Bonaly Towers. Home of Lord Cockburn 1843 - 1847

This salt print titled 'Bonaly Towers. Home of Lord Cockburn' was created in the 1840s by the pioneering Scottish photographers David Hill and Robert Adamson. It offers us a glimpse into the life of a prominent member of Edinburgh society. Lord Cockburn, a judge and writer, is pictured here with his family and servants at his country house. The composition subtly underscores the social hierarchy of the time. While Lord Cockburn sits prominently in the foreground, his domestic staff are positioned at the periphery, in the doorway. The women of the house are seated in the middle ground. This careful arrangement reflects the structured social roles and power dynamics inherent in 19th-century Victorian society. Hill and Adamson often used photography to document Scottish life, capturing both the elite and the working class. In ‘Bonaly Towers,’ they’ve given us a tableau that is both intimate and revealing, offering a window into the emotional and social landscape of the past.