Negative Gain Is Positively Welcomed
Alan Cross's Midlands photos come to Wythall
A casual enquiry by Mike Jordan with Alan Cross has led to nearly 5000 of the latter's Midlands negatives passing to the Museum.
Alan is well known for the collection of negatives he built up, especially from the late Robert F.Mack. He then produced and sold very high quality postcards from this negative collection. The mere presence of Alan's stand was often sufficient reason to go to an event! Alan has now retired from this business and has prompted discussions in the enthusiast press as to what will happen to negative and photo collections such as his. Alan has been concerned that negatives pass to organisations that look like being around for a long time and will care for them safely.
Alan was going to contact us to see if we were interested but Mike's enquiry put us at the top of Alan's plans. The deal, which includes assignment of copyright, covers buses from the fleets of Midland Red and Stratford Blue, and the municipal operators Birmingham, Walsall, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton. Already the copyright of one fine collection of 1940s/early 1950s negatives has been assigned to us, and now the Alan Cross collection takes us through the 1950s and 1960s and, in the case of Midland Red, even later. With established photographers amongst ourselves covering the later period, Wythall is well placed to handle coverage of any local bus operator through the last two-thirds of the 20th century.
We do not foresee ourselves replicating the quite exceptional print service offered by Alan, at least in the immediate future. Despite the amount of time dedicated by Alan, the number of enthusiasts who were able to take advantage of his prints was limited. We will therefore be interested in getting the pictures into good quality publications, thus benefiting thousands of enthusiasts. The picture displays at the museum should also improve and increase.
Malcolm Keeley
Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcs B47 6JX
Tel : 01564 826471 e-mail us
A registered educational charity no 507191
