A new photography exhibition has launched at The Dock Museum in Barrow.
The Sankey Family Photographic Collection is a collection of over 15,000 glass plate negatives and postcards of Barrow and the North West, which were produced and shared around the world from 1895 to the 1970s.
The exhibition, by Signal Film and Media and curated by local volunteers, brings together over 150 photographs that have been recently digitised and catalogued as part of the Seeing the North With Sankey project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage fund.
The new exhibition focuses on four themes: the everyday life of people in Barrow and the surrounding country; leisure and travel; working lives and maritime and shipping.
Many images have never been exhibited or shown since they were taken; in some cases over 100 years ago.
A film showcasing a series of Now and Then images documenting the vast changes to streets and town centres over the past century is also on display.
Visitors will be able to find out more about the Sankey’s family business and the history of their photographs and collection.
Alongside historic images, new artwork by students at local primary schools and the South Cumbria Pupil referral unit is now on display.
Activity packs for children and a postcard collage table are currently in place during the exhibition and people are invited to create new artworks to add to a growing display over the next few months.
On Sunday, November 28, there will be a talk held by local historian Geoff Holme at The Dock Museum from 1pm to 2.30pm.
Geoff is a lifelong railway enthusiast with a specialist knowledge in the Furness Railway and enjoys learning about all things Furness.
He has had an interest in the Sankey collection since attending a talk given in late 1971 at the Lakeside Railway Society using images from the Sankey collection.
He will offer a unique and personal insight into the collection.
The exhibition is open to the public at The Dock Museum from Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm, until January 9.
The project is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
