150 YEARS of Chester’s history pictured through a camera lens will be captured on a new photographic resource available online today.
Cheshire Image Bank (CIB) amalgamates the extensive photographic collections held by the former Chester County and City Councils at the Cheshire Archives and Local Studies department in Duke Street, and the Chester History & Heritage Centre.
For the last 18 months, officers and volunteers have been sorting and cataloguing the 22,000 photographs on one database at www.cheshireimagebank.org.uk.
Linda Clarke, Cheshire archives and local studies advisor, said: “CIB will picture the people, places and events that have shaped the commercial and social history of Chester, almost from the birth of photography in the 1850s.
“Researchers will be able to download a free low resolution pictures but there’ll be a fee for commercial organisations that want to reproduce photographs from our collection in their publications.”
“The website is interactive and we’re inviting members of the public to share their memories of the photographs and the people in them with us.”
Elaine Pierce-Jones, heritage officer at Chester History and Heritage Centre, added: “Our photographs will unlock a treasure house of history and memories as well.
“Pictures of people, streets and buildings illustrate all aspects of Chester.
“We have an extensive compilation of photographs, prints, maps and other historic images showing a way of life long since disappeared”
CIB will be launched at Chester History and Heritage HQ, St Michael’s Church in Bridge Street, on May 4, where there will be an open afternoon which will feature displays, stalls and advice from experts.
