National Gallery Wartime Photograph Album
1941-1944
Title
Date
Archive reference number
Description
This series contains photographs of Gallery activities and events during the Second World War. The photographs concern principally: wartime storage of pictures at Manod Quarry; wartime exhibitions (including picture of the month); bomb damage photographs and portraits of National Gallery staff during the period.
The series contains black and white prints mounted on board in cloth bound albums.
Record type
Administrative history
At the outbreak of World War II, the National Gallery was forced temporarily to close its doors to the public to evacuate the bulk of its collection to secret locations in Wales for safe-keeping. By May 1940, the collection had been transferred to Manod Quarry, a slate mine in the Welsh mountains. The Gallery, meanwhile, remained "open for business" despite being bombed several times during the Blitz, holding concerts and exhibition thoughout the war. These photographs were probably taken by staff of the Publications Department which then included photographic staff to offer a visual history of the Gallery during the war years.
Custodial history
The volumes were transferred to the Archive at an unknown date.
Related material
NG30: National Gallery photographs NG16: Files re wartime evacuation NGA35: Martin Davies wartime papers
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