Copyright question, please?

[RJ_Paton]

The British Professional Photographers Association has a fairly long document (17 pages) called the abcd of copyright for UK photographers available on their website. Although intended as a clarification on the 1988 Copyright Act in the UK it also gives a history of copyright as it pertains to photographs & photographers though the ages.

https://thebppa.com/content/uploads/abcd_uk_copyright.pdf

Photographs were first given copyright in the UK under an Act of 1862 which was extended considerably under the Copyright Act 1911
Since then the situation has become quite complicated  with various cut off dates for different situations

[andrewalston]

If it's a photo from World War I there is no way the ORIGINAL is still in copyright.

Copyright in general for the UK expires 70 years after the death of the originator.

So if the photo had been taken by Harry Patch, it would be protected until 2079.

If say, it was a photo taken by someone who was killed in WWI, and he had given copies to all his mates, then you would be entitled to republish a copy that you had inherited. If you republish the other person's scan of their copy, you need their permission.

UK law has exceptions for "fair use" and for research, but these are not standard in all countries. I don't think that publishing their image on your website or in your book would be covered by that. If you ask them nicely, I'm sure that they would be happy to let you use it as long as you attributed it to them.

Interestingly, when the 70 years was enshrined in law, an exception was written in. J.M. Barrie gave the rights for "Peter Pan" to Great Ormond Street Childrens' Hospital, and these were specifically mentioned never to expire. Sometimes politicians do have a heart.