On the side of the image is where and when they were taken. Mr Richardson, 62, said: 'They were at the back of an album which has been in my family for years. They were found after being kept in storage for years by Alan Richardson, a retired RAF helicopter pilot., whose grandfather Albert Richardson, an Army Fusilier who was attached to the Royal Flying Corps, is believed to have taken some of the pictures himself. The British Library holds 350,000 historic pictures in its vaults, and for the first time ever it is running an exhibition of these rarely seen pictures, which will open in October.ДЄlso revealed today were pictures of what is believed to be the first aerial survey of London - from the pages of an old family photograph album. They capture sweaty, mustachioed long-dead engineers working hard to bring the world's first Underground network to life they capture the hippo who entertained Londoners and visitors alike during his 30 years' lodgings at Regent's Park they capture long-past shops and factories they even capture the construction of one of England's most famous monuments, Nelson's Column, back in 1844.ДЇurther afield, there are pictures of Italy, America, Japan and Egypt, all taken more than 100 years ago.

In the frantic pace of modern life, it is easy to forget our past, and the toils of the generations before us who built the world we live in.Д«ut for those familiar with our capital city, these fascinating pictures taken when photography was in its infancy will bring back to life a London which has changed so much over the last 150 years.

This picture it was taken 7 years ago