Wednesday 9 March 2011

Monochrome daze


This image of pit brow women and the one below of children playing in the street are part of a collection associated with the antiquarian J.J. Phelps (1855-1928), who recorded many aspects of northern life in the nineteenth and early twentieth century.

We do not know for sure where these hardworking women were photographed but we guess perhaps at one of the coalmines in Wigan. Likewise, the exact location of this hilly street remains a mystery. We would be delighted to hear from any of our readers who might be able to shed some light on these forgotten locations.