Coronavirus: The lockdown in Historic England pictures

2 June 2020

Man cuts his own hair in mirror as garden as other man mows the lawn — Image caption,
Rory Milner decided to merge the need for an overdue haircut and the want for a fun family activity in his picture in Chatham, Kent

Empty streets, home-made haircuts and a giant NHS thank you cut into a field.

These are among the 200 images that best reflect the nation's lockdown, according to Historic England.

More than 3,000 pictures were submitted by the public during a week-long appeal, with the final selection being added to the Historic England archive, external.

Ten contemporary artists have also entered pictures into the archive as well as choosing favourites from the public submissions.

Historic England said the call-out was the first time the public had been asked to capture photographs for the archive since World War Two.

"The fascinating response to our Picturing Lockdown call-out sheds light on our collective and individual experiences of lockdown and provide a snapshot into this unusual time that will be accessible for future generations to see and learn from," Claudia Kenyatta, director of regions, said.

Boys do Joe Wicks video — Image caption,
The Joe Wicks exercise videos have been watched by millions during the lockdown including this pair from Beckenham in London

Men use gym equipment in a garden — Image caption,
With gyms closed, these three men had to innovate in this garden in Yorkshire

Man cycles on bike inside while wife does chores — Image caption,
Ann Bull and her Historic England photographer husband Alun have been keeping occupied at their home in Fulwood, Sheffield

Man climbs in stairwell — Image caption,
Keen climber Jody Cliffe has been "climbing the walls" at his home in Sheffield as he is unable to get out to the Peak District

Woman reads paper in garden as two children play around her — Image caption,
Antonia Hinds said her family have been getting "increasingly inventive" in using the garden of their home in Dulwich, south London

People stand apart in street to clap for nurse — Image caption,
This picture by Emma Dullroy was submitted by Angela Anderson as it shows people gathering in the street in Sunderland to show their respect for her sister Fiona Anderson, a nurse who died from Covid-19

Hearse carries coffin as people watch — Image caption,
Artist Bella Milroy, who took this picture of a neighbour's funeral procession in Chesterfield, said society has had to reinvent rituals during the lockdown

Empty playground in Bristol — Image caption,
Bill Ward's picture of an empty playground in Bristol was hailed by artist Malaika Kegode as a "striking image"

Couple in wedding outfits and children in back garden — Image caption,
Donna Duke-Llande was due to get married in Crete but instead had to spend what would have been her wedding day at home in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire

Women sit apart from each other drinking champagne in street — Image caption,
These friends found a way to drink champagne together in Bath

Woman looks overjoyed as she takes picture of baby through a window — Image caption,
This was Laura Dally's first meeting with her first grandchild in Liverpool, with the excited new grandmother saying: "I can only imagine what she feels or smells like"

Oranges in washing up bowl — Image caption,
Steven Murray's picture of his fresh oranges being washed in Chesterfield "had a really powerful visual domestic presence of lockdown" and "will be a powerful and important addition to the archive" according to artist Bella Milroy

Mya looks sadly at outside world through window — Image caption,
Mya Scott's self-portrait of her "gentle and thoughtful" solitude in Southwark resonated with artist Polly Braden

Aerial view of workers taking break on separate tables — Image caption,
Workers at the Vauxhall plant in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, were pictured observing social distancing during their break by Colin McPherson

Two people cut hair in neighbouring gardens — Image caption,
Homemade haircuts were a common find across the country including in Fulwood in Sheffield

Back of boy's head after haircut — Image caption,
Wolverhampton-based artist Anand Chhabra had to become an amateur barber for his teenage children

Woman cleans hand rail in station ticket office — Image caption,
Samantha Toolsie was taken with the "meticulous pride" a cleaner at Leeds railway station was showing in her work, adding that normally the cleaner would be "overseen or barely noticeable" during the normal morning rush hour

Boy alone on Whitby Street and empty London street — Image caption,
Whitby in Yorkshire and Threadneedle Street in London are normally busy with people but not when Colin Waller and Polly Braden visited each respectively

People clap on balcony — Image caption,
Artist Roy Mehta said Shuvaseesh Das' picture of people clapping for the NHS in the London suburbs was a "powerful image"

Girl bangs pot lid with spoon in street — Image caption,
Danny Burrows took this picture of people applauding the NHS one Thursday night in Deal, Kent

Cyclist in empty Piccadilly Circus with large NHS billboard — Image caption,
The nation has been keen to show its support to the NHS while staying home to ease the health service's burden as shown here in a near-empty Piccadilly Circus

Charles Gaisford

A farmer showed their support for the NHS by carving this message into fields close to the Hampshire village of East Meon

People queue outside supermarket — Image caption,
Shoppers waiting to enter a supermarket in Wallington in London captured the eye of Michaela Strivens

All pictures are copyrighted.