Boom in Denham Park te Bowdon c. 1850 - 1880

This stereoscopic photograph of a tree in Denham Park was produced by the Manchester Photographic Company. The image would have been viewed through a special viewer, giving the image a 3D effect. Stereoscopy was a popular form of entertainment in the mid-19th century, a visual culture tied up with the burgeoning middle classes. The photograph captures a rural scene, one that is in contrast to the urban sprawl of Manchester, the city in which the company was based. The photograph is of Denham Park in Bowdon, an affluent area of Cheshire. The parkland would have been carefully managed, a controlled vision of nature, a display of wealth and status. Stereoscopic photographs like this one offer us insights into the tastes and social values of the time. By consulting local archives, social histories and photographic collections, we can better understand the historical context of this image and its role in shaping perceptions of class and nature in the Victorian era.