Begraafplaats te Torquay c. 1850 - 1880

Francis Bedford made this stereo card, entitled "Begraafplaats te Torquay", during the middle of the 19th century. Stereo cards like this one were very popular at the time because they gave the viewer a 3D impression of the scene. During this period, photography was becoming more accessible and portable. The rising middle class was eager to see images of faraway places and of sites closer to home. Bedford was one of many photographers who helped to meet this demand, and this card was part of a series on Devonshire. But, more than that, it tells us something about the institutional history of photography. In England, then as now, cultural authority was centred around the institutions of the church. Note how the graves are arranged in orderly rows facing toward the chapel in the background. The image reminds us of the social order, and of the power of the church to shape everyday life. To fully understand the image, it is essential to research the history of photography, the growth of seaside tourism in Devon, and the social history of Victorian England.