Britain's First Photo Album

Episode 1: Chelsea to Tower Bridge
John Sergeant descends under Tower Bridge to witness Victorian engineering at its most impressive. He recalls Victorian photographer Francis Frith’s attempt to document Britain. In London, John finds out about the real Eliza Doolittles.

Episode 2: Gravesend to Broadstairs
John Sergeant drops in on new owners of Charles Dickens’s favorite holiday home. Recalling the work of Victorian photographer Francis Frith, John Sergeant explores the North Kent coast to find out how much it has changed over a century.

Episode 3: Reigate to Hythe
John Sergeant visits the remains of Victorian photographer Francis Frith’s Reigate home. From photographs taken in the 1860s, John Sergeant is inspired to find out the smugglers’ haunts of medieval Rye and where Victorian riflemen learnt their skills.

Episode 4: Isle of Wight to Stonehenge
John Sergeant’s tour involves sampling the wares of a Hampshire brewing town. He documents changes in Britain’s towns from a perspective of photos taken in the 1860s. In this episode he observes changes at Stonehenge.

Episode 5: Lyme Regis to Barnstable
John Sergeant visits an ancient watermill in Lyme Regis and dungeons in Exeter Guildhall. He travels to the south west to find out how much has changed since Victorian photographer Francis Frith attempted to document life in Britain.

Episode 6: Newport to Gloucester
John Sergeant’s journey continues in South Wales, where he takes four more pictures. HIis journey continues. He finds out about the restoration of the canals of Monmouthshire and heads deep underground beneath the Forest of Dean.

Episode 7: Liverpool to Blackpool
John Sergeant visits Bolton and one of the world’s first ever shopping malls. He travels to the north west where he meets up with a photographic society that can trace its roots back to Francis Frith.

Episode 8: Unit Title Stirling to Falkirk
John Sergeant visits the wester Highlands and tries his hand at Scottish baking. He visits the western Highlands to find out more about a steam ship that has been transporting tourists for over 100 years.

Episode 9: Hartlepool to Whitby
John Sergeant visits the Victorian seaside resort of Saltburn-by-the-Sea. He searches for a missing rock formation in Hartlepool and visits the Victorian seaside resort of Saltburn-by-the Sea.

Episode 10: Chesterfield to Eyam
John Sergeant visits the town of Chesterfield, where he ascends the famous twisted spire. He travels to Derbyshire and to Francis Frith’s home town of Chesterfield, where he ascends the twisted spire and visits a medieval country house.