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 286 Collections and/or Records:
J. Poole's Myriorama Booklet, c1900 - 1999
J. Poole's Myriorama Booklet, c1900 - 1999
Joseph Poole's Latest Myriorama Programme, 10 February 1890
Joseph Poole's Myriorama Booklet, c1890 - 1899
Joseph Poole's Myriorama Poster, c1895
Joseph Poole's New Myriorama Picturesque Programme, 19 January 1891
Joseph Poole's New Myriorama Picturesque Programme, 11 April 1892
Joseph Poole's New Myriorama Programme, 23 December 1889
Joseph Poole's New Myriorama Programme, 8 January 1900
Joseph Pool's New Eclipse Myriorama Guide Book and Songs, c1880 - 1889
La Lanterne D'Arlequin Booklet, 25 February 1883
Black type and illustration of harlequin holding a lantern and a sword on the front cover, inside black and white illustrations and text, 10p.p.
Large Hall Literary Institute Poster, Monday 17 May c1886
South Clerk Street, Edinburgh. The Aetheroscope and Professor Pepper's grand optical wonder Proteus, under the patronage of the Lord Provost of Edinburgh James Falshaw, Faust and Marguerite, Comic Festival. Printed by James Brydone, Steam Power Printer, 12 Elder Street, Edinburgh. Purple type on off white silk.
Large Victoria Rooms Poster, c1889
Clifton. Patronised by the Right Worshipful The Mayor G.W. Edwards, all the latest war songs, more new scenes with dioramic changes, St Petersburgh to Constantinople, visiting every place of interest during the late war, Strage and Wilson's New Diorama of the Russo-Turkish Campaign, Vocal and Instrumental music, The Band. Blue type on off white silk. Printed by Taylor Bros., Printers, Baldwin Street Bristol.
Lecture Hall Poster, Tuesday 3 March c1857
St. Andrews. Black type on white background, The Day Exhibition, The Mayor, The Great Oritingal Diorama of the Rhine, Mr Albert Smith, The Queen, Gompertz's Panorama, Garibaldi's Campaign in Italy, City of Genoa, The Battle of Calatafimi, Mount Etna, City and harbour of Messina, The Battle of the Volturno, City of Jerusalem, Crypt of the Holy Secpulchre.
Llandudno Pier Company Limited Programme, 13 August 1907
Red and white photograph of the beack and red type on white background on the front cover listing members of the orchestra, inside concert programme, on back cover The Royal American Bioscope at the Pier Varieties Theatre, 2p.p.
London Hippodrome Programme, 29 July 1907
Variety programme, listing various acts including Chung Ling Soo, with programme in centre including Macate Sisters, Leonard Gautier's performing ponies, The Four Magnanis, Alfred Loyal, The Chrono Megaphone, Clown Pinta, The Black Hussars, Leipsig, Johnny Watson, The Globe of Life, Paul Conchas and the American Bioscope. Also contains commercial advertising. Light blue covers with white type, 10p.p.
London Hippodrome Programme, 25 August 1902
Variety programme with programme in centre including Three Romas, Mlle. Ella Bradna, The Barra Troupe, Marceline, Edisonograph, Juan A. Caicedo, Mirza Golem troupe, Agnes Spadoni, Chinko, M. Slamonsky, Three Sisters Klos, Sam Elton, The Klein Family and The Bandits. Light green covers with dark blue type, 10p.p.
London Hippodrome Programme, 30 November 1914
Colour illustration of woman dresses in flags of the allied countries during world war one on white background. Inside commercial advertising and programme including Gerano, bioscope, Kartelli, 'Business as Usual' a war related play and patriotic songs, also projection of films from the front, 12p.p.
London Hippodrome Programme, 30 July 1900
Programme page for the London Hippodrome linsting Les Melages, Captain Kettle and Stepsons, Leon Morris, Treantanovi Sisters, The Aquamarinoff Troupe, Webb's Cow Boys, Captain Woodward's seals and sea lions, Gibbon's Phono-bio-tableaux, Lockhart's elephants, Gobert, Belling and Filpe and Cinderella, 2p.p.
London Hippodrome Programme, 22 January 1901
Programme page for the London Hippodrome linsting Agnes Krembser, The 3 Donals, The 3 Fratellinis, Burke and Andrus, The Novellos, the latest war pictures depicted by Gibbons Bio-Tableaux, The Kook Trio, Mons. Emile Gautier, The Seddons, The Continental Musical Stars, Mons. Steckel, The Schaffers, Marceline, Siberia, 2p.p.
Additional filters:
- Type
- Archival Object 285
- Collection 1
- Subject
- Acrobats 7
- Aerialists 5
- Anglo-Afghan Wars 10
- Anglo-Burmese War, 3rd, 1885 4
- Anglo-Egyptian War, 1882 33
- Animal trainers 3
- Animals 17
- Circus 7
- Clowning 9
- Comedians 31
- Contortionists 1
- Dance 4
- Dwarfs (Persons) 3
- Equestrians 3
- Exhibitions 10
- Fairs 3
- Franco-Prussian War 1870-1871 3
- Gymnasts 7
- Jugglers 7
- Magic 18
- Male impersonators 7
- Minstrel shows 20
- Motion pictures 177
- Music-halls 62
- Musical performances 73
- Musicians 3
- Optical illusions 128
- Pantomime 8
- Performers 135
- Pierrot 4
- Puppets 5
- Showman 109
- Showwoman 1
- Sideshows 3
- Singing 39
- South African War, 1899-1902 12
- Stunt performers 4
- Tableaux vivants 7
- Travel 63
- Variety 165
- Ventriloquists 22
- War 52
- World War, 1914-1918 5
- Zulu War, 1879 9 + ∧ less