Forerunner Collection

British Museum - reading room
The great domed reading room at the British Museum, forerunner of the British Library 1952

Mutoscope at Gravesend
New Road, Gravesend (Kent) - notice the premises of The Wonderful Mutoscope (a forerunner of the cinema) - Admission Free !

Glyptodon Asper
a gigantic forerunner of the armadillo, from the Pleistocene period in South America (near Buenos Aires) more than two metres in length

LCC-MFB Peckham fire station, Camberwell
Built by the Metropolitan Board of Works (the forerunner of the London County Council) and opened in 1867, Peckham fire station was located in Peckham Road opposite Southampton Way SE5

LCC-MFB Hackney fire station, E9
Built by the Metropolitan Board of Works (the forerunner of the London County Council) for the MFB, Hackney fire station was located at 2-2A Bodney Road, East London

Exterior of British Museum - reading room 1855
Construction of the great Reading Room of the British Museum, the forerunner of the British Library Date: 1855

LCC-MFB Kennington fire station, London SE11
Built by the Metropolitan Board of Works (the forerunner of the London County Council) and opened in 1870, Kennington fire station was located in Refrew Road, Lower Kennington

The forerunner of the modern type writer- a piano like machi
Photograph of a typewriter from 1851. This typewriter resembled a toy piano with black and white keys

Countrywear / Men 1876
A country gentlemen wears a Norfolk shirt (the forerunner of the Norfolk jacket), knickerbockers, bowler hat, woollen socks & leather shoes & carries a knobbly cane

Mastodon / Prehistoric US
A family of Mastodon, roaming the area of modern-day Manhattan Island. Bones of this large forerunner of the modern-day elephant have been found in this region

LCC-MFB Greenwich fire station
Located at 9 Lindsell Street on the corner of South Street SE10, Greenwich fire station was built by the Metropolitan Board of Works (a forerunner of the London Council)

Woman using typewriter by American inventor Christopher Latham Sholes (1819-1890)
535491 Woman using typewriter by American inventor Christopher Latham Sholes (1819-1890). 1872 (wood engraving from Scientific American, New York); (add.info.: Forerunner of 20th century machine)

ENGLAND / GRAVESEND
New Road, Gravesend (Kent) - notice the premises of The Wonderful Mutoscope (a forerunner of the cinema) - Admission Free ! Date: 1906

Forerunner of a gym treadmill or running machine
Gymnastic mill - forerunner of a gym treadmill or running machine Date: 1893

Some examples of odd currency (litho)
6004854 Some examples of odd currency (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Some examples of odd currency)

Five famous three-year-old racehorses of 1876 - Enguerrande, Forerunner, Camelia, Kisber and Petrarch. 1876

The London and Westminster Bank (engraving)
3622247 The London and Westminster Bank (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The London and Westminster Bank.); © Look and Learn

St. John the Baptist from The Donne Triptych, c. 1478 (oil on oak)
3616114 St. John the Baptist from The Donne Triptych, c.1478 (oil on oak) by Memling, Hans (c.1433-94); 71x30.5 cm; National Gallery, London

Taylorcraft A N19843, The forerunner of the Taylorcraft and Auster families. Date: circa 1960

SATURNALIA
Romans celebrate the festival of the SATURNALIA which occurred in December and was the forerunner of the Christians Christmas

The Annunciation to the Shepherds, 1880. Creator: Liebscher, Adolf (1857-1919)
The Annunciation to the Shepherds, 1880. Found in the Collection of Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava

The Annunciation to the Shepherds (Book of Hours), 1450-1499. Artist: Fouquet, Jean (workshop)
The Annunciation to the Shepherds (Book of Hours), 1450-1499. Found in the collection of the The Morgan Library & Museum, New York

The Annunciation to the Shepherds (Book of Hours), 1440-1460. Artist: Bedford Master (active 1405-1465)
The Annunciation to the Shepherds (Book of Hours), 1440-1460. Found in the collection of the The Morgan Library & Museum, New York

Portrait Hubertus Gregorius van Vrijhoff Professor
Portrait of Hubertus Gregorius van Vrijhoff, Portrait of Professor of Law at the Athenaeum Illustre (the forerunner of the University of Amsterdam) Hubertus Gregorius van Vrijhoff

Charles-Claude Flahaut de la Billarderie, comte d Angiviller (1730-1809). Director of the Batiments du Roi. Portrait by Joseph-Siffred Duplessis (1725-1802). 1780-1789. National Museum of Denmark

First Bank Of The United States
Engraving by Fenner Sears & Co. shows pedestrians on the street outside the First Bank of the United States which was Alexander Hamiltons brainchild

Gloster F9 / 40 DG205 / G forerunner of the Meteor
Gloster F9/40, DG205/G, forerunner of the Meteor, with, from left, John Crosby-Warren, test pilot; Michael Daunt, test pilot; Frank McKenna, md, Gloster; Air Cdre Frank Whittle and W.G

LCC-MFB Rushey Green fire station, SE London
Built by the Metropolitan Board of Works (the forerunner of the London County Council), Rushey Green fire station was located at Rushey Green, Catford, SE London

