Railways and Rural Life: SWA Newton and the Great Central Railway

This beautiful photography book records the work of Sydney Walter Alfred Newton, a commercial photographer who was based in Leicester in the late 19th and early 20th century. The young Newton recorded the London Extension of the Great Central Railway – the last main line – between Nottingham and London, travelling the route with his camera. Significantly, in addition to photographing the railway and its associated features, Newton also recorded the navvy community and the rural life in the villages along the course of the line.

Railway interest, local history and social history intertwine to provide a unique picture of life in Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Leicestershire and Warwickshire around the turn of the 20th century. This lavishly illustrated book, printed in striking black and white throughout, draws on the extensive archive holdings of English Heritage and the Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland and offers a unique picture of our railway heritage.

Dr Valerie Hope is a Lecturer in the Department of Classical Studies at the Open University.