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Barnes, Bill (William), 1920 - 2019

 Person

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:

Queen's Hall Programme, 30 August 1902

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.152
Scope and Contents Black type on off white background listing Robert Newman's Queen's Hall Orchestra, the Polytechnic and Animated Pictures on the front cover, inside description of the concert and listing of moving pictures including The Coronation Procession, Prince of Wales Procession, King's Procession, The Canadian Arch, Arraival of the Boer Generals and the Naval Review at Porstmouth, on back cover listing of promenade concerts, contains commercial advertisements. Printed by Baines & Scarbrook...
Dates: 30 August 1902

Queen's Hall Programme, 3 November 1902

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.153
Scope and Contents Black type on off white background listing Robert Newman's Queen's Hall Orchestra, the Polytechnic and Animated Pictures on the front cover, inside description of the concert and listing of moving pictures including The Lord Mayor Presentating the City Sword to the King, The Royal Procession over London Bridge, Ascent and Descent of the Aiguilles des Grandes, Oxen Bathing, Comic Railway Station, Ping Pong, Arrival and Departure of King and Queen from St. Paul's, on back cover listing of...
Dates: 3 November 1902

Queen's Hall Programme, 17 December 1898

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.59
Scope and Contents

Music recital programme including the words of songs with special display of animated pictures including the Boer War. Black type on off white paper with commercial advertising and programme in the centre, 6p.p.

Dates: 17 December 1898

Queen's Hall Programme, 11 February 1899

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.60
Scope and Contents

Music recital programme including the words of songs with special display of animated sport pictures including boxing, rowing and diving as well as the serpentine dance. Black type on off white paper with commercial advertising and programme in the centre, 6p.p.

Dates: 11 February 1899

Queen's Hall Programme, 2 March 1907

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.61
Scope and Contents

Music recital programme including the words of songs with future programme containing animated pictures. Black type on off white paper with commercial advertising and programme in the centre, 4p.p.

Dates: 2 March 1907

Randall Williams King of Showmen from Ghost Show to Bioscope Monograph, 1998

 File
Reference code: 178B44.4
Scope and Contents

Monograph about Randall Williams by Professor Vanessa Toulmin dedicated to Bill Barnes and Visual Delights conference introduction paper

Dates: 1998

Research Material, c1900 - 1999

 File
Reference code: 178B44.1
Scope and Contents

Reserach material related to early travelling moving picture shows including Bacon's new map of London with areas marked in red and blue marker, photocopies of Poole's programmes, photocopies of the Politechnic shows at Queen's Hall and other programmes and photocopy of an article about the early years of British film.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Round Room Rotunda Poster, 4 July 1892

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.30
Scope and Contents Dublin. Mr Joseph Poole's latest Myriorama, Sights of the World, Venice, Poole's Pictorial Tours Darkest Africa, meeting of H.M. Stanley & Emin Pasha, The Falls of Niagara, Ireland, Sydney the capital of New South Wales, The British Fleet past and present, Poole's consolidated variety confederation, Miss Jessie Arnelly, Herr Blitz, Miss May Finch, Mr Felix Somers, Messrs Lisburn & O'Marr, Mr Willie Boatman, Poole's vocal quartette party, Mr Fred Mayer. Printed by Creber, Printer,...
Dates: 4 July 1892

Royal Victoria Hall Programme, 29 April 1910

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.129
Scope and Contents

Waterloo Bridge, London. Black type on off white background with royal coat of arms on top left on the front cover, inside programme listing, Animated Pictures by E. Holmes, Laurie Lyndon, Fred Fleet, Charles Desma and Madge Mona, George Penn, Amy B. Ellis, Racpo, Shirley, The Three Coppers, Dan Kirton and Beale and Broadway. Also contains preview of upcoming programme including animated picture exhibition, popular lectures on Ely Cathedral and a temperance meeting, 2p.p.

Dates: 29 April 1910

Sadlers Wells Theatre Programme, 11 January 1897

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.119
Scope and Contents

Three fold programme containing black type on green background and an illustration of George E. Belmount and commercial advertisement on the outside, inside The Wicklow Cabin, commercial advertising and programme listing Frances Harrold's combination in A Just Retribution, Flo Gallimore, Sibb and Sibb, George Barron, R.W. Paul's Theatrograph, Tom Leamore and Home Sweet Home.

