Exhibition celebrates work of newspaper photographer

Four youngsters in their railway embankment camp off Bradleymore Road, Brockmoor in 1976

A celebration of everyday life, from people going about their shopping or going to a football match, is going on display in a new photographic exhibtion.

A personal collection from Phil Loach, originally from Dudley and a professional photographer for newspapers in the Black Country, has been put together with an associated book.

The photographer passed away suddenly last year, his family said.

His work had been accepted for the book but he died before it was published, they said.

Shoppers brace for a blizzard at Five Ways, Brierley Hill, 1976

Children and cyclists are captured in Bryce Road, Pensnett in 1976

“He was a photographer through and through, and even around the house there was always a camera within easy reach,” said his wife Dot Byrne.

Starting at the Dudley Herald in 1969 he later worked at the County Express in Stourbridge rising to become chief photographer.

He also worked at Newsquest’s Stourbridge, Halesowen and Dudley News titles, and later for the Kidderminster Shuttle and Bromsgrove and Redditch Advertiser newspapers.

During his almost 50-year career he photographed a wide range of people including royalty, politicians, sports stars, and showbiz personalities.

He also took thousands of personal photographs and created a large private collection of documentary images.

Cooling off in the canal at Delph Locks, Brierley Hill in the 1980s

His work had been accepted for publication by Café Royal books – an award-winning publisher of documentary photography, Mrs Byrne said.

“It didn’t get published while he was still with us, which is a big regret because it meant so much to him to have his work accepted,” she said.

Butchers make a hard sell late on a Saturday afternoon in High Street, Brierley Hill in 1976

“After Phil passed I really wanted to make sure that the plans that were in place came to, to make sure that his work was seen, and what he’d wanted to do was done,” Mrs Byrne added.

Kids and canines meet at a dog show in Brockmoor Community Centre in 1976

Brierley Hill Alliance FC supporters are pictured in the stand at Cottage Street in 1975

“He was a people-watcher, he loved photographing people in everyday situations,” Mrs Byrne added.

“He was an observer, he saw things that other people wouldn’t see let alone have the nerve to photograph.”

Pub regulars do battle in a tug of war over the canal basin at Nine Locks, Delph in 1978

The photographer's work will be published by Cafe Royal Books to coincide with the exhibition.

The show will run from 13 to 24 February at the RBSA Gallery, St Paul's Square, Birmingham.

The Black Country 1970s-1980s is published by Café Royal Books.

More of his work can be seen in the archive which he left behind on his website.