From Ilford to the world

Set up around five miles east of Storehouse in 1879, the Ilford photographic factory produced glass plates, films, paper and developing chemicals. Soon its factories spread across Britain and its products sold worldwide. Many young artists today embrace film photography and Ilford film stock is still used. Ilford’s presence is felt throughout the V&A collection – prints often arrive in their iconic black and white photo paper boxes. The transfer of the Royal Photographic Society Collection to the V&A in 2017 saw the arrival of many Ilford cameras, papers and leaflets.

Written by: Royal Photographic Society project team
Published: April, 2026

Collecting Stories

Museum Number
RPS.130-2020
Description
Camera equipment
Object information
Museum Number
RPS.110-2020
Description
Camera equipment
Object information
Museum Number
RPS.744-2018
Description
Camera
Artist/Maker
Ilford Ltd
Object information
Museum Number
RPS.238-2020
Description
camera equipment
Object information
Museum Number
PH.36-2021
Description
The Ilford Story
Artist/Maker
Broomfield, Maurice
Date
1965
Object information
Museum Number
PH.144-2021
Description
The Ilford Story
Artist/Maker
Broomfield, Maurice
Date
1965
Object information
Museum Number
PH.35-2021
Description
The Ilford Story
Artist/Maker
Broomfield, Maurice
Date
1965
Object information
Reference Code
RPS/TEMP/COLL/JONES/1
Title/Description
Price list of Ilford Photographic goods
Artist/Maker
Royal Photographic Society
Archive Department
Archive of Art and Design
Date
1907
Materials/Techniques
Illustrated catalogue of Ilford photographic products. Originally belonged to Chapman Jones and later collected by the Royal Photographic Society.
Item information
Reference Code
RPS/TEMP/COLL/JONES/2
Title/Description
Notes on Isochromatism and Ilford chromatic and rapid chromatic plates
Artist/Maker
Royal Photographic Society
Archive Department
Archive of Art and Design
Date
1908
Materials/Techniques
Illustrated catalogue of Ilford chromatic and rapid chromatic plates. Originally belonged to Chapman Jones and later collected by the Royal Photographic Society.
Item information
Reference Code
RPS/TEMP/COLL/JONES/3
Title/Description
Ilford Bromide, Bromona and Gaslight paper and how to use them
Artist/Maker
Royal Photographic Society
Archive Department
Archive of Art and Design
Date
1909
Materials/Techniques
Illustrated catalogue of Ilford photographic papers. Originally belonged to Chapman Jones and later collected by the Royal Photographic Society.
Item information
Reference Code
RPS/TEMP/COLL/JONES/4
Title/Description
Ilford plates
Artist/Maker
Royal Photographic Society
Archive Department
Archive of Art and Design
Date
1911
Materials/Techniques
Illustrated catalogue of Ilford photographic plates. Originally belonged to Chapman Jones and later collected by the Royal Photographic Society.
Item information
Reference Code
RPS/TEMP/COLL/JONES/5
Title/Description
Ilford X-ray Screen plates
Artist/Maker
Royal Photographic Society
Archive Department
Archive of Art and Design
Date
1911
Materials/Techniques
Loose page from the publication Photographic Scraps containing information about Ilford X-ray screen plates. Originally belonged to Chapman Jones and later collected by the Royal Photographic Society.
Item information
Reference Code
RPS/TEMP/COLL/JONES/6
Title/Description
Ilford plates
Artist/Maker
Royal Photographic Society
Archive Department
Archive of Art and Design
Date
1919
Materials/Techniques
Informative flyer describing the properties of Ilford photographic plates. Originally belonged to Chapman Jones and later collected by the Royal Photographic Society.
Item information
Reference Code
RPS/TEMP/COLL/JONES/7
Title/Description
Ilford Panchromatic Plates and Colour Filters
Artist/Maker
Royal Photographic Society
Archive Department
Archive of Art and Design
Date
1922
Materials/Techniques
Catalogue of Ilford plates and colour filters. Originally belonged to Chapman Jones and later collected by the Royal Photographic Society.
Item information