A cold December evening in Manchester and away from the hustle & bustle of the Christmas Markets, we’re photographing the beautiful interpretations of scenes from a WW1 story visualising a series of correspondence between A late University of Manchester lecturer, Professor Thomas Frederick Tout (1855 – 1929)  and his students serving in battle.

The Tout papers provide a fascinating source of information relating to the First World War, with numerous letters written to Tout by current and former students who were serving in the armed forces. These letters provide vivid descriptions of life on the Front line, including fears of machine gun and gas attacks, experiences of army life, sacrifice and morale, and thoughts on the direction of the war. On another level, however, relationships between Tout and his students that were sustained through regular correspondence offer fascinating insights into the often hidden emotional history of the First World War.