A Life of Industry

The Photography of John R Hume

Daniel Gray author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Historic Environment Scotland

Published:5th Aug '21

Should be back in stock very soon

A Life of Industry cover

This book explores the life and work of John R Hume, capturing the essence of Scotland's industrial heritage through his extensive photography.

John R Hume stands as Scotland’s leading authority on industrial heritage, driven by an enduring passion for industry. Throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, he captured over 25,000 photographs that document the late-industrial and post-industrial landscape of Scotland. This extensive collection serves as a poignant portrayal of a way of life that has nearly disappeared. Hume's commitment to chronicling Scotland’s industrial legacy and its gradual decline led him to explore every corner of the nation.

His photography not only provides a thorough and objective account of industrialization but also offers intimate glimpses into the everyday lives of people. The images depict moments like children playing amidst factory ruins, the emergence of high-rises against the skyline, and the hardworking men and women dwarfed by the remnants of a once-thriving industrial infrastructure. These snapshots evoke a sense of nostalgia and highlight the stark contrasts between past and present.

In A Life of Industry, author Daniel Gray narrates John Hume’s journey and the broader narrative of what has been lost and what remains. This book serves as a tribute to the resilience of memory and the importance of preserving the stories of those who lived through Scotland's industrial era, making it a significant contribution to the understanding of Scotland’s heritage.

‘Looking deeper into each image reveals a poignant glimpse into the lives of the people intertwined with the bricks and mortar’ 

* Sunday Post *

'This emotional and personal link to bricks and slate and steel is at the heart of Hume’s philosophy'

* The Herald *

'a simply magnificent book: a book that should be considered essential reading/viewing by anyone who lives in or visits Scotland and has the slightest interest in how what they see around themselves came to be; and what went before'

* Undiscovered Scotland *

'This book of John R Hume's photography is a treat... a loving celebration of person and place'

-- Peter

ISBN: 9781849173094

Dimensions: 285mm x 225mm x 20mm

Weight: 1113g

176 pages