The Topical Press Photographic Agency, also known as Topical Press Agency, or simply Topical, was a British

photo agency Stock photography is the supply of photographs that are often licensed for specific uses. The stock photo industry, which began to gain hold in the 1920s, has established models including traditional macrostock photography, midstock photography, ...

established in 1903 and dissolved in 1957.

History

It was founded in 1903 in London as a partnership between James Barrow Helsby (1862- 14 December 1943), a step-brother of the Royal photographer Albert Victor Swaebe (1877- 3 August 1967) and photographer himself, and Walter James Edwards (d. 1929), a traveling salesman. By its peak in 1929, it employed almost 1,500 representatives in Great Britain and worldwide, selling the work of a team of photographers operating first from Fleet Street and then at Red Lion Court in London. As well as contemporary press photography, the company also focused on sales of

stock photography Stock photography is the supply of photographs that are often licensed for specific uses. The stock photo industry, which began to gain hold in the 1920s, has established models including traditional macrostock photography, midstock photography, ...

. With changing patterns in news publishing, the company dwindled until it eventually went bankrupt in 1957, with the bulk of the archives acquired by the Hulton Picture Library, now part of

Getty Images Getty Images Holdings, Inc. (stylized as gettyimages) is a visual media company and supplier of stock images, editorial photography, video, and music for business and consumers, with a library of over 477 million assets. It targets three mark ...

. Prominent photographers worked for ''Topical'' including Arthur William Debenham, Hugh Cecil Saunders, and John Warwick Brooke, who was one of the first official British photographers of the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, among others. The Royal Gathering at Osborne.jpg, The Royal Gathering at Osborne, 1909 Queen Mary 1924.jpg, Queen Mary, 1924 Emmeline Pankhurst, c.1910. (22913713376).jpg, Emmeline Pankhurst, c.1910 James Henry Greathead.png, James Henry Greathead William Glynne Charles Gladstone in military uniform.jpg, William Glynne Charles Gladstone Olga 1910.jpg, Grand Duchess Olga Benito Mussolini 1922.jpeg, Benito Mussolini, 1922

References

External links

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Topical Press Photographic Agency
''National Portrait Gallery Collection'' {{Authority control News agencies based in the United Kingdom Photography companies of the United Kingdom Stock photography Photo agencies