Skyscan – Supplying solutions in aerial imagery Contact Skyscan for more information

Autumn 2021 : Skyscan will soon retire after 37 years working in aerial photography
A new home will be found for the Archive. Contact Skyscan for further information

Wapping 1989
Wapping 1989
Wapping 2002
Wapping 2002
Gatwick Airport 1930's
Gatwick 1930
Gatwick Airport official opening by the Queen 1958
Gatwick Formal Opening 1958
Isle of Dogs 1990
Isle of Dogs 1990
Isle of Dogs 2008
Isle of Dogs 2008
Canary Wharf 1990
Canary Wharf 1990
Canary Wharf 2010
Canary Wharf 2010

The Chorley Handford / Realistic Archive


The Chorley Handford / Realistic Archive was started by photographer Archie Handford in Croydon in the 1950's. The business was taken over and later relocated to Wallington as Realistic. This important collection documents the social and built history of the country, for over 60 years from post WW2 to modern times. It includes overlapping perspective surveys of central London and many suburbs and important progress photographs of major construction projects including
  • Greenwich peninsula regeneration and the Dome construction
  • airport developments including Gatwick (from 1958), Heathrow, City, Stanstead and others
  • construction of the QE2 and Second Severn Crossing bridges
  • major shopping developments such as Blue Water
  • premier league football stadia and other sporting venues
  • power stations such as Sizewell, Shoreham, Fulham, Blackwall
and many cities, towns, villages, heritage sites and landscapes throughout the UK over the decades.

December 2009 : Skyscan acquires historic archive


Skyscan purchased the Chorley Handford / Realistic Collection of over 100,000 colour aerial photographs of the UK captured from 1958 to modern day.

Skyscan's Library Manager Brenda Marks said "There was a real risk that this important archive would be mothballed and a lot of history lost so we are delighted to be able to secure the collection for the future and make it accessible. It will be of particular importance to companies and consultants who need to investigate the changes at a location over the years."
The Chorley Handford Collection in boxes
Boxes of photos before cataloguing!

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