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:
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.
Louise Tussaud's New Exhibition Programme, c1891-1892
St. Jame's Great Hall, Oxford Street, Manchester. Black type and colour centre containing the names of Tussaud's staff and officials on the front cover, inside programme listing Mr Percival Craig, Sydney Gandy and Miss Inglefield, Professor Bracken, Living Pictures or Tableaux Vivant and The Grand Panorama, on back cover Chamber of Horrors, 2p.p.
Magician Print, c1800 - 1899
Illustration from a book showing a magician in a tail suit with a table with magician implements on it, throwing toys up in the air to children running towards him in a room. Colour etching and acquatint on paper with text beneath.
Maplesone Brothers' Great Panorama of America and Canada Programme, c1883
Market Hall Poster, Monday 6 August 1883
St. Austell. Entry of Sir Garnet Wolseley with British Forces into Cairo. Alexandria Bombardment on Fire and in Ruins, Poole's World Diorama, Events in Egypt, Review of British Troops, Mr Harry Stewart, Mr Felix Somers, Mr Oscar Hartwell, Poole's Splendid Bands. Black type on stripey orange and white background. Printed by Theophilus Crever, Steam Printer, Unition Street, Phymouth.
Messrs J. and G. Poole's New Dioramic Excursions Programme, c1880
Messrs. Poole and Young Great Dioramas Programme, c1889
Assembly Rooms, Cheltenham, Overland route to India, Mr Davies, lecturer, Mr C. Montgomery, Miss Blandford, Mr Bond, Mr Walters, Mr French. Black print on light pink background with simple black line border on front cover, inside programme, on back cover lising of variety acts and illustration of cherub. Printed by Stafford and Co., Steam Printing Works, Nottingham, 2p.p
Messrs. Poole and Young New Dioramic Programme, 4 August 1879
Messrs. Poole Bros. New Dioramic, Excursions Programme, 28 March 1881
Messrs. Poole Bros. New Dioramic, Excursions Programme, 9 May 1881
Messrs. Poole, The World Programme, 25 September 1882
Messrs. Poole's Gigantic Pictorial Enterprise Programme, 14 August 1882
Messrs. Poole's New Dioramic Excursions Programme, 17 October 1881
Messrs Strange and Wilson Aetherscope, Spectroscope and Phantoscope Booklet, c1880 - 1889
Mitchell & Kenyon Postcard Booklet, 2007
Booklet containing black and white still images from Mitchell and Kenyon films, produced by the British Film Institute, 18p.p.
Mohawk Minstrels Poster, 21 October 1885
Royal Agricultural Hall, Islington. Annual Benefit, 20 Songs for the Occasion, Principal London Variety Artistes. Black type on white background. Printed by Aubert's Steam Printing Works, Maiden Lane, Strand.
Monographs, Articles, Manuscripts and Research Material, c1900 - 2018
Monographs, articles and research material on early travelling moving picture shows, related to the Poole family , Wilton's Music Hall, Walter Sickert, Bedford Music Hall, Randall Williams and early cinema in Scotland
Mr G. French as Harlequin Print, c1830 - 1849
Illustration of a harlequin holding a sword towards his back, on the background a cityscape with greenery, London published by John Redington 208, Hoxton Old Town and sold by J. Webb 75 Brick Lane St. Lukes. Hand coloured etching on paper.
Mr Harry Poole's New Trips Abroad Programme, c1880 - 1889
Red type and illustrations of Egypt and battles, portraits of Wolseley, Gordon and Burnaby on green background on the front cover. Blank programme of overprinting location and programme, 2p.p
Mr Josep Poole's Myriorama Poster, 7 July 1890
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