Teenage memories inspire street corner photos

Ian Beesley took most of the photographs in his home city of Bradford in the 1970s and 1980s

A new selection of photos taken on street corners in and around Bradford in the 1970s and 80s are to go on show.

Taken by renowned social documentary photographer Ian Beesley, the images are the latest addition to his Life Goes On exhibition at Salts Mills in Saltaire.

Shooting primarily in black and white, the 71-year-old has spent five decades documenting life in the north of England, amassing an archive of around 200,000 photos.

Mr Beesley, from Eccleshill, in Bradford, said street corners were a "focal point" of life at the time, providing a rich source of inspiration.

"You know when I was younger, that's where you would meet. On the corner of a certain street,he said

"People would gather there. Often it was where the bus stop was, the telephone box, the post box, the posters for the latest movies.

"But it was a good focal point, you know, for people to meet and then go off on their various activities."

Ian Beesley with the Leica M6 which he has used for more than 45 years

Mr Beesley took the photos, which form this latest addition to his ongoing show, on a Leica M6.

He said: "It was mainly taken around the streets of Bradford in the '70s and '80s when I used to just walk around taking street photography.

"And you'd find a street coroner where kids were playing marbles.

"Or you'd find some fantastic graffiti which would go from the humorous to the perverse, from the political to the angry."

Children play on an unnamed street coroner in Bradford

Mr Beesley had planned to retire last year but instead now collates new selections of unseen images from his vast archive for public display.

"Because I've got this massive archive I've found another body of work which will be going into Salts Mill in November," he said.

"Let's say it's based around Halloween and it's probably not for those that are fainthearted."

The side of The Moulders Arms In Sticker Lane, which has now been demolished

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