The 1917 Manchester exhibition l wish l had seen

 I wonder if there are any of the pictures still in circulation which made up an exhibition of Canadian War Photographs which were shown in the October of 1917 at the Whitworth Art Gallery?

Silk postcard, undated

I came across the story of the exhibition in an article by Madeline Alberta Linford which was published in the Manchester Guardian on September 29^th, 1917.

Ms. Linford was a remarkable journalist who was the first woman on the Editorial Board of the Manchester Guardian, and worked for the newspaper from 1913 till 1953.  Her contributions covered theatre, film and book reviews as well as articles on a wide range of subjects.

So impressed was the editor of the paper with her work that she was sent to France, Austria and Poland to report on the efforts of the Friends’ Relief Mission to countries badly effected during the Great War.

And from 1922 was the first editor for the newly created Woman's page for which she wrote regularly until 1939, then becoming picture editor through the 1940s.*

Of the 1917 exhibition she wrote, "In the whole collection there is scarcely a photograph which is not fresh and interesting, while some are so moving in their humane appeal, and so impressive in their simpicity that to linger before them is impossible, and to hurry past an irreverance".**

All of which has made me want to explore the images.

I have contacted the Whitworth to see if they retain any records.

Picture, Silk picture postcard, undated from the collection of David Harrop

We shall see.

*Madeline Alberta Linford, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2025/09/poverty-gas-masks-going-to-flicks-and.html

**Canadian War Photographs, Ms. Linford, Manchester Guardian, September 29th, 1917