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Barnes, Bill (William), 1920 - 2019

 Person

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 109 Collections and/or Records:

Adam's New Diorama of Scotland Programme, 18 April 1885

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.8
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 18 April 1885

Agricultural Hall Poster, c1838 - 1842

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.21
Scope and Contents Black type on green background. St. Mary's Hall, Islington, Messrs. Poole's The World gigantic pictorial enterprise, The Wars in South Africa and Afghanistan, Grand Nautical Effect, British Fleet Forcing the Dardanelles, General Robert's Triumphal Entry into Cabul, Destruction of H.M.S. Doterel, The Assassination of the Czar of Russia, Holy Land, Capitals of Europe, Miss Ada Violet Poole, G.H. Henry & L.D. Poynter, Herr Blitz, Mr Felix Somers, Mr Oscar Hartwell. Printed by James Upton,...
Dates: c1838 - 1842

An Account of, and Some Personal Memories of, Cinema Activity in the North East of Scotland Monograph, c2018

 Item
Reference code: 178B44.5
Scope and Contents

Monograph about early cinema in Scotland by Ronald Grant. Typescript and some hand written notes, 7p.p

Dates: c2018

Assembly Rooms Poster, Wednesday 15 May c1901

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.49
Scope and Contents

Cheltenham. Hamilton's Grand New Diorama Under the British Flag, Russo-Turkish War, Constantinople, Bombardment of Rustchuck, Shipka Pass, Storming Fort of St. Nicholas, Fall of Plevna, Mount Aararat, Turks at Pray, Persia, India, China, Japan, Australia, Canada, Mr Frank Freeland, National and Patriotic War Songs. Black and red type on white background. Printed by Stafford and Co, Printers and Engravers, Nottingham.

Dates: Wednesday 15 May c1901

Bill Barnes Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0172
Scope and Contents

Programmes, posters and photographs mainly related to the Poole family's travelling Myriorama show.

Dates: 1881 - 2017

Capitol Ystalyfera Poster, 10 February 1930

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.39
Scope and Contents

Al Jolson the singing fool, Talkies. Red, blue and yellow type on off white background and yellow border. Printed by Willsons', Printers, Leicester.

Dates: 10 February 1930

Certificate, 10 August 1892

 Item
Reference code: 178Z64.14
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 10 August 1892

City Hall Poster, c1890

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.53
Scope and Contents

Perth. Grand Illiminated Day Exhibitions, Gompertz New Magnificent Panorama Illustrating Lord Elgin's Japan and China and the Crypt of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem, accompanied by appropriate Music and Descriptive Lecture. Black type on white background.

Dates: c1890

Colonial Hall Poster, Monday 28 October c1889 - 1895

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.28
Scope and Contents

Cardiff. The Original Pepper's Ghost and Spectral Opera Compy, Christmas Carol, Satanella, Faust, Lansashire Witches, The Flying Dutchman, The Mountain Sylph, Shadown on the Snow, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Corsican Brothers, Muddlehead in a Fix, Haunted House, Zig-Zag, Psychic Spiritmometer. Black type on white background. Printed by Theopilus Creber, Color Pinter, Union Street, Plymouth.

Dates: Monday 28 October c1889 - 1895

Colston Hall Poster, Tuesday 21 February c1882

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.54
Scope and Contents Bristol. Harry H. Hamilton's Grand Panstereorama of Passing Events, Relief of Candahar by Gen. Roberts, The Cabul Massacre, Death of Sir Louis Cabagnari, Destruction of the 66th Regiment, Finding the Body of Lieut. Maclean, Windsor Castle, Thames Enbankment, Mr Charles Heywood, Mr Lindon Travers, O.I.C.M. Minstrels, Messrs Monti Collins, H. Sullivan, J.E. Drew, Stuart Cowell. Red and black type on white background and colour illustration of a military camp and soldiers in the centre. Printed...
Dates: Tuesday 21 February c1882

Colston Hall Poster, 21 February 1882

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.55
Scope and Contents

Bristol. A Congress of Solid Fun, The Monarchs of Ethiopians by Hamilton's. Black and red type on white background and colour illustration of a head portrait of a black man wearing American themed clothes with illustrations of black people along the bottom of the images spelling the word Minstrels in the centre. Printed by J. Upton, Steam Printing Works, Great Charles Street, Birmingham.

Dates: 21 February 1882

Congress Hall Poster, 21 January 1884

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.12
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 21 January 1884

Corn Exchange Assembly Rooms Poster, Monday 16 December c1901

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.50
Scope and Contents

Preston. Poole's & Young's New Diorama of Turkey, Cyprus, England and our Great Indian Empire, Poole's & Young's Excursions to the East, A Splendid Band and Staff of Vocals. Black type on white background around the edges, in the centre colour illustration of a war battle.

Dates: Monday 16 December c1901

Corn Exchange Poster, 18 February 1886

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.44
Scope and Contents

Bicester. Poole's Trips Abroad, Suakin to Berber, War in Egypt, City and Fortifictaions of Herat, The Lord Mayor's Show, The Nile Boats and Camel Corps for the Soudan Campaign, Concert Party. Black type on yellow background. Printed by Smith and Pankhurst, Printers, Bicester.

Dates: 18 February 1886

Correspondence, 1853 - 1892

 Series
Reference code: 178F43
Scope and Contents

Various items of correspondence

Dates: 1853 - 1892

Correspondence, 1853 - 1892

 File
Reference code: 178F43.1
Scope and Contents

Correspondence including postcards and a short letter from Thomas Jarrott, lantern and cinematograph expert, and two envelopes, one with sketches of travelling equipment on reverse. Manuscript

Dates: 1853 - 1892

Funeral Cards, 1877 - 1885

 File
Reference code: 178Z64.1
Scope and Contents

Funeral cards for George Walter Poole, Henry James Mayer and Alexander Billington. Black and silver borders, some illustrations and text.

Dates: 1877 - 1885

Gomp-Ertz Grand Diorama Programme, c1882

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.14
Scope and Contents Philarmonic Hall, Southampton, War in Egypt, Mr Owen Vauguard and Miss Marie Coulson, musical act, Fred Medex, Central and Southern Africa, Mr H.M. Stanley's encounter with the natives of the Congo River, Discovery of Livingstone, Tarn Bend, Victoria Falls, Pandanus or screw palm, Horrors of the slave system, Slave market at Zanzibar, Source of the Nile, Victoria Nyanza, Abon Simbel, Second cataract of the Nile, Throne of Pharoah, Nubian water wheel, The sitting statues, Sphynx, Sir Garnet...
Dates: c1882

Gompertz's Gigantic Diorama Poster, c1880 - 1899

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.9
Scope and Contents

Corn Exchange, Braintree. Garibaldi's Campaign in Italy and Sicily, Mr Albert Smith's panorama of the tour up the Rhine. Black type on off white background.

Dates: c1880 - 1899

Gompertz's Panorama Tickets, c1852

 File
Reference code: 178Z64.3
Scope and Contents

Tickets for Gompertz's panorama show. Black type on yellow and pink backgrounds.

Dates: c1852

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  • Subject: Showman X

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Type
Archival Object 108
Collection 1
 
Subject
Acrobats 4
Aerialists 5
Anglo-Afghan Wars 10
Anglo-Burmese War, 3rd, 1885 4
Anglo-Egyptian War, 1882 33