing photographs are held in England, Wales and Scotland according to their coverage. In England the negatives, albums and associated documentation are in specialist archival storage at the National Monuments Record (NMR) in Swindon.