AN exciting piece of history showing how Coughton Court’s stable yard looked in the 1900s was unveiled following the discovery of a glass negative.

The A5 glass negative was found in a store room inside an old Kodak box whilst staff at the English country Tudor house were completing inventory.

Once developed, the photo revealed the Throckmorton family’s chauffeur, Joseph Serrell, driving a Maudsley charabanc in the court’s stable yard in about 1915.

However, mystery still surrounds the photograph and staff would like to know more about the history behind the artefact.

Rebecca Farr, conservation and engagement manager at Coughton Court, who made the discovery, believes it could have been taken on a special occasion- for example before or after special trip as staff members were rarely photographed back then.

“It is weird to have a photo of staff at this time, it’s unusual that the chauffeur would be including in the photo at all,” she said.

“I was really excited, I showed the volunteers and we tried to see through the glass, you could tell it was a car- but that was all you could tell.

Prior to the discovery, other members of staff had seen the undeveloped glass negative without knowing what it was and Ms Farr said it was funny to back and show them.

Anyone with information should contact reporter Liz Sharpe on 01384 358289 or email liz.sharpe@midlands.newsquest.co.uk.