Faces
I adore historic research and ever since I was a child I have been
fascinated by old photographs. I used to love looking at my parents old
photograph albums and was mesmerised by images of a life that existed
before I was born. I have absolutely no understanding where this
interest comes from but it has remained with me all my life.
For me a photograph is a valuable accurate portrayal of someone or
something long gone. There is nothing of more significance to me than a
photographic image of something directly linked to my research. For
example when I first started stripping back the research on the
Babbacombe murder case of 1884 (here)
I was quite honestly shocked at the photographic images of the burnt out
building where the atrocity took place. I had been told it was a wreck,
but actually seeing the premises added a whole new dimension.
There is, in my view, a terrible tragedy with old photographs - for me
there is nothing worse than something physical from the past which
cannot been explained. I refer to the thousands of Victorian and
Edwardian photographs that are sold as 'memorabilia' or 'antiques'. If
they were a vase, a bookcase or any other item then fair enough - but
these are the actual images of people who lived a life and had an
identity. They are our ancestors and part of the thread of modern life.
These are men, women and children from a different age, many gazing
hopefully into the lens. Some dressed in their 'Sunday Best', others
wearing a uniform and those in their day to day finery. Some smiling,
many with a neutral expression, those alone, some with their loved ones.
Nearly all unnamed, unidentified, anonymous but all have in common an
irremovable fascination.
Who are these people ? What can we learn about them ?
Where did they live ? What did they do ?
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