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 177 Collections and/or Records:
Adam's New Diorama of Scotland Programme, 18 April 1885
Victoria Hall, Glasgow, 50 paintings illustrating cities, towns, mountains, rivers,lochs and the coast of Scotland, Scottish songs, solos, duets and humourous selections. Maroon type on brown background and maroon illustrations of views and architecture on the front cover inside programme, marron illustration of female figure and a deer on landscape, also press reviews inside and on the back cover, 2p.p.
Albany Wards Imperial Electric Pictures Poster, Monday 16 January c1888 - 1899
Jubilee Hall, Weymouth. Red and Black type on off white background with blue border. East Lynne in Father Minds the Baby, Neilsons, World's latest events, Miss May Neale, Astor, Bridges Burned, Billy Ross & Co in Mr Maloney's Troubles. Printed by Osonian Press, Park End Street, Oxford.
Alhambra Theatre of Varieties Programme, 10 August 1896
Leiscetes Square, London. Three fold programme containing colour illustration of women and Pierrots dancing on the outside, inside commercial advertising and programme listing The Musical Korries, Emmy's Troupe of Trained Toy Terriers, The Luppus, The Newsky Roussotine Troupe, The Animatographe, Mr Morris Cronin, Rip Van Winkle dramatic ballet and Les Minstrels Dumond.
Alhambra Theatre Programme, 19 November 1900
Red type on off white background and a crescent moon and a star on front cover, inside black and white illustrations of the teatre building, introduction to The Handy Man, commercial advertising, programme of sporting events, programme in the centre listing Du Cane Trio, The Animatograph, A Patriotic Military Ballet, Mr Edward Lauri, M & Mlle. theresa, The Hills, Mlle. Helene Gerard, The Marvellous Craggs, Cincinatti Juggler, The Handy Man, Webb & Hassan and Huline Bros. 5p.p.
Assembly Room Programme, 4 - 6 December 1902
Assembly Rooms Poster, 9 July 1874
Huntriss Row, Scarborough. Aetheroscope, Grand Fashionable Night, Patronace of Col. Child and the Officers of the 2nd West York Engineer Volunteers, Faust, Professor Pepper's Proteus; Or We Are Here but Not Here, The Haunted House. Black type on silk with pink tassels.
Bill Barnes Collection
Programmes, posters and photographs mainly related to the Poole family's travelling Myriorama show.
Bristol Hippodrome Programme, 3 February 1913
Bown and white illustration of architectural arch with four dancing women and a seascape on the background with two figures riding a horse on the front cover, inside commercial advertising and programme listing Inez and Pim, Daisy Sloan, Wild Australia, Fun in the Stockade, Sport and Play, Wild Jessie, Florina Cody, Percy Hayden, Draww, Hambo & Frisco, Haidee de Rance, Percy Honri in Bohemia on the Bioscope and Mouth of the Arbour, 4p.p.
Bristol Hippodrome Programme, 1 January 1913
Bown and white illustration of architectural arch with four dancing women and a seascape on the background with two figures riding a horse on the front cover, inside commercial advertising and programme listing Furness Willaims, Frederick Sylvester & Co., Monkey Music Hall, Lorna & Toots Punds, Canova's celebrated living porcelains on the bioscope, 4p.p.
Café Concert Tous les Soirs Cinematographe Poster, c1890 - 1900
Advertising poster for venue booking. Multicoloured text on yellow, green and pink backgrounds and white border, also theatrical illustrations on top section. Printed by H. Vial Editeur, Succ de Ch. Juliot, a Dourdan (C&O).
Canterbury Variety & Pictures Programme, 18 - 20 March 1920
Westminster Bridge Road, London. Black type and illustration of the front of the building on the front cover, inside commercial advertising and programme listing, Orchestra directed by Herbert A. Harrison, The Pathe Gazette, Beckett Versus Smith, The Riviera Girls, The Mystery of '13', Branding & Prevost and Sold, 2p.p.
Certificate, 10 August 1892
Document certifying that Fred Lionel Mayer did his first appearance on Poole's New Myriorama with signatures on the bottom section, on Poole's Myriorama letter headed paper with red and white illustrations of people from around the world standing behing a globe held by a cherub and the figure of Britannia pointing a trident towards it. Manuscript.
