Mary Evans Picture Library

08/03/2021

For we've compiled a selection of glorious images of women from around the world from the Grenville Collins Postcard Collection. Follow the link for the full selection: https://www.maryevans.com/tales.php?post_id=16374

12/10/2020

Want to know about how the library began, and how we've changed and adapted over the years? Our Head of Content, Tom Gillmor gives a comprehensive interview in the latest Max Communications podcast, and tells you all you need to know about your favourite historical image resource!
https://maxcommunications.co.uk/tom-gillmor-mary-evans-picture-library/

Founded in 1964 by husband and wife team Hillary and Mary Evans and now comprising approximately 2.5 million unique and eclectic images (and still growing), The Mary Evans Picture Library is a fascinating example of a collection which started as a personal hobby but which has grown into a major inte...

29/06/2020

It's hard to believe it's been ten years today since our founder, Mary passed away. Not only is the picture library down to her hard work and vision, but she was a key figure in the picture library industry over the years. Read more about her life in our tribute to her here. https://www.maryevans.com/mary10.php

02/12/2019

It's here and it's looking GORGEOUS. The much-anticipated, legendary Mary Evans calendar is an annual event and this year we've gone glam. The theme is the 1920s and 30s, with a selection of dazzling covers from the magazines in the ILN archive. This week, the 2020 calendar should be winging its way to desks and doormats of clients who have bought pictures from us, so do let us know what you think when yours arrives. Tom, our Head of Content, designs the calendar every year so we also thought he deserved a moment in the spotlight. Oh, and this year, we've invested in biodegradable packaging - doing our bit for the planet and all that.

25/10/2019

The man who ate grass. Read our latest blog to find out about an all-grass diet, as advocated by Mr. J.R.P Branson in 1939 https://www.maryevans.com/tales.php?post_id=16283

11/10/2019

As it's we thought it a good time to look at a range of inspirational women from the past, captured through the lens of pioneering photographer https://www.maryevans.com/tales.php?post_id=16264

19/07/2019

It's holiday time, but always make sure you travel in style. There's a new post on our Inqusitive Archivist blog about the historic link between fashion & travel, from guest blogger Martyn Pring, author of "Luxury Railway Travel - A Social & Business History" published by Pen and Sword Books this October. https://www.maryevans.com/tales.php?post_id=16092

25/06/2019

It's the 50th anniversary of the moon landing next month. Tom takes a look at man's fascination with the moon through history in our latest blog post on the Inquisitive Archivist.
https://www.maryevans.com/tales.php?post_id=15822

18/06/2019

We have a new post on our blog. Luci on talking about women's art past and present at the Tate Late last week, and on the challenges facing female artists in the nineteenth century. https://www.maryevans.com/tales.php?post_id=15482

15/04/2019

Such sad news about Notre Dame. We've put together some of our images of it through the ages as a homage to this amazing building... https://www.maryevans.com/lb.php?ref=45310

10/04/2019

Pictures from a great evening last night at West Greenwich Library, where poet Jane Clarke, introduced by Blake Morrison, read from her new poetry book, 'All the Way Home', published by The Poetry Business. These new poems are inspired by images from the collection of Patricia Aubrey held here at the library, which tell the story of the Auerbach family and their experience of the First World War. Wonderful to see an archival collection interpreted in this unique way - well done to Gill, who runs out Poems & Pictures blog, for getting this project off the ground. If you missed this, Jane will be at Waterstone's in Manchester on April 17th. Photographs by Paul Brown.

05/04/2019

Congratulations to Tom, our Head of Content, who started work as a fresh-faced Durham University graduate 200 (oops, sorry), 20 years ago today (actually tomorrow, but let's not split hairs since tomorrow is a Saturday!). Tom works with all our contributor and agents to ensure a smooth and continuous stream of exciting historical content is added to the library for you lucky picture buyers. Good work Tom - enjoy that bottle of fizz.

01/04/2019

It's Happy Publication Day for 'All the Way Home', a powerful work of poetry by Jane Clarke inspired by photographs and letters in the Auerbach family archive represented here at the library. Tracing the lives of one family through the First World War, Janes evocative and sensitive poems bring their story to life and is a powerful example of how pictures and poetry can create a really inspirational fusion of ideas - something our Poems & Pictures blog aims to promote . A book launch, with Blake Morrison introducing Jane, will take place at West Greenwich Library at 7pm on 9th April. See comments for the link.
http://www.poetrybusiness.co.uk/shop/1000/clarke-all-the-way-home

Jane Clarke’s powerfully moving poems respond to the Auerbach family archive of World War I letters and photographs represented by the Mary Evans Picture Library. The sequence imagines the emotional landscape of war for a brother at the Front and his sister at home. These quietly lucid and subtle ...

