Barnes, Bill (William), 1920 - 2019
Biography
William 'Bill' Barnes was a renowned film history and collector, who together with his twin brother John (1920-2008), amassed one of the finest collections of early British cinema in the country.
Bill and John became fascinated with cinema from an early age. When they were twelve years old they had a home cine projector and soon after, still in their teen years, they started to make their own films and documentaries. Examples of the titles they created together are Cornish Nets and With the Gypsies in Kent.
Bill and John started to collect cinema material in the 1930s. The brothers served together in the Royal Navy during WWII. At the end of the war, they became specialist booksellers of cinema and pre-cinema material.
The brothers opened the Barnes Museum of Cinematography in St Ives in 1936. John managed the collection while Bill continued to build up the collection visiting fairs, markets and auctions around the country. At this time Bill was working as a Film Production Consultant in London, where he used to visit markets and antique shops. The museum closed in 1986 and the collection was split between the Museo Nazionale del Cinema in Turin and Hove Museum. Eventually, Bill started to run his own stall in Chelsea antiques market selling optical toys, lantern slides and photo cine items. John, who remained in Cornwall all his life, died in 2008. The brothers had always been very close and Bill felt a great loss.
Bill became a leading authority on many aspects of the optical media that preceded cinema and in particular of the early years of cinema itself.
John and Bill wrote extensively on early cinema history, John was known for The Beginnings of Cinema in Britain series and Bill for his articles on The Magic Lantern journal among others.
Bill and John received an honorary doctorate from the University of Stirling in 2006 and the Jean Mitry Prize.
Found in 10 Collections and/or Records:
Bill Barnes Collection
Programmes, posters and photographs mainly related to the Poole family's travelling Myriorama show.
Cambridge Terrace and the Colliseum Regent's Park Engraving, 5 January 1826
Hand coloured engraving of a view of Cambridge Terrace and the Coliseum, painted by Thomas H. Shepherd and engraved by R. Acon, from across the street showing buildings and people walking along the pavement, a carriage pulled by a horse and two men riding horses. Published by Jones & Co., 3 Acton Place, Kingsland Road, London.
Chester Terrace, The Coloseum, St Andrews Place and Park Square Engraving, c1827 - 1828
Black and white view of the Coliseum from Chester Terrace, showing St Andrew's Place and Park Square by Regent's Park, people walking on the pavement and horse pulled carriages on the road as well as men riding horses drawn by Thomas H. Shepherd.
Coliseum Regent's Park Engraving, Pubished 1837
Hand coloured engraving drawn by Roberts and engraved by John Cox of the Coliseum from across a road with people walking along the pavement and carriages pulled by horses on the road as well as people riding horses. Originally produced for John Woods’ History of London: Illustrated by Views in London and Westminster, first published in parts 1837-1838 and subsequently reissued.
Original Artworks, c1821 - 1869
Small groups of artist prints depicting scenes of music hall and variety entertainment, magic and clowning and watercolour of battleships. Also prints of the London Coliseum and other archicture in Regent's Park.
Poole's Pictoresque Trips Abroad Poster, c1880 - 1899
Posters, c1880 - 1899
Poster related to the Poole family film shows, Gompertz's diorama and other early cinema travelling shows and venues.
The Coliseum and Part of the Lake Regent's Park Engraving, c1828 - 1830
Black and white engraving drawn by Thomas Hosmer Shepherd and engraved by W. Tombleson showing a view of the Coliseum behind some trees, in the distance from a lake with ducks and a dog.
The Coliseum, Regent's Park Engraving, Published 27 April 1827
Hand coloured engraving drawn by Thomas H. Shepherd and engraved by H. Wallis showing the Coliseum from across a road with people walking along the pavement and a carriage pulled by four horses on the road as well as men riding horses and a dog.
The Coliseum, Regent's Park Engraving, Published 21 April 1828
Black and white engraving drawn by Thomas H. Shepherd showing the Coliseum from across a road with people walking along the pavement and a carriage pulled by four horses on the road as well as men riding horses and a dog.
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