Robert Clapperton opened this photographic studio in Selkirk in 1867, supplying photographic Carte-de-Visits and formal Portraits to the local Scottish Borders population. Photography in those days required some basic knowledge of chemistry coupled with craft skills to coat glass plates to manufacture the negatives. Daylight was the only light source, there being no electricity.

Remarkably the business stayed open over four generations of the family, only closing a couple of years ago, the last photographer being Ian William Mitchell. Currently the studio is in need of some conservation, open only occasionally as a museum, allowing visitors a glimpse of a business from a now by-gone era in this digital age. There still remains a large collection of the original glass plate negatives and film negatives stored in what can only be described as unsuitable conditions for a local historic archive. The current family members are unsure as to the long term future of the studio.

Link CLAPPERTON'S BORDER CINEMA
Link The ROBERT D CLAPPERTON Photographic Trust