G. Allan Little photographic collection

Monochrome diverse images of East and North East Scotland: Fife, Tayside, Aberdeenshire and Moray. Special interest in historic architecture including Edzell Castle, Culross, Dysart, Pluscarden Abbey, Kirkcudbright, St Andrews and East Neuk of Fife including Crail, Anstruther, Elie and Earlsferry, also Cupar and Dundee.

G. Allan Little (1919-98) lived in Wormit, Fife for most of his life. He worked in banking from 1936-1966, from 1952 with the Royal Bank of Scotland, at Reform Street, Dundee, Angus. After 30 years service he resigned and became a freelance photographer and photo-journalist, building on a lifelong interest in writing and photography. He regularly undertook commissions for the Fife Herald, Cupar and during the 1970s his carefully researched topographical articles illustrated by his own photographs were regularly published by Scottish Field and other periodicals.

The photographic collections are currently the subject of a major digitisation project. It is the intention to have the entire archive captured in electronic form, and available (with sophisticated searching facilities) on line via the web. A full version of the software can be accessed in the Library and researchers are welcome to visit the library to use it but it is important that appointments are made in advance. Access to original photographic material may be restricted.

Gifted to the University of St Andrews by widow of creator in 1999, initially as deposit, to become property of University after two years. Second deposit in 2002.

Description compiled by Rachel Hart, Archives Hub Project Archivist.

Some brief lists are available. Some of the collection has been digitised.

Copies of images held in the photographic collection (with the exception of any photographs which are held either without copyright or under other restrictions imposed by the donor or photographer) can be ordered. Photographs thus provided for purely personal or research purposes are not subject to any fee beyond the photographic costs (for which a scale of charges is available). Prior written permission must be obtained before any further reproduction is undertaken of images supplied, for commercial or non-commercial purposes. Reproduction fees may be charged.

True photographic reprints of most images can be provided, or computer-generated prints of an increasing proportion of the collection at low, medium or high resolution. Given the fragility of the original material our preference is to provide computer prints where possible. We can also provide transparencies and a range of electronic formats.

Contact through Scottish National Portrait Gallery, National Photography Collection in 1999.

The remainder of the collection including prints and negatives is still to be transferred.

Some of the images appeared in the Fife Herald, Scottish Field and Scotland's Magazine.

G. Allan Little (ed.), Scotland's Gardens, (Edinburgh, 1981)

This material is original.