Hello,

I'm looking for information about a photographer called Cyril M. Bernard (see attached stamp), so I can contact him, or the current rights holder of this photo, to ask for permission to reproduce it (I'm a historian currently preparing a book manuscript).

He was working around London in the 1950s and 60s, but I haven't yet been able to find any information that would help me to trace him or (if deceased) his will. 

Any leads much appreciated!

Thanks,

Ismay

U DJT-33 stamp.jpg

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  • I hope you do manage to develop your research, Matthew, it sounds both interesting and worthwhile - and Bernard's daughter may also be interested.

  • Thank you Matthew, and good luck with further research!

  • Your paper is fascinating. I can add a little more about Leo Kruks. He joined the RPS as a junior member in 1945 and gained his Associate in 1947. His address was 12 Hillsborough Court. Mortimer Crescent, London NW6. He seems to have left the RPS after 1949. 

    From a 1953 advert in : CRITIC , J. SONNTAG , Josef Fraenkel & Frank Jackson (1953) books
    and writers, Jewish Quarterly, 1:2, 83-94

    9484546865?profile=RESIZE_710x

  • Hi.  I have attached the exhibition file and the scanned interview.  The exhibition file was compiled by me, most refrences included in the text, it is unfinished but gives a broad outline of the show but no images.  I think all the Cyril Bernard information was taken from the Spillman interivew attached.  I'm glad it is of some interest, to be honest, the research has been dormant for five years but this may be the inspiration I need to re-kindle it.

    All the best

    CMB-Interview.pdf

    Focus on Life.pdf

  • That's great that she's Little Titch! Do let me know when your book is out! All the best with your project, Anne

    Ismay Milford said:

    Hi all,

    I'm pleased to tell you, via Miriam Bernard, that 'Little Titch' is her! Miriam is kindly helping with granting permission.

    Thanks for your help Anne and Matthew.

    Matthew, I'd be interested to see the exhibition document and the interview with Ron Spillman, if you are able to email them. I can hopefully incorporate these when I mention the relevant photograph in the book. I'd also be interested to know if you have any references for the information you posted above, or perhaps these are your own notes, in which case I can reference them as such.

    My email address is ismay.milford(at)ed.ac.uk

    Thanks!

  • Hi all,

    I'm pleased to tell you, via Miriam Bernard, that 'Little Titch' is her! Miriam is kindly helping with granting permission.

    Thanks for your help Anne and Matthew.

    Matthew, I'd be interested to see the exhibition document and the interview with Ron Spillman, if you are able to email them. I can hopefully incorporate these when I mention the relevant photograph in the book. I'd also be interested to know if you have any references for the information you posted above, or perhaps these are your own notes, in which case I can reference them as such.

    My email address is ismay.milford(at)ed.ac.uk

    Thanks!

  • How interesting. If you look at the interview link I sent Ismay, Bernard's daughter Miriam refers to his left-wing politics and the fact that her mother worked full-time so that he could continue his photography; I noticed that the publications where his photographs were used mainly seemed to be educational ones.  

    Matthew Mawson said:

    My own brief research into Bernard was due to his involvement in a unique, one-off exhibition of photography in 1952.  A group of Left-wing photographers calling themselves 'Focus on Life', created a show called 'People Like Us'.  The show was aimed at the working class in an attempt to get them more interested in photography and art, to be exhibited in public libraries, factory canteens etc.  Very interesting but went largely unoticed by the photography elite despite the involvement of some quite big names.  I have a pdf file on the exhibition if anyone is interested.

  • My own brief research into Bernard was due to his involvement in a unique, one-off exhibition of photography in 1952.  A group of Left-wing photographers calling themselves 'Focus on Life', created a show called 'People Like Us'.  The show was aimed at the working class in an attempt to get them more interested in photography and art, to be exhibited in public libraries, factory canteens etc.  Very interesting but went largely unoticed by the photography elite despite the involvement of some quite big names.  I have a pdf file on the exhibition if anyone is interested.

  • If she's concerned how I found her, you can explain that I'm a biographer (including of Antarctic photographer Herbert Ponting, a friend of Arthur S. Newman, who worked with the Polytechnic on photography/film courses), so use Ancestry and British Newspaper Archives regularly. If she's interested in more about the Polytechnic and/or Newman I'm happy to be in touch with her. Hope it all works out.

    Ismay Milford said:

    This is all fantastic - thank you very much! It's nice to read a bit of background. This fits very well with the photo I have, which was taken for a socialist-pacifist organisation called the Union for Democratic Control. This is all much more than I had expected to find, and more than I would have been able to without your help!

    I will email Miriam Bernard now and I'll be sure to let you both know the final outcome.

  • This is all fantastic - thank you very much! It's nice to read a bit of background. This fits very well with the photo I have, which was taken for a socialist-pacifist organisation called the Union for Democratic Control. This is all much more than I had expected to find, and more than I would have been able to without your help!

    I will email Miriam Bernard now and I'll be sure to let you both know the final outcome.

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