Welcome to ‘Life Through The Lens’. This exhibition of historic photographs showcases a selection of images from the Fareham area, a selection of the images were chosen by our local youth club, volunteer team, museum staff and our Facebook followers. The images feature everyday scenes of people at work, rest and play as well as well-known local landmarks, and date from the 1890s until the 1970s.
The photographs are available to view due to the hard work of a dedicated team of volunteers at Westbury Manor Museum. Over the last two years the team have scanned and recorded over 3000 historic photographs, making them more accessible for exhibitions, research and displays.
Especially for this exhibition, a professional colourist was commissioned to colourise a selected group of photographs. The colourisation process is carried out using computer software. There is a debate about whether black and white images should be colourised, however many argue it helps to bring history alive in modern times.
Train packed with strawberries leaving Swanwick Station c1918. At peak times there were long queues of carts waiting to be loaded onto trains. The trains were known as ‘Strawberry Specials’.
Bomb damaged house at The Crossway in Porchester, April 1944.
Water Carrier in Titchfield c. 1910. Mains water did not reach Titchfield until 1922 and 1923. Therefore the rural district council employed a ‘water carrier’. The cost was one farthing for a two gallon bucket of water.
Workers at a strawberry field in the Warsash or Sarisbury Green area. From May time ‘itinerant labourers’ and travelling communities flooded to the area to work picking strawberries. By the 1930s the soil would no longer yield the crops because of disease and over cultivation. 1930s depression and wartime restrictions on fruit growing led to the decline of the strawberry industry in the area.
D.A. Roper Mobile Knife Grinder and Sharpener at work in Gardener Road, Titchfield, September 1968.
Men at work in H Gibbon & Son Foundry, Quay Street, Fareham in 1950's. Here molton cast iron is being poured into moulds to make drain covers. The Foundry was demolished Autumn 1998
Parade in West Street, Fareham in 1940. The marching policemen are leading firemen and other services along West Street. This was part of the organisation of local civil defence services. They are marching past officials and schoolchildren near the post office.
Cocklepickers at Hill Head, Fareham in 1890's. This image was taken by well known local artist Martin Snape, presumably as inspiration for his work.
Firewoman Johnnie Johnson, District Officers Chauffeuse on a motorbike, 1940's. The image was taken at Maylings, a large house situated in Highlands Road Fareham, and the headquarters of the National Fire Service.
Fareham Fire Brigade Sub-Officer Sidney Frost in breathing apparatus c.1940.
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