The changing faces of Peterborough caught in unique exhibition

Paramedic paparazzo Chris Porsz wielded a camera and stethoscope for decades

A former paramedic who spent more than 40 years photographing the same people decades apart in their city has a major exhibition featuring his artwork.

Chris Porsz spent decades capturing photographs of people in Peterborough and restaged the images, sometimes 30-40 years later, once he had tracked down the subjects again.

His work is showing at Peterborough Museum for three months.

He said photographing the reunions was a "real labour of love".

Then: Capturing the fashions of the '80s...

... and now: Friends still on trend decades later

The reunions have appeared in two books and have received international acclaim.

Porsz, 70, who is from the cathedral city, had 300 reunions to choose from but had to pick just 165 for the exhibition. They will be displayed across three galleries.

Porsz captured a goodbye at Peterborough railway station...

... and caught up with the couple decades later, and they were still together

All the fun of the fair...

... the hair may have changed but the smiles remain the same

The pictures were taken of random strangers. Then he had to turn detective to track them down years later using local media.

Child transport of yesteryear...

... all grown up and minus the pram. Chris Porsz says tracking subjects down for the reunions became a labour of love

Chris Porsz retired as a paramedic in the pandemic in 2020. He gave up work to look after his wife, Lesley, who he has since lost to breast cancer.

He has used other photographic work to raise money for the oncology ward at Peterborough City Hospital.

As a paramedic for 35 years, Chris Porsz had a unique insight into the lives of NHS workers...

... catching up decades on - the nurses get together again

Porsz says photographing the reunions was much like his work as a paramedic.

"You always had to be prepared for the unexpected," he said.

Keeping tabs on the streets of Peterborough. Chris Porsz spent time photographing strangers...

... and as Porsz noted, the city is almost like a market town, he was able to track down subjects for the reunion

Chris Porsz says: "The concept is accidental. I just took the photos and caught up with them years afterwards. When people took they part in the reunions they loved it, often reminding them of happy times."

The exhibition at the Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery is free and runs Saturday, 13 January until Saturday, 23 March.