Dates: 11 January 1897

Sadlers Wells Theatre Programme, 18 January 1897

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.120
Scope and Contents

Three fold programme containing black type on green background and an illustration of George E. Belmount and commercial advertisement on the outside, inside The Wicklow Cabin, commercial advertising and programme listing Frances Harrold's combination in The Last Dread Penalty, Tom Leamoire, Sibb and Sibb, George Barron, R.W. Paul's Theatrograph, Ada Fawn and Home Sweet Home.

Dates: 18 January 1897

Salambo Programme, 1914

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.140
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of a woman in a long blue dress wearing a large peacock feather attire and a cape and red type on grey background on the front cover, inside description of scenes and black and white photographs, 10p.p.

Dates: 1914

Savoy Cinema Programme, 10 November 1938

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.24
Scope and Contents Opening ceremony of the Savoy Cinema, High Road, Swaythling, Southampton, British Universal News, Coloured cartoons, Jezebel. Dark brown type on light brown card covers, inside listing of forthcoming attractions on reverse of front cover, black type on white background and black and white photograph of Louis Zeid with introduction, description of the Savoy and black and white photograph of the building, programme in the centre, commercial advertising and projection, sound and air...
Dates: 10 November 1938

Scene of Clown Print, c1800 - 1899

 Item
Reference code: 178V20.6
Scope and Contents

Illustration of three clown and a box with a number 7 on the front, surrounded by numbers, maybe a table game. Etching and aquatint on card. Printed by Amand, Amsterdam.

Dates: c1800 - 1899

Scene of Theatre Play Print, c1800 - 1899

 Item
Reference code: 178V20.5
Scope and Contents

Illustration of a theatre scene from a balcony showing a ballerina, a police man and some clowns and the public. Colour etching and acquatint on paper.

Dates: c1800 - 1899

Scripts for Panoramic Shows, 1854 - 1882

 File
Reference code: 178Z64.5
Scope and Contents

Scripts for Gompertz's Panorama of the late war from Punch, description of the battle of Kassassin and the bombardment of Alexandria and sights of the world. Black type on white and blue backgrounds.

Dates: 1854 - 1882

Secrets of Famous Magicians Booklet, c1940 - 1949

 Item
Reference code: 178Z64.23
Scope and Contents

Blue, red and white illustration of a magician in a robe and pointy hat on the front cover, inside articles and black and white illustrations, 14p.p.

Dates: c1940 - 1949

Skating Palace Programme, 1896

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.109
Scope and Contents

Sauchiehall Steet, Glasgow. Three fold programme containing colour illustrations of theatre scenes and architecture on the outside, inside commercial advertising and programme listing Crissie Milton, Conjuring and how it's done by Mr A.M. Hubner, The Sakers, Bale Troupe, Griff, Barrington Foote, Cinematograph, Percy Meye, Yates & Emslie, Rex Harley, The Websters, Bock Plyades. Printed by F.R. Liddell, Advertising Contractor, 33 Bath Street.

Dates: 1896

St James Hall Poster, Saturday 27 July c1889

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.13
Scope and Contents

Plymouth. Joseph & George Poole all the entertainments, strange & Wilson's Excursions to Russia and Turkeyfor the benefit of Miss Alice Turner and Mr Fred Medex, comic musical sketch Two of a Trade, Freeland, for the benefit of Mr Carl Webb. Red and black type on yellow background.

Dates: Saturday 27 July c1889

St. James Hall Poster, Wednesday 24 June c1885

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.14
Scope and Contents Plymouth. Liet. Col. W. Newman, Lieut. Col.C. Lamour Curry, Major G.L. Mc.L. Farmer, Major G. A. Daubeny, Herat, Poole's Picturesque Trips Abroad, Egyptian Campaign, Soudan War, The Nile Expedition, Gen. Gondon at Khartoum, Gen. Stewart's Victori at Abu Klea, Death of Colonel Burnaby, Landing of the Australians at Suakim, Views of China and Russia, Concert Party, Miss Florence Garland, Mdlle. Alice Ries, Mr Chas Williams, Heaton Duval, Mr George Reade. Green type on yellow background....
Dates: Wednesday 24 June c1885

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