The Eye of Wicken: Emma Sophia Aspland 1871 - 1948. A collection of photographs taken in Wicken, Cambridgeshire at the turn of the 20th century.

Anthony Day has a keen interest in the social history of his home village of Wicken, Cambridgeshire. Whilst looking for family photographs in the 1960s, he was presented with a collection of pictures taken by Emma Sophia Aspland at the turn of the 20th century. Over the years, he has added more images to his collection and shares them with us here.

Anthony was moved by Emma's awareness of what was likely to disappear. She loved her thatched cottages and farmhouses, so many of which had vanished before Anthony was born. She loved portraiture and the ancient trades dependent on the fen. Emma appears to be shy and self-conscious, unlike the subjects she encouraged to be photographed.

Emma was the essential 'Eye of Wicken'. Her legacy of views and people a blessing and a glimpse of village life as it was in 1900.

This book is sponsored by Colin Searle of Ivor Searle Ltd, Soham, in tribute to his father, Mr Ivor Searle. he was born in 1915, but died in 1956 aged just 40. he would have been 100 years old in 2015. Ivor Searle Limited was established in 1946 and, at the time of publication in 2016, has been trading for 70 years.

This is a hardback book with 73 black and white photographs 

Size: 21cm x 21cm

ISBN: 978-1-911526-00-1

Recommended Retail Price: £24

To purchase a copy, please email Colin Searle at colin@ivorsearle.co.uk