13/03/2019

We've just taken delivery of our giveaway for this year's Fotofringe - wooden yo-yos, with some nice Mary Evansification. Do drop by our table at Fotofringe next week to pick up yours, show us your skills, and have a chat of course! Fotofringe will be at King's Place next Thursday 21st March. We'll be at table 9 in the Battlebridge Room. You can register here - https://www.fotofringelondon.com/

06/03/2019

With 'Paradise Street - The Lost Art of Playing Outside' published this week by Hoxton Mini Press, Luci went along to BBC London Robert Elms radio show this morning to discuss the book and the themes of playing out. Here she is in the studio with Robert. You can listen to the interview here. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0712qk3

01/03/2019

Just arrived! Copies of 'Paradise Street - The Lost Art of Playing Outside' published by Hoxton Mini Press on Monday. Number 4 in their 'Vintage Britain' series, it is our second collaboration with them and brings together work by a number of photographers represented by the library including Roger Mayne, Shirley Baker and Paul Kaye. Focusing on photographs of children playing outdoors, usually in urban areas, the introduction is written by our head of sales & research, Luci who will also be discussing the book on the BBC London Robert Elms radio show next Wednesday morning and at an evening at the Wanstead Tap on 14th March.

08/02/2019

We delighted to have a guest blogger contribute to the Inquisitive Archivist this week. Lyndsy Spence, author of The Grit in the Pearl, published on Monday by HIstory Press, has chosen images from our archive to illustrate the rise and fall of her biographical subject, Margaret, Duchess of Argyll. https://www.maryevans.com/tales.php?post_id=15302

29/01/2019

Exciting event announcement. We will be at the Wanstead Tap in east London on the evening of the 14th March to present an evening of images and conversation based around our recent book collaborations with Hoxton Mini Press. More details here.

29/01/2019

Feeling a bit sniffly? You may be interested in the myriad uses for hankies through history, as explained in our latest Inquisitive Archivist blog by our picture researcher, Lucinda. https://www.maryevans.com/tales.php?post_id=14862

Thought handkerchiefs were a bygone of yesteryear? Join the Inquisitive Archivist for a whistle stop tour of hankies through history and their many applications, via the pictures held in our fabulous archive.

29/11/2018

We had a fabulous time at the joint BAPLA/ACE quiz last night, and also managed first place. Hoorah for us! Here we are with our prize. Not quite a gold trophy; more of a china coffee mug with kings & queens on it.

22/10/2018

The big picture: a bloodhound gets ready to shine at the Manchester dog show, 1966

Dog Show by Shirley Baker, a collaboration between ourselves and Hoxton Mini Press, is out this Thursday and was featured in The Observer this weekend. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/oct/21/bloodhound-manchester-dog-show-1966-shirley-baker

Salford-born photographer Shirley Baker’s images from the event in the 60s and 70s capture our enduring obsession with dogs

28/09/2018

Festival of History 2018: Poetry and the First World War

We have been collaborating with the poet Jane Clarke who has been writing poems in response to one family's experience of the First World War through the evocative images in the Patricia Aubrey archive of photographs, letters and documents. Jane will be reading some of her poems at the Festival of History in Dublin next week. Details here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/festival-of-history-2018-poetry-and-the-first-world-war-tickets-48561634155?utm-medium=discovery&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&aff=esfb&utm-source=fb&utm-term=listing

“When all this is over”: Poetry and the First World War Award-winning poet, Jane Clarke, will give an overview of poetry from the First World War and will read from her own sequence of poems responding to one family’s experience of the war. The Mary Evans Picture Library in London invited Jane...

13/09/2018

through Photography - the Thomas Fall exhibition is now open at the Kennel Club. Telling the story of the world's greatest photographer of pedigree dogs, it's definitely worth a visit. Mary Evans acquired the Thomas Fall archive in 2001 and we've been delighted to collaborate with the Kennel Club and curator, Heidi Hudson and this fascinating show. Details here on how to visit the exhibition and a few photographs from the opening yesterday. https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/our-resources/the-art-gallery/ Photographs (c) Paul Brown/Mary Evans Picture Library

Visit our dedicated Thomas Fall website to purchase prints and more - www.thomasfall.com

05/09/2018

We are thrilled to have supplied the image used by the Fashion & Textile Museum for their forthcoming exhibition, 'Night & Day - 1930s Fashion Photography', opening on the 12th October. We think it looks stunning and can't wait to see the exhibition.

