John Thomson is one of the great figures in the history of photography, an extraordinary photographer, traveller, author, translator and teacher. In 1865 he travelled to Siam and photographed the King and his subjects creating a unique record of the country.
This talk by Deborah Ireland revisits the original negatives to see Siam as recorded by Thomson’s lens in 1865.
Booking information
- Advance booking for this event is required. In order to book you will need an account on our website. If you already have an account you will be prompted to log in when you click 'book now'. Please create an account if you do not have one yet (you do not need to be a member of the Society to create an account).
Attending in-person
- We do not issue tickets (electronic or physical) for this event. Instead your name will be on a list at the door. Please use the Society's entrance on Exhibition Road.
Attending online
- If you are attending the event online, the joining instructions will be included in your confirmation email.
If you have any questions or require assistance with your booking, please email events@rgs.org
Venue information
This event will be held in the Education Centre at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), 1 Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AR.
Doors open at 2.00pm. The lecture will begin at 2.30pm.
Plan your visit to the Society and find more information about our venue, including our address, accessibility and transport links.
- Exhibition
'Nyapun' by Robin Hanbury-Tenison
An exhibition of black and white photographs to acknowledge the friendship given and knowledge shared by Nyapun, his family and the Penan community, living in and around the Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak in 1977 and 1978.
Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)Open to all1 Apr 2025 - 10 Jun 2025 - Exhibition
Siam through the lens of John Thomson
An exhibition of large format photographic prints taken by John Thomson FRGS during his time in Thailand.
Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)Open to all28 Apr 2025 - 20 May 2025 - Discussion
The Mulu (Sarawak) expedition 1977-1978
Hear Robin and his colleagues share their first-hand stories, sounds, artefacts, maps and images associated with the original geographical survey of the Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak by the Society and the Foresty Department in 1977-1978, and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)Open to allMonday 28 April 2025