A collection of previously unseen photographs documenting city life over the course of two decades have been published in two special supplements by a regional weekly.
The Birmingham Post has printed the second of its Nicklin Unseen supplements, front covers pictured below, today.
The photographs, which captured Birmingham during the 1950s and 1960s, were taken by University of Birmingham lecturer Phyllis Nicklin and remained hidden for decades in a filing cabinet on its campus.
The photos have now been shared with the Post by David Oram, who works at the university’s College of Medical and Dental Science as an events manager and discovered more than 1,000 of the 35mm slides.
He told the Post: “Little is known about Phyllis Nicklin – no images of her appear to exist – and we don’t know why she decided to take the photographic images she did, or indeed the equipment she used to do this.
“We do know one thing for certain though, she has bequeathed us with a stunning visual photographic legacy of Birmingham and for that we are exceedingly grateful.”
David added: “What resonates the most with us about this collection is its simplicity and its honesty.
“Taken over a 16-year period, many of the images capture the beginning of the social housing revolution and the great changes taking place in Birmingham during this period.
“Nicklin, though, was clearly not an amateur photographer. Many of the subjects she chose to photograph must have been seen as mundane at the time she was taking them, however the composition of many of her images is extraordinary.
“These images would have been used to aid Nicklin’s teaching at the university and she couldn’t have imagined how significant her work would become in future years.”
A major exhibition of the photos is planned for the autumn.
Sign up for our free daily email bulletin
Follow HTFP on Twitter
Got a story? Email the Editor at
Not another paper exploiting submitted photo’s! I jest, these look fascinating. Makes me wonder what we will have from today’s photos in 50 years time. Probably just google street views to remember what life was like. I sometines find a copy of the Post in my local library, it’s a heavyweight business and PR paper, but the quality is high and no dodgy photos in it. Something rare these days – an editor with quality control.
Report this comment
I stopped photographing for newspapers some time ago. The various journals still use pics
I took back then. It won’t be long before those images start to be used in nostalgia columns. Who’s shooting any new stuff other than mobile phone and reader submit rubbish?
Report this comment
Shame they didn’t choose a couple of examples of images showcasing extraordinary composition for the cover pics.
I am sure these will be of interest to many readers but judging by these examples they are talking it up a bit!
Report this comment
We shoot loads of new pics, can be over 200 in a weekend.
Report this comment
I’ve donated my entire library, 20,000 odd images, to my home town archive. The archivist thought it might be the last collection of its kind to come into their hands
Report this comment