Information and discussion on all aspects of British photographic history

Back to the Future ...

Were you a young person living in Swindon between the 1940’s and 1960’s? Did you live in the Gorse Hill, Parks, Penhill, Pinehurst or Old Town areas? Do you remember having your photo taken? If so, a £25,000 community project (with grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund) is looking for you!

Between the 1940s and 1960s, the famous Swindon photographer Albert Beaney took hundreds of pictures of local people. A collection of about 40,000 of his negatives and prints are now held by Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, in Bath Road.

Now a social history project called Back to Black and White, based on his work, aims to track down as many people in Mr Beaney’s photographs. A partnership between Swindon Borough Council’s Create Studio’s, Swindon Museum & Art Gallery, and Swindon Youth Forum, this project will also features the young people taking new photographs which, along with the Beaney photos, will be displayed in an exhibition at the Artsite Gallery in Theatre Square.

If you think you have a Beaney image at home or had your picture taken when you were young please do get in touch: You can call Marilyn Fitzgerald on 01793 465333 or email her at mfitzgerald2@swindon.gov.uk

The full news article can be found here.

Photo: Copyright Beaney image - Cricklade Rd - Bob townsend end left and John Townsend end right.