20/07/2018

A few fun photos of guests and staff in the Ardea selfie booth at last night's Ardea 50th anniversary party / Mary Evans Summer Soiree. Great fun was had by all!

29/06/2018

Collection of the week: Our first birthday

Our popular Collection of the Week email is one year old, so we thought we'd gather together a year's worth of collections into one big, space-saving email. Lots more collections to highlight over the next twelve months!
http://www.maryevans.com/weekly/birthday/birthday_web.php

Collection of the Week is now one year old, and we've covered everything from Marxism to UFOs with quite a few dogs and dinosaurs sandwiched in between. We thought we'd take this opportunity, in our 52nd week, to re-live some of our best moments, and provide you with handy links in one space-saving....

21/06/2018

Animals in the Great War | National Theatre

Our picture researcher Lucinda Moore will be giving a talk on animals and the First World War at the National Theatre on 9th November, based on her book on the subject and to coincide with War Horse returning to the theatre this autumn. Details are now on the NT website https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/animals-great-war

Animals in the Great War throws a spot light on the experience of creatures great and small during World War One, vividly telling their stories through the incredible archival images held by Mary Evans Picture Library. As the centenary of the end of Great War approaches, take a timely journey throug...

24/05/2018

The Inquisitive Archivist

Two blogs in one day. We're spoiling you. May 24th, as Queen Victoria's birthday was the date chosen for Empire Day, celebrated by children across the Empire in the first half of the twentieth century. Read about the movement's origins in our blog on the Inquisitive Archivist. http://www.maryevans.com/tales.php?post_id=14632

24/05/2018

The Inquisitive Archivist

This week marks the 150th anniversary of one of the 20th century's most popular and versatile artists, though best-known for his vibrant and lively posters - John Hassall aka the Poster King. Read about his life and work in our blog on the Inquisitive Archivist. http://www.maryevans.com/tales.php?post_id=14632

18/05/2018

The Inquisitive Archivist

In case you haven't noticed, there's a royal wedding tomorrow. And speculation about what the bride will wear has reached fever pitch. Will Meghan Markle's gown relegate any of our shortlist of royal wedding dresses from the top ten? We can't wait to find out. See our new blog on the Inquisitive Archivist. http://www.maryevans.com/tales.php?post_id=14352

What do the names Reville & Rossiter, Handley Seymour, Molyneux and Maureen Baker all have in common? It’s a quiz question that might stump the most ardent of royal enthusiasts, but add a couple more names – Norman Hartnell, David & Elizabeth Emmanuel or Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen – and...

29/03/2018

Mary Evans Picture Library - News of Note March 2018

Our latest News of Note, with news on trade show attendances, a new, exciting photographer contributor and Murray's Cabaret Club.
http://www.maryevans.com/newsletter/mar18/nl_mar_18_web.php

Our latest collection extends a tradition here at Mary Evans of representing outstanding 20th century photographers such as Roger Mayne, Shirley Baker and Tim Mercer. Add to this group internationally renowned photographer Sandra Lousada, who has worked as a theatre photographer, portraitist and in....

07/03/2018

Ahead of tomorrow (and ) we've prepared this grid of 25 inspiring women past & present, together with a link to yet more amazing women from history.
http://www.maryevans.com/lb.php?ref=42061

04/03/2018

Sad news... Sir Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile in under four minutes, has died aged 88. You can view a selection of images of him here: http://www.maryevans.com/lb.php?ref=42032

20/02/2018

A Tonic for the Troops - Winter Warmers on the Western Front

Fancy a cuppa? There's a new post on our Picturing the Great War blog looking at the favourite beverages keeping the troops topped up. http://blog.maryevans.com/2018/02/a-tonic-for-the-troops-winter-warmers-on-the-western-front.html

February sometimes feels the most wintery of all the winter months, so if you're yet to discard the thermal layers , take a timely tonic with Mary Evans Picture Library, as we sample the non-alcoholic health beverages of the First World War, and their power to nourish and cheer. This...

06/02/2018

Royal Mail stamps designed to mark centenary of women's right to vote - Design Week

We're delighted to have supplied the Royal Mail with some of the images for this landmark stamp issue to mark 100 years of some women winning the right to vote https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/5-11-february-2018/royal-mail-stamps-designed-to-mark-centenary-of-womens-right-to-vote/?cmpid=dwnews_4719424&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=dw_daily&adg=35AA0AED-B686-47F4-8320-C359E4861378

Supple Studio has designed eight stamps telling the story of the women's suffrage movement and celebrating 100 years of the female vote.