At the time of writing we're wringing the last few drops out of the summer holidays, but September of course, is a time of new beginnings. New schools, new shiny shoes and, hopefully, some juicy new projects. A neat segue into that is of course our regular News of Note, which this month highlights a significant milestone in our continually swelling collection. We're helping you plan well ahead with a new set of dates for your (five-year) diary, sharing an evocative album cover and encouraging you to do a deal with us! Read on for a late summer summary from all of us in SE3.

A gazillion images

OK, not quite a gazillion, but we're delighted to report that we recently added the four millionth picture to our website, which happens to be this (quite appropriate) postcard from the Grenville Collins Collection. That's FOUR MILLION pictures covering different periods, people and events from prehistory to the 21st century through a mix of photography, illustration, fine art, prints, posters and ephemera. Our online collection draws from our own unique archive, built up through seven decades, as well as 350 other contributors ranging from specialist collectors and auction houses, to world-renowned museums and institutions. Don't forget that we can also tell the story of cinema through film stills, posters, movie star portraits and behind-the-scenes images while our span of subjects takes in war and conflict, sport and entertainment, industry, work, travel and exploration, politics, celebrity, art, architecture, fashion, popular culture, the paranormal, science, nature, general weird stuff…need we go on? We continue to add more images to the site on a daily basis but please always remember that we have a huge, analogue archive and are happy to hunt for anything you can't find online. We can't promise to find everything, but we'll have a jolly good try.

Anyway, Happy Four Millionth Picture to us. Yay.

The Whitechapel Murders

One of the most awful of unsolved crimes and an enduring subject of ghoulish fascination are the terrible murders of five women in the east end of London in 1888, perpetrated by the so-called Jack the Ripper. Our material on this subject is has always been good but we've been missing one essential, and much-requested element - until now.

We've just added front covers from the Illustrated Police News, which reported in lurid detail on the murders in September and October 1888, and while the sensationalist reporting style is without doubt distasteful, these covers are an important part of how the story was disseminated, and how the myth of Jack the Ripper was perpetuated. You can view these new additions, courtesy of our representation of John Frost Newspapers, here.

Date-a-Driven

Exceptionally organised types will be delighted to discover that the anniversaries page on our website has just been boosted by the arrival of a list of notable 2027 historical dates for the diary.

In 2027, it will be 200 years since the birth of Pre-Raphaelite 'brother' William Holman Hunt, as well as eminent surgeon and foe of nasty infections, Joseph Lister. It will be 100 years since the premiere of The Jazz Singer as well as a century since the death of Isadora Duncan (lovers of scarves beware when travelling in open-top cars).

2027 also marks the 75th anniversary of the death of George VI - and consequently, the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth II, 50 years since the death of Elvis and 40 years since the King's Cross fire and the abolition of corporal punishment in schools. And, prepare to feel old; in 2027 it will be 30 whole years since the release of 'Titanic'!

Click here to plan ahead.

The Girl With a Hole in Her Heart

We recently received a vinyl copy of a new album by electronic and house music makers, A Man Called Adam, which features a Robin Dale photograph of a girl in a red coat on its cover to great effect. Robin's work documenting the people, places and industrial decline around Teesside during the 1970s are particularly evocative and we love that his imagery has been used by a band who have close links to the area (Sally Rodgers - one half of the duo, grew up on Teesside). The Girl With a Hole in Her Heart is described as "a house record for all-night dancing in a decommissioned steelwork," as well as walking, "the ugly, lovely industrial coastline of the North East of England, stopping at points to soak up the breathtaking scenery and watch everyday life carrying on in the face of rapid deindustrialisation. Find out more about the album here, and if you're interested in seeing more of Robin's work, you can view a wider selection here.

Deal or No Deal

A polite reminder that if you've got a new project on the horizon that may require a fair number of pictures, do talk to us about fees. We always aim to be flexible in our pricing and have been able to agree some very favourable rates with picture users who either buy from us regularly, or have a multiple-image project. As a specialist agency, we offer a unique service and specialist knowledge, but we also know that in today's market, it's important to be competitive.

Drop Luci a line if you'd like to discuss rates, subscription deals or any other sort of fee arrangement at luci@maryevans.com and let's see if we can do a deal!