After training at Ealing School of Photography, Gilly worked as assistant to portrait and industrial photographer Adolph Morath. Gilly also took production photographs for theatres in the North-West. Arthur Gill encouraged Gilly to get involved in historical research with her list of Manchester’s Victorian photographers. As Chair of the Historical Group, Gilly has been particularly concerned in building up the groups archive of online talks.
“As Chair of the Historical Group I hope this is a recognition of the work everybody in the group is doing.”
Nomination
Gilly Read FRPS has an active involvement with the RPS’s Historical Group as a member, group committee member, and as her current role chair which she has held since 2019. In her volunteer roles with the Historical Group she has gone beyond the nominal role description and brought her own knowledge and experience as a former tutor of photography.
During the pandemic Gilly led the Historical Group in a rapid shift from live events to online events in 2020 and she continues to find new speakers, supported by colleagues on the committee. Consequently, the Group’s reach has expanded from small groups in person, to reaching many hundreds of people online, with recorded talks having a life beyond their initial broadcast. As chair Gilly has led committee meetings and brought on new committee members on to it, nurturing new members which has helped spread the committee workload.
Gilly's chairing of the Historical Group through online and live events and through its publication The Photohistorian has resulted in a greater reach within the RPS and wider public.
