Henry Taunt was one of England’s most prolific Victorian photographers. Working mainly in Oxford and the surrounding area his pictures are a fantastic documentary record of the life and times of a bygone era. However his favourite subject was the River Thames and this is reflected in his many incredibly beautiful images. At the same time, Taunt was making detailed maps of the Thames, as well as meeting local people, the boathouse owners, innkeepers and fishermen so that he could include them all in his guides.

Books such as ‘Three Men in a Boat’ or ‘Wind in the Willows’ might never have been written, or certainly would not have achieved such popularity, were it not for his albums, postcards, lectures and detailed and enthusiastic descriptions of the Thames from its Cotswold source to London.