THIS photograph, showing people testing Bolton-produced pumping engines in the 1860s, is one of the earliest pictures showing people at work in Britain.

Now a professor is stepping up the search for more old industrial photographs showing people working in the town in a bid to shed light on working practices.

Prof David Perrett says the photographs can ensure we retain knowledge that otherwise could be lost.

He recently gave a talk at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, where he showed some of the oldest-known photographs of working people in the North-west.

Among them is this one of the testing of a pumping station in London’s main sewerage works. Bolton firm Rothwell’s built huge steam engines, pumping engines and steam boilers for the main sewerage system in London. It is believed that Bolton engineers who created the structure may even feature on the historic picture.

But Prof Perrett believes history has only focussed on the inventors, engineers and the machines they created, and not how machines were used.

He said: “Historians have tended to place a lot of emphasis on big-name engineers, but little attention to the engineers and skilled workers who actually worked them.

“I’m interested in trying to get a picture of the people behind the machines and I’ve found there is very limited evidence.”

According to Prof Perrett, the first known photograph of people at work in Britain was taken in Sheffield in 1858.

Other early examples include an image of female workers in Wigan’s Rose Bridge Pits in 1865.

There are also several examples around Britain of images of people at work which are embedded in architecture, such as those at the former fish market entrance in Manchester, dating back to 1876.

He said: “I would really like to hear from anyone who knows of any early photographs of people at work in industry in the Manchester area.”

Do you know of any old pictures of people at work in Bolton?

If so, send them to The Bolton News by email to pictures@thebolton news. co.uk or bring them into our offices in Churchgate in Bolton town centre to feature in the newspaper or on our website.

Or you can email Prof Perrett directly at d.perrett@qmul. ac.uk