Selkirk to get a snapshot of the past

The free event will display almost 500 images from the Clapperton archive, which have been recently converted from glass-plate negatives, as well as a small collection of pictures from the A. R. Edwards and Son studio.

The Robert Clapperton Daylight Photographic Studio was run by five generations since it was launched by Robert D Clapperton in 1867 – with the focus being on recording the life and times of Souters.

And next came William Mitchell, his son Willie McLean Mitchell, followed by Ian Mitchell and his wife Janet who founded the Robert Clapperton Trust and kept the studio and archive active as a working museum.

But when the museum closed in 2015, the Robert D Clapperton Photographic Trust passed on the glass-plate and film negatives, as well as several photographic prints, to the Scottish Borders Archives, now run by Live Borders.

And now organisers are hoping locals can help them identify places, dates and images in the photos.

During the event, the Selkirk Regeneration Company will also be showing a small collection of photographs from A. R. Edwards and Son.

Dr Lindsay Neil, of the company, said: "Through the generosity of the descendants of the Edwards family, the Selkirk Regeneration Company is making publicly available largely unseen photographs of Selkirk and the Borders dating from 1880 and through the early part of the 20th century.

"These ones at the exhibition are just a sample few of the 600 or so pictures of the Borders and its people taken at that time and many before the advent of motor cars.

"A book containing the bulk of this historic archive is in the process of preparation and should be available by Common Riding."

The exhibition will be held at Our Lady and St Joseph’s RC Church Hall, in High Street on March 9-11.

Refreshments will be available for £1 and, on Saturday only, children can dress up and have their ‘ye olde’ photograph taken for £1, and these will be available after the event.