{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O78701"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78701/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM7304/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM7304/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM7304","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/John Thomson","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O78701/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O78701","accessionNumber":"PH.337-1982","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Cast Iron Billy","type":"assigned by artist"},{"title":"Street Life in London","type":"series title"}],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>The photographer John Thomson (1837-1921) used the 'Woodburytype' process patented in 1864 for the images in <i>Street Life in London</i>, including this photograph. This was a type of photomechanical reproduction using pigmented gelatin, usually of a rich purple-brown colour. The process was complicated but remained popular until about 1900 because of the high quality and permanence of the finished images.<br><br><b>Subjects Depicted</b><br>'Cast Iron Billy', the subject of this photograph, was a driver of a horse-drawn public transport coach, known as an 'omnibus'. The number of omnibuses running the year before this photograph was taken was 1448, with 10 horses to each omnibus. It was not unusual for drivers to race one another.<br><br><b>Real or Posed?</b><br>The people in the pictures were arranged or posed by Thomson to form interesting compositions. However, the results were often naturalistic because the subjects and surroundings were always authentic.","physicalDescription":"Photograph","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Thomson, John","id":"A8914"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"AAT25687"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Woodburytype","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Scotland","id":"THES262877"},{"text":"Europeana Fashion Project","id":"THES265804"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006AM7304"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLF","id":"THES49656"},"free":"","case":"TOPIC","shelf":"10A","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1877-1878","earliest":"1877-01-01","latest":"1878-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs D. Crisp","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"11","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"unmounted","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Measured; 04/10/2000 by PaperCons","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Taken in London by John Thomson (born in Edinburgh, 1837, died in London, 1921)","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"19thC; Thomson, John, Cast Iron Billy, Street Life of London","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nPHOTOGRAPHS FROM 'STREET LIFE IN LONDON'<br>\nThese photographs were first published in 12 instalments in 1877-1878 in a series entitled 'Street Life in London'. John Thomson had earlier photographed in China and recognized London as a remarkable new subject. Together with journalist Adolphe Smith he wrote commentaries on each image. 'Street Life' is among the earliest and most evocative examples of social documentary photography.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}},{"text":"Gallery 100 ‘A History of Photography’, 2014-2015, label text:\r\n\r\nJohn Thomson (1837–1921)\r\n‘Recruiting Sergeants at Westminster’, ‘Cast Iron Billy’, ‘Mush-Fakers and Ginger-Beer Makers’, ‘Covent Garden Flower Women’\r\nFrom the series ‘Street Life in London’\r\n1876–77\n\r\nThese are some of the earliest examples of social documentary photography. The figures were posed by Thomson to form interesting compositions. These included the omnibus driver ‘Cast Iron Billy’, sergeants waiting outside a pub to enlist potential army recruits and the ‘mush-faker’, who sold used umbrellas. \n\r\nWoodburytypes\r\nGiven by Mrs D. Crisp\r\nMuseum nos. Ph.318, 337, 342, 317-1982\r\n","date":{"text":"06 03 2014","earliest":"2014-03-06","latest":"2014-03-06"}}],"partNumbers":["PH.337-1982"],"accessionNumberNum":"337","accessionNumberPrefix":"PH","accessionYear":1982,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LR3130","2019LR0101","2019LU7349"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-27","availableToBook":false}}