Photograph Album of Thomas Scott Elgood

Scope and Content

Photograph album compiled by Thomas Scott Elgood, showing examples of European metal work, including gates, rood screens, shrines and tombs, fences, door hinges, handles, knockers, keys and decoration, fireplaces and mantle pieces, staircases, light fixtures, candlesticks, crucifixes and church plate, jewellery, dinner sets, and ornamental pieces.

Examples were drawn from across England, including Chester, London, Lichfield, Peterborough, Durham, Oxford, Cambridge as well as from East Midlands locations such as Wyggeston House, Leicester; Quenby Hall, Hungarton; Scraptoft Hall, Leicester; Wistow church, St Margaret’s Church, Leicester; Frolesworth vicarage; Belton Hall, Grantham; Harrowden vicarage and Harrington Hall, Lincolnshire (this photograph includes girls playing tennis in the background). European examples were drawn from Spain, France and Italy.

One photograph gives an example of Elgood’s own work showing a slate sundial he designed and carved for Leicester Cathedral.

A note written in the front of the album notes that most of the Italian and French photographs were given to Elgood by his brother George Elgood who travelled abroad to paint landscapes. The local pictures were taken by a nephew, and the Spanish pictures were enlarged from photographs lent to Elgood by Miss Gross of Ripon.

Administrative / Biographical History

Thomas Scott Elgood (1845 - 1912) was one of ten children of Samuel Elgood, a wool merchant. The family lived primarily in Leicester. Thomas attended Owen’s College in Manchester where he trained as a mechanical engineer, aided by a Whitworth Scholarship which he was awarded in 1869 at the age of 24.

Along with his brothers Richard and John, Thomas was senior partner in a firm of art metal workers known as Elgood Brothers, based in Upper Brown Street, Leicester. Surviving local pieces by the firm include the gates of the Midland and Great Central Stations and a bandstand in Abbey Park. The brothers held patents for lock designs.

Between 1882 and 1900 Thomas Elgood also worked as an instructor in Engineering subjects at the Leicester Technical School. The Annual Report for 1899-1900 notes that “after eight years of assiduous work at the Machine Construction and Drawing Class, Mr. Elgood has resigned” as a full time instructor was needed to handle the volume of work.

As well as his teaching duties, Thomas attended the Leicester School of Art to take classes in drawing (1891) and modelling (1892). Together with his brother, noted landscape artist George Elgood, George’s tutor Wilmot Pilsbury, and their brother in law artist John Fulleylove (married to Elizabeth Elgood), Thomas used to travel around Leicestershire making topographical drawings and campaigning for the preservation of local heritage.

Access Information

Open for general access.

Acquisition Information

The source of acquisition is not known. The volume was treated as Library stock until it was withdrawn and placed in Special Collections.

Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements

The album is in fair condition, although the spine is coming loose and some of the photographs have become unstuck from the pages. Care must be taken when handling.

Archivist's Note

Catalogued in March 2013 by Katharine Short.

Conditions Governing Use

Photocopying of photographic material is not permitted for preservation purposes. Photography or scanning of the volume may be possible provided it does not damage the volume.

Custodial History

Former reference DMU/PE/7

Related Material

In 1948 a selection of the Leicestershire topographical sketches by George and Thomas Elgood and John Fulleylove were presented to the Leicestershire Archaeological Society.