Gezicht op straat nabij Torquay, met op de achtergrond een heuvel c. 1850 - 1880

This is a stereoscopic photograph of a street near Torquay with a hill in the background, made by Francis Bedford. Bedford was commissioned to make a series of landscape photographs across Devon for a publication called ‘Devonshire Illustrated’. This project coincided with the expansion of the British railway system, which allowed more members of the middle class to visit the countryside for leisure. Bedford’s photographs are therefore deeply rooted in the social and economic conditions of the time. The image creates meaning through its composition and cultural references. Bedford presents an idyllic scene with a quiet lane, thatched cottages, and a gentleman standing calmly by the roadside. The image is carefully composed to evoke a sense of nostalgia, but its highly selective. A photograph taken around 1865 glosses over the less palatable aspects of rural life. To understand this image better, we might consult travel guides and social surveys from the period. As historians, we can examine the social and institutional contexts that shaped the image and appreciate how photography plays a role in shaping social norms and expectations.