John Sergeant retraces the steps of Victorian photographer Francis Frith who attempted to document every city, town and village in Britain

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Chesterfield to Eyam

10/10 John Sergeant visits the town of Chesterfield, where he ascends the famous twisted spire.

Thu 9 May 2013 13:00 BBC Two

See all previous episodes from Britain's First Photo Album

  • Celebrate Britain’s history though photographs

    Britain’s First Photo Album traces the extraordinary achievement of the pioneering Victorian photographer Francis Frith and his team.

    Frith embarked upon a colossal project to photograph as much of Great Britain as possible during the second half of the 19th century. In this series John Sergeant sets out to follow in Francis Frith’s footsteps to find out more about ‘Britain’s First Photo Album’ and celebrate our shared past.

  • Photography and local history

    There are lots of ways for you to get involved in both local history and photography. Why not take a look at some photo sharing groups online or local archives to explore the past.

    Local archives exist all over the country; often they have photographic collections, books and memorabilia. Why not give your local archive a visit and explore your family tree or local heritage.

    Inspired by the TV series, Britain’s First Photo Album, we’ve created a free booklet available for download, it explores some of the themes around the programme relating to the history of photography. Offering tips on how you can find out more about your photographs and learn more about local history. You can download the booklet from the Resources page.

  • Get involved

    Get involved

    Discover Britain's First Photo Album activities for all ages across the UK, run by partners.

    Your local museums, libraries and historical societies are inviting to you to attend a whole range of free activities linking to the programmes. These events offer a unique opportunity for you to explore your local heritage and the history of photography.

    To find out about events taking place in your area, go to Things To Do, the BBC's activity finder website.

    Search for activities near you with Things To Do

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