“That’s not real, Granny – it’s a film”
The very first time we took young grandson Charlie to the Camera Obscura he just wouldn’t believe that what he was seeing on the table was a live moving image of the town.
Well that’s hardly a surprising response from a boy who’s grown up in the age of screens, AI and digital downloads and is now studying Editing and Visual Effects for Film and Broadcast at Salford.
Google how the camera obscura works – although it’s a fairly simple mechanism it’s beyond me to explain it!
And would you believe, the oldest working camera obscura in the world is located in Dumfries Museum so it is understandably a pretty special visitor attraction.
In 1834 Robert Thomson, a shipbuilder, merchant and keen astrologer bought the18th century windmill, which had fallen out of use, thinking it would be a perfect place for an observatory.
Members of the Dumfries and Maxwelltown Astronomical Society paid subscriptions to fund the conversion of the tower and to purchase equipment – including a nine-inch telescope from inventor and scientist Thomas Morton. They also asked him to build a camera obscura which was intended for astronomical use, such as viewing the sun and the transits of Mercury and Venus. But by 1851 the general public were invited in to experience this fascinating device and to view the activities of the people of Dumfries. Live Victorian CCTV!
When I was at school in Dumfries my best friend lived right across the road from the Museum and her mother kept an eagle eye on the old windmill to check if the camera obscura was operating – you can see the lens popping up. And if it was she didn’t put her washing out. No-one was to see her family’s underwear on the line!
Nowadays the rule is not to point the lens at nearby properties to preserve neighbours’ privacy.
So if you’d like to experience this wonder of Victorian technology come and stay in the Flat and visit Dumfries Museum.
Check out the Flat’s availability and rates and call Sue on 01387 770348 or email us at sue_greig@yahoo.co.uk if you’d like to book. You can also find us on the Vrbo website if you’d prefer to instantly book on-line.
