Osborne House and formal gardens, East Cowes, Isle of Wight

Photograph taken October 1999 © Copyright Historic England Archive ref: nmr 18536/01

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert bought Osborne House as a private retreat and greatly extended it. The present house developed in the Italianate style between 1845-51 and was designed by Prince Albert and Thomas Cubitt. This property is now in the care of English Heritage (2010). Find out more.

Location

Isle of Wight East Cowes

Period

Victorian (1837 - 1901)

Themes

"Wills, Shaw and Friese-Greene Ready to Film". This was a publicity shot for the foundation of the Aerofilms aerial photography company. It was taken at the London Aerodrome, Hendon. Francis Lewis Wills was a former Royal Naval Air Service Observer and co-founder of Aerofilms. Claude Friese-Greene, holding the cine-camera, was technical director for Aerofilms in its early days, but is best known as a pioneering cinematographer. We know very little about Shaw, the pilot, probably an AirCo employee.

Osborne House and formal gardens, East Cowes, Isle of Wight

Location

Period

Themes

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