'A trip in Algeria' by H. E. Irving Taylor
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Condition Description
Language of Materials
Abstract
A visual and written record of a trip to Algeria at the opening of the 20th century undertaken by H.E. Irving Taylor and his traveling companion, Mr Shepherd, comprising Taylor's photographs alongside his engaging narrative of both his journey and descriptions of the photographs themselves. Taylor and Shepherd's trip, undertaken in January 1902, took them to Algiers, Constantine, El Kantara, Biskra, Sidi Okba, Kherrata, and the Djurdjura mountain range, the pair traveling by train, trap, bicycle, camel, and on foot. Please note: This material has been digitized in its entirety and contains racist and culturally insensitive remarks.
Biographical
Henry Edward Irving Taylor (H. E. Irving Taylor) was born in Folkestone, Kent on August 24, 1867. He attended Pembroke College, Cambridge as well as Hanover Square School of Electrical Engineering [London], and the City and Guilds College [London].
Both a naturalist and composer, he was listed in The Naturalists Directory (published 1914) as "Taylor, H. E., Irving, M.A., F.R.G.S., F.L.S.. F.R. Met. Soc. Ewhurst, Redhill Common, Surrey, England. Collections of Botanical Specimens and Birds* eggs. Ex.". He was proposed as a fellow to The Linnean Society of London, who are "dedicated to the study and dissemination of information concerning natural history, evolution, and taxonomy", on November 7, 1912 and admitted on January 16, 1913. The Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford holds four musical compositions written by Taylor between 1903 and 1934.
Taylor died in Reigate, Surrey on June 30, 1943.
Arrangement
Album, oblong 8vo (18.2 x 24.5 cm), pp. [2], 48; printed title 'The interchangeable photo-scrap album no trimming or mounting required' (London, M.W. & Co.), 48 black and white glossy prints (10.5 x 15.5 cm).
Content Description
A visual and written record of a trip to Algeria at the opening of the 20th century undertaken by H.E. Irving Taylor and his traveling companion, Mr Shepherd, comprising Taylor's photographs alongside his engaging narrative of both his journey and descriptions of the photographs themselves. Taylor and Shepherd's trip, undertaken in January 1902, took them to Algiers, Constantine, El Kantara, Biskra, Sidi Okba, Kherrata, and the Djurdjura mountain range, the pair traveling by train, trap, bicycle, camel, and on foot.
Taylor's crisp photographs capture the natural landscape (from mountains to desert), architecture, markets, archaeological sites, the local population, his traveling companion and their Algerian guides. Evidently a keen photographer, Taylor several times notes that his images fail to do justice to the magnificence of the Algerian landscape and light, which left him 'spell-bound'.
Many of the annotations refer to music and musical instruments. There are two instances of copied out pieces of local music.
Subjects
Conditions Governing Access
Repository permission is required for access. Please contact Akkasah Center for Photography, akkasah@nyu.edu +971 2628 5531
Conditions Governing Use
Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by the previous owner were transferred to Akkasah center for Photography on 14th August 2018. Permission to publish or reproduce materials in this collection must be secured from repository. Please contact Akkasah Photography Archive, akkasah@nyu.edu +971 2628 5531
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Album: Trip to Algeria; AD_MC_040; box number; folder number or item identifier; Akkasah Photography Archive, New York University Abu Dhabi.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collection acquired from Bernard Quaritch Ltd in August 2018
About this Guide
Processing Information
Digitized and page-level cataloguing completed. Materials were placed in an acid-free sleeve and box. Original caption information, when available, will be transcribed into page-level descriptions. Where captions are illegible, the archivist's interpretation is enclosed in square brackets.