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 165 Collections and/or Records:
Derby Castle Programme, August 1907
Douglas, Isle of Man. Black illustration of a couple dancing on a pink background on the front cover, inside dance programme, Vesta Tillie, Harry Wood's 1907 Lancers and Vernon's Bioscope, 2p.p.
Dooner's Bioscope Poster, c1890 - 1900
Fairground Aberavon. Hunting the Fox with the Hounds, Blanco White coon impersonator and dancer, Sisters Williams the Welsh Nightingales. Black type on green background.
Drury Lane Theatre Print, Published 11 August 1821
Tom and Bob enjoying a theatrical treat. Part of 36 scenes from real life, designed and etched by I.Robert and George Cruikshank in the book: Life in London: or, the day and night scenes of Jerry Hawthorn, Esq., and his elegant friend Corinthian Tom, accompanied by Bob Logic, the Oxonian, in their rambles and sprees through the Metropolis. London published by Jones and Co. Hand coloured etching and aquatint on paper.
Empire Theatre Morning Performance in Aid of Funds for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution Programme, 25 February 1897
Black and white illustration of a sinking ship and a boat rowing away in rough seas on the front cover and black type on white background, inside programme listing; The Adolphi Trio, Lumiere Cinematographe, Miss Connie Ediss, Les Minstrels Parisiens, Mr Edmund Payne & Miss Katie Seymour, Mr Norman Salmond, Miss Marie Tempest, Mr Arthur Roberts, Miss Letty Lind, Semmel's Hungarian and Russian Troupe and Monte Cristo, 2p.p.
Empire Theatre Programme, 16 July 1906
Blue type on white background and embossed crown in gold on the front cover, inside commercial advertising and programme in the centre listing Venus, Australian Ladie's Quartette, Morris Cronin & Truoe, Coppelia and The Biograph, 8p.p.
Exeter Hall Programme, 30 January 1905
Blue type on light pink background with floral illustration on the front cover, inside programme listing Crystalphone solo, special address to the young by the Rev. W.H. Griffith Thomas, Hand-bell ringing and gymnastic display, Dumb bell exercises, Indian Club exercises, Vaulting horse, Flag race, Magic and Mystery by Charles Leslie, Animated Photographs by Messrs. Clarkson, 2p.p.
Gomp-Ertz Grand Diorama Programme, c1882
Great Colston Hall Poster , c1893 - 1895
Guide Book of Charles W. and John R. Poole Latest Myriorama, c1920 - 1929
Hamilton's New Excursions Programme, c1880
Introductory tableau showing California, London, Crossing the Channel, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Constantinople, Ceylon, Washington, Southampton to Trasvaal, The Cotterells, comedy act, Miss Trixy Holland, comedy act, Arnetti, musical act, Walter Roselle, ventriloquist, Sid Colenza, comedy act, Godfrey Martin's latest cinematoscope. Black type on green background and two small illustraton of men in tailcoats, contains hand written annotations. Printed by Leader Printing Works, Lincoln, 2p.p.
Handbills, 1882 - 2017
Handbills for Brick Lane Music Hall, Admission All Classes, Colston Hall, Harry H. Hamilton, Wilton's Music Hall, Player's Theatre, Hoxton Hall.
Harry H. Hamilton Original Excursions to America Programme, c1800 - 1899
Harry H. Hamilton's Excursions Programme, c1880 - 1889
Harry H. Hamilton's Panstereorama of Passing Events Programme, c1880 - 1889
Harry Poole's Greatest Myriorama Programme, 27 February 1893
Hippodrome Programme, 28 August 1933
Brighton, The Big Crazy Gang from the London Palladium. Blue type on white background with Art Deco style frame decorations on the front cover, inside programme and commercial advertising. Printed by Stillwell Darby and Co., Advertising Contractors, Charing Cross House, W1, 6p.p
Holiday Rumbles in the Isle of Man Poster, c1880 - 1890
Popular Musical and Dioramic Entertainment, Illustrated Songs, Humorous Recitals, Railway Collision, Fire, Fire, Edison's Budget of Fun, Lincoln in the Cinematograph, Return of the Lincolnshire Volunteers from South Africa, Volunteer Review at Lincoln. Red and black type on white background and black and white photograph of a man with a cinematographic camera on top left corner.
J. Poole's Myriorama Booklet, c1900 - 1999
Joseph Poole's Latest Myriorama Programme, 10 February 1890
Joseph Poole's Myriorama Poster, c1895
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- Anglo-Burmese War, 3rd, 1885 4
- Anglo-Egyptian War, 1882 22
- Animal trainers 3
- Animals 16
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- Clowning 6
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- Musical performances 54
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- Optical illusions 78
- Pantomime 7
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- Pierrot 4
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- South African War, 1899-1902 8
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