Askers Road House
Cover of a brochure for Askers Road House, between Bridport and Dorchester, Dorset, a forerunner of the motel Date: circa 1930

Blackwell Mill Cottages, Millers Dale, Peak District
A very rare photograph of Blackwell Mill Cottages with the railway line with a goods train in view. One of the trucks identifies its owner as Brunner Mond, the forerunner of I.C.I. chemicals

Boys of our Empire. West Indies
Promotional postcard for the Boys Empire League, forerunner to the Boy Scout movement. Artist: Charles Crombie Date: 1901

Boys of our Empire. Sth Africa
Promotional postcard for the Boys Empire League, forerunner to the Boy Scout movement. Artist: Charles Crombie Date: 1901

Boys of our Empire. India
Promotional postcard for the Boys Empire League, forerunner to the Boy Scout movement. Artist: Charles Crombie Date: 1901

Boys of our Empire. Gt Britain
Promotional postcard for the Boys Empire League, forerunner to the Boy Scout movement. Artist: Charles Crombie Date: 1901

Boys of our Empire. Canada
Promotional postcard for the Boys Empire League, forerunner to the Boy Scout movement. Artist: Charles Crombie Date: 1901

Boys of our Empire. Australia
Promotional postcard for the Boys Empire League, forerunner to the Boy Scout movement. Artist: Charles Crombie Date: 1901

WW2 poster, Draw Attention to Low Stock
WW2 poster, Draw Attention to It -- Low Stocks are the forerunner of No Stocks. Design by Victor Hicks. Date: 1940s

Wreck of the Forerunner African Mail-Steamer, at Point St. Lorenzo, 1854

Boeing B-299 X-13372 the forerunner of the B-17
Boeing B-299, X-13372, the forerunner of the B-17

Nefetari, favourite queen of Ramses II (Rameses 1304-12137 BC) seated, playing Senat the Egyptian board game which is forerunner of chess. Her cartouche is highlighted in white

Council members of the OEEC 17 February 1949. The OEEC was the forerunner of the OECD. From left to right: Max PETITPIERRE (Switzerland), Dr

Woman using typewriter by American inventor Christopher Latham Sholes (1819-1890). Forerunner of 20th century machine, keys had piano action

19th Century velocipede, artwork C018 / 7054
19th Century velocipede. 1880 engraving of a velocipede from 1868. The velocipede also known as the dandy horse or laufmaschine (running machine)

19th Century penny-farthing, artwork C018 / 7055
19th Century penny-farthing. Engraving of a penny-farthing bicycle from 1885. The penny-farthings, also known as the ordinary

19th Century ladies handcar, artwork C018 / 7056
19th Century ladies handcar. Engraving of a ladies hand-powered draisine from 1885

19th Century velocipede, artwork C018 / 7053
19th Century velocipede. 1880 engraving of a man riding a velocipede designed by Karl Drais in 1818. The velocipede also known as the dandy horse or laufmaschine (running machine)

LCC-MFB Sydenham fire station, Crystal Palace
Built by the Metropolitan Board of Works (the forerunner of the London County Council) and opened in 1869, Sydenham fire station was located on Crystal Palace Parade in the shadow of the Crystal

LCC-MFB Battersea fire station, London SW8
Built by the Metropolitan Board of Works (the forerunner of the London County Council) and opened in 1874, Battersea fire station was located on the corner of Simpson Street and Battersea Road

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"The Forerunner: Tracing the Threads of History and Innovation" Step into the British Museum's iconic reading room, a forerunner of intellectual exploration since 1855. As you delve into its vast collection, discover intriguing hints that connect seemingly unrelated artifacts. At Gravesend, witness the mesmerizing Mutoscope, an early cinematic device that foreshadowed modern entertainment. Nearby stands the Glyptodon Asper, a colossal prehistoric creature whose existence paved the way for our understanding of ancient life. In bustling Peckham and Hackney fire stations, glimpse the brave firefighters who were forerunners in protecting London's communities. Their dedication echoes through time as we admire their valiant efforts to keep us safe. Outside Kennington fire station lies an architectural marvel - a testament to progress and innovation. Just like this structure represents advancements in firefighting technology, so too does it remind us of our own potential to forge ahead. Behold the piano-like machine that served as a precursor to today's typewriters; its keys strikingly similar yet distinct from what we know now. This invention was a harbinger of communication revolutions yet to come. Travel back to 1876 with countrywear fashion for men - elegant attire reflecting society's evolving tastes and styles. These garments embody how fashion has always been at the forefront of cultural expression. Across continents in prehistoric America, encounter majestic mastodons roaming untamed lands long before human civilization took hold, and are reminders of nature's grandeur and our humble beginnings on this earth. Journey further still to Greenwich fire station where another chapter unfolds - one marked by resilience and adaptability against ever-changing threats. The LCC-MFB firefighters stationed here exemplify bravery as they stand ready as guardians against danger. Finally, envision yourself on a primitive running machine - an ancestor to today's gym treadmills - propelling humanity towards healthier lifestyles even then.