Chiswick Empire Programme, 26 January 1914
Three fold programme, white and blue type and illustration of the interior of the theatre and commercial advertising on the outside, inside commercial advertising and programme listing The Dennisons, Frederick Sylvester & Co., Sammy Shields, Joe Peterman, The McNaughtons, The Seven Tagged Gipsy Girls, Daisy Sloan, Fred Karno and On the Bioscope big game hunting in central Africa.
Cines Antony & Cleopatra Programme, 9 February 1917 and during the week
King's Hall, High Street, Lewisham. Red and orange illustration of a ship and a sunset on the front cover, inside text and black and white photographs of scenes from the film, 6pp.
Collins's Programme, 23 January 1899
Three fold programme with green and white illustrations of two pierrot characters and a male character on the outside, inside commercial advertising and programme listing Mr Pat Carey, Miss Amy Allnutt, Mr Arthur Lennard, George Kirk and Company, Mr T.E. Dunville, Sisters Preston, The Four Poole-Pelhams, Mr Will Hebdon, Miss Lottie Lennox, Mr Harry Tate, Lotto, Lilo & Otto, Mr Tom Leamore, Edison's Pictures, Tom White's Arabs, The Leonards, The Bros. Horn, Mr Chas. Gardiner and March.
Congress Hall Poster, 21 January 1884
Reading. Messrs Poole new mastodone Diorama of the World, America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Asia, Europe, War in Egypt, The Royal Review, Poole's Concert Party, Orchestra and Military Bands. Black and red type on blue, yellow, white and red backgrounds with colour illustration of Chinese acrobatics and fireworks in the centre. Printed by Stafford & Co., Printers and Engravers, Neherfield, near Nottingham.
Corn Exchange Poster, Thursday 3 October c1895
Wantage. Royal English Opera and Burlesque Company, Faust and Marguerite, The Waterman, Grand Fashionable Night Patronaged by Col. Loyd Lindsay, Maritana, The Field of the Cloth of Gold, Fra Diavolo, The Swiss Cottage. Black type on pink silk.
Croydon Hippodrome Programme, 29 August 1910
Three fold programme with blue and white type and illustration of the interior of the theatre and commercial advertising on the outside, inside commerical advertising and programme listing American Bioscope, George Adam, Lottol Lilo & Otto, Larola, Gwennie Llewellyn, Helen Trix, Bellew & Stock's Co., Rose Cabani, Frank Lynne, Fred Lindsay and Miss Ellaline Terriss & Co.
Crystal Palace Programme, 1 January 1881
Crystal Palace Programme, 18 March 1893
Black illustrations of musical instruments and a woman holding a small harp and black type on orange background on the front cover, inside details of concerts including lyrics and sheet music with informatioin about the music and listing of performers including, Mr Fleming Norton, Mr Robert Ganthony, Mr R.A. Roberts and The Siege of Paris Panorama, 20p.p.
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- Subject: Motion pictures X
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- Archival Object 176
- Collection 1
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- Acrobats 5
- Aerialists 5
- Anglo-Afghan Wars 7
- Anglo-Burmese War, 3rd, 1885 4
- Anglo-Egyptian War, 1882 27
- Animal trainers 2
- Animals 14
- Circus 7
- Clowning 4
- Comedians 25
- Contortionists 1
- Dance 3
- Dwarfs (Persons) 1
- Equestrians 2
- Exhibitions 3
- Fairs 3
- Franco-Prussian War 1870-1871 3
- Gymnasts 7
- Jugglers 7
- Magic 13
- Male impersonators 6
- Minstrel shows 11
- Music-halls 29
- Musical performances 61
- Musicians 1
- Optical illusions 78
- Pantomime 6
- Performers 96
- Pierrot 1
- Puppets 5
- Showman 74
- Showwoman 1
- Sideshows 3
- Singing 30
- South African War, 1899-1902 11
- Stunt performers 4
- Tableaux vivants 6
- Travel 51
- Variety 104
- Ventriloquists 19
- War 42
- World War, 1914-1918 5
- Zulu War, 1879 6 + ∧ less