This photograph by Walter Colls appeared as a special supplemental photogravure in an early issue of The Practical Photographer, a journal first published by Percy Lund at the Country Press in Bradford in 1890.  The photograph was first titled by Colls as On Basingstoke Canal (958) and exhibited with three others in the amateur photographic section at the Sixtieth Annual Exhibition of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society, which opened for public viewing on August 23, 1892. An exhibition book published later in the year declared:

“W. L. Colls contributes four pictures, his river scenes being very artistic.” 1.

1. The Sixtieth Annual Report of The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society: Lake & Co. Printers: Falmouth: 1892  p. 38

Background on the subject matter:

“The Basingstoke Canal can be found in Southern England between the village of Greywell in Hampshire and Woodham in Surrey. It was built between 1788 and 1794 and is 32 miles long with 29 locks. After many years of restoration it’s now fully navigable, and connects to the River Wey Navigation, which in turn joins the River Thames.” 1.

1. Basingstoke Canal Authority website