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In_pictures Frampton-on-Severn: Old photos show Gloucestershire village life
In_pictures
Image copyright
Les Leach
The photographs show village life in Frampton from the 1950s to the 1980s
A collection of photos showing life in a rural village from the 1950s to the 1980s has sparked a “huge rush” of memories after being shared by the photographer’s son.
The pictures were taken in and around Frampton-on-Severn in Gloucestershire by professional photographer Les Leach.
Scans of the negatives were shared on social media and got a warm response.
People from as far afield as New Zealand have identified themselves and family members in the shots.
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Les Leach
The photos have gained a huge response after they were published online
Many of the photographs are of weddings that took place at Frampton village church, parties and other celebrations.
Dudley Holyoake said there was a “huge rush” of memories when he saw a photo of himself as best man at a wedding in 1979.
“This time capsule of memories exploded into my mind. My youth has come back,” he said.
Sarah Perkins, who now lives in New Zealand, said seeing the pictures was “awesome” and brought back happy memories of her childhood.
Image copyright
Les Leach
Sarah Perkins, who now lives in New Zealand, said seeing the pictures, including this one of herself, was “awesome”
She spotted a photo of herself with her father at a wedding.
“I thought ‘oh wow, he looks amazing, so young and so handsome’,” she said.
Mr Leach, 84, worked as a BBC Points West cameraman and also took still photographs.
Some shots in the collection are of major news events from the time, such as a petrol tanker fire on the A38 in 1969.
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Les Leach
This petrol tanker fire happened on the A38 at the Whitminster roundabout in 1969
His son, Mark Leach, rediscovered them in a shed and scanned them before sharing them on a Facebook group.
“It’s social history. I just had the urge to go through them and scan them in, because I know one day they’ll slowly disintegrate, slowly disappear and nobody will know who the people are,” he said.
“It’s nice to say to dad ‘who is this little girl here?’. Then I can put a name to it.”
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Les Leach
Les Leach is a former cameraman for BBC Points West
He said he was not expecting the response the Facebook group – called Memory Lane, Frampton, Saul and Arlingham – received.
“People have been commenting and saying that’s X, that’s Y.
“These are old names from 60 years ago, people who have passed away.
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Les Leach
About 2,500 negatives have been scanned so far
“Now their great grandchildren are looking at them and saying ‘there’s my great gran or my great uncle’.”
About 2,500 images have been scanned so far and over 3,500 are yet to be digitised.
Les Leach said the pictures were an “important record” of the past and it was “nice to look at them again”.
Image copyright
Les Leach
Some shots in the collection are of news events from the time, such as this royal visit
