In Salts Mill, just beyond Salts Diner, there is a long gallery that is used for temporary exhibitions. At the moment it is featuring photographs by Ian Beesley, a local photographer celebrated for his social documentary work. The work shown spans four decades. It includes photographs from the1980s when he documented the slow shutting down of Salts Mill as a working mill, and some from 2017 when he returned to photograph the Mill's reinvigoration, picturing some of the same spaces in their current incarnation. (See also HERE). There are also some poignant portraits of men and women employed in trades that no longer exist. The images are accompanied by poems by Ian McMillan, an acclaimed Yorkshire poet, who is a friend of Beesley's and with whom he often collaborates.
The above photo is called the 'The Bobbin Doffer'.
'Look at this man, how he carries the bobbins so carefully, each hand just so.....
Look at this man, how he carries the bobbins like he's carrying history.
And he can't see where he's going.
Can't see which way History's heading.
But we can see him.'
Ian McMillan
I remember our deep silent feelings as one after another the looms were taken out and shipped to Pakistan.
ReplyDeleteThat Bobbin Doffer must have had someone else pile the bobbins in his arms, I'm thinking, and probably someone else to take the top layer off his shoulders. Great to see someone documented the changes as they happened.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a wonderful setting!
ReplyDeleteHis work really stands out.
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