LYMM Photographic Society and Lymm Heritage Centre have teamed up to publish a “Double Take” on local history in the village.
Back in 2019 Lymm Photographic Society and Carol Sparkes in particular, approached the Heritage Centre with the suggestion of a joint project to be titled “Double Take”.
The idea was for the Centre to provide photographers with a set of pictures of old Lymm. They would then set about recreating the images in a modern setting, in the same locations and with similar line-ups of people. Along the way everyone would learn a bit about local history and there would be a lasting record of village life for the next generation
The team from the Centre’s digital archive “LyDiA” came up with a wide range of photographs from bishops to bakers and barbers to butchers.
What no-one had reckoned with was the huge impact that coronavirus would have on village life with businesses shut and events cancelled. Yet somehow the whole project, initially put on hold, came together with pictures taken as and when rules and opportunity allowed.
The whole collection has now been brought together in book form by Alan Williams from the Heritage Centre, with the same title, Double Take. Old and new pictures sit side by side, supported by brief stories giving fascinating insights into village history.
“This was never intended to be a book about the Coronavirus crisis” explained Alan “and it has much wider appeal than that. Nevertheless for people picking up the book in years to come it will certainly offer glimpses at how life changed in 2020”.
The Photographic Society are donating all profits from the book to the Heritage Centre charity to sustain it through what could still be a difficult time ahead for all indoor venues.
The book goes on sales in mid-November at Lymm Post Office and will also be available at the Heritage Centre once it is able to reopen.
Alternatively take a look at the Centre’s online shop which has several new products for Christmas, including a new Lymm jigsaw. www.lymmhic.co.uk
