DOWN THE PUB: Enjoying a drink. a smoke and a game of dominoes
DANCE AWAY: Enjoying a night out at one of the town's dance halls
FASCINATING images from Bolton in the 1930s depicting everyday life in the mill town form the centrepiece of a new permanent exhibition.
The photographs were taken by Humphrey Spender 70 years ago as part of the famous 1937 Mass Observation project, which was set up to document working class life.
A permanent Worktown Gallery has been established in Bolton Museum to display the photographs which will be changed every five to six months.
The first exhibition is on the theme of leisure.
The images are all from Bolton Museum's collection of more than 1100 prints and negatives. They illustrate scenes of real lives, offering an insight into the experiences of 1930s Boltonians at work, rest, play, politics and worship.
The collection also includes paintings by Jullian Trevelyan and Humphrey Jennings.
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University of Bolton Reader in Leisure and Sport, Dr Bob Snape, said the photographs would be important to chroniclers of working class history worldwide.
He said: "The collection is of immense value; as a social history of leisure and family in the 20th century and as a dispassionate, objective recording of real people in all aspects of their lives. In these images of Worktown - the name that was used to refer to Bolton in the Mass Observation reports - we can see people in the pub, going to the match at Burnden Park, then the home of Bolton Wanderers; we see them on a holiday or day off in Blackpool; off to church and at work."
He added: "Older residents will recognise buildings and streets now vastly altered or disappeared. The exhibition will bring visitors from the UK and abroad to the museum, to Bolton and the university and we look forward to playing a full part in this new chapter in the history of the Mass Observation movement."
The display will be launched at a conference at Bolton Museum on March 18. Executive member for culture and community services, Cllr Ismail Ibrahim said: "The Mass Observation Worktown project is a very important collection for Bolton and shows just how much has changed in the town since the 1930s. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the project and to welcome a permanent gallery is a great way to celebrate this important occasion."
At the launch, speakers will include John Walton, Professor of Social History in the Institute for Northern Studies, Leeds Metropolitan University; Mike Huggins, Reader in Cultural History, University of Cumbria and Matthew Constantine, senior manager, Museums and Archives Collections at Bolton Museum.
Posted by: Gene Hunt, 1973 on 9:45am Tue 19 Feb 08
Marvellous, I'll go to this, see if I can spot me Dad.
Wife made me go the that poncy Lowry, yeah him who does stick folk and gets a fortune. To see a similar show by Harold Riley, saw me gran and one of me, you should go but, dont tell anybody, you know how people whisper if you like this sort of thing. Had the same trouble when I let it out we liked Roger Whittaker, lads keep buying nancy jumpers at Christmas.
Marvellous, I'll go to this, see if I can spot me Dad.
Wife made me go the that poncy Lowry, yeah him who does stick folk and gets a fortune. To see a similar show by Harold Riley, saw me gran and one of me, you should go but, dont tell anybody, you know how people whisper if you like this sort of thing. Had the same trouble when I let it out we liked Roger Whittaker, lads keep buying nancy jumpers at Christmas.
Back in the 1930s the working class earned little, owned little and wanted for little. Blackpool was a resort for the working class and even southerners went there. Today Blackpool is trying be more upper class by introducing so many bans, including stag and hen parties. The fun is going out of Blackpool.
Back in the 1930s the working class earned little, owned little and wanted for little. Blackpool was a resort for the working class and even southerners went there. Today Blackpool is trying be more upper class by introducing so many bans, including stag and hen parties. The fun is going out of Blackpool.
Posted by: er7c, longsight on 1:54pm Wed 20 Feb 08
[quote][bold]chas[/bold] wrote:
Back in the 1930s the working class earned little, owned little and wanted for little. Blackpool was a resort for the working class and even southerners went there. Today Blackpool is trying be more upper class by introducing so many bans, including stag and hen parties. The fun is going out of Blackpool.[/quote] Upper Class?? Me ma has lived there 20 years or more, was ok..ish then, now its full of paedos, druggies an' allsorts
chas wrote:
Back in the 1930s the working class earned little, owned little and wanted for little. Blackpool was a resort for the working class and even southerners went there. Today Blackpool is trying be more upper class by introducing so many bans, including stag and hen parties. The fun is going out of Blackpool.
Upper Class?? Me ma has lived there 20 years or more, was ok..ish then, now its full of paedos, druggies an' allsorts
Posted by: jo fisk, bolton on 12:00pm Tue 4 Mar 08
blackpool needs to be bulldozed and rebuilt,its a dump and has been for years.grotty b&bs,grotty flats and hotels,dirty streets,people just out to make a quick buck in decrepid buildings.horrible place.its only redeeming factor...the tower ballroom...beautiful[bold]bold[/bold] [quote]quote[/quote]
blackpool needs to be bulldozed and rebuilt,its a dump and has been for years.grotty b&bs,grotty flats and hotels,dirty streets,people just out to make a quick buck in decrepid buildings.horrible place.its only redeeming factor...the tower ballroom...beautiful
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