Title
Manuscript for "Index to Photographic Literature" by Henry Chapman Jones
Reference
CHA
Production date
1922 - 1922
Creator
- Chapman Jones, HenryBiographyBiography
Henry Chapman Jones was a chemist and author. Born in London in 1854, Henry Chapman Jones completed his formal education at the Royal School of Mines. After working briefly for the University of London's Birkbeck College, he became a chemistry instructor at the Royal College of Science, which is where he remained in various capacities until his retirement. Mr. Chapman Jones's scientific domain was the campus's "North Laboratory", and after serving on Sir Edward Frankland's staff, he assisted chemistry professors Thomas Edward Thorpe, William Augustus Tilden, and H. B. Baker. In 1879, he received a fellowship with the Royal College of Chemistry.
Mr. Chapman Jones's fascination with chemical processes naturally led him to the study of photography. His exhaustive research on technical innovation led to frequent lectures and editorials published by the Royal Photographic Society. An admirer of chemist and photographer Sir William de Wiveleslie Abney, Mr. Chapman Jones applied his scientific photographic principles to his experiments with negative densities, plate sensitivity, and image colorisation. In 1890, when assessing lenses, he determined that manufacturers should strive for "equal defining power," which would improve image definition, and "equal illumination over a flat field," which he acknowledged would be impossible to achieve adequately unless the light at the plate's center could be reduced to match the margin illumination. He authored several important books, including Science and Practice of Photography (1895), considered one of the premier instructional textbooks of its time, and Photography of To-Day (1913).
Chapman Jones served as president of the Royal Photographic Society from 1912 to 1914. Henry Chapman Jones died on March 7, 1932, survived by his wife and two sons.
Scope and Content
Manuscript for "Index to Photographic Literature" as produced by Henry Chapman Jones. The volume covers the period between 1857-1922 and contains an alphabetical index of topics in Photographic news, Photographic review, British journal of photography, Photography.
Extent
Manuscript volume, c. 400pp
Physical description
Good
Language
English
Archival history
This manuscript was acquired by the Science Museum in 1936. It was transferred to the National Science and Media Museum in 2005.
Level of description
ITEM
Repository name
National Science and Media Museum, Bradford
Subject
Conditions governing access
Access is given in accordance with the NSMM access policy. Material from this collection is available to researchers through the museum’s Insight facility.
Conditions governing Reproduction
Copies may be supplied of items in the collection, provided that the copying process used does not damage the item or is not detrimental to its preservation. Copies will be supplied in accordance with the NSMM’s terms and conditions for the supply and reproduction of copies, and the provisions of any relevant copyright legislation.