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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:

Stockport Electric Theatre Programme, 26 - 28 June 1911

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.126
Scope and Contents

Blue type on light green background on front cover, inside programme listing Nell's Last Deal, The Vivaphone, Our Weekly News Pictures, Gibraltar, Two Plucky Girls, Little Indian God, The Stricker Leader, Tontolini and his Clarionet, The Coronation Procession and The Naval Review. Contains commercial advertising, 2p.p.

Dates: 26 - 28 June 1911

Stuart Hall Poster, c1880 - 1890

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.19
Scope and Contents Cardiff. Messrs Poole's, late Poole & Young's new panorama The World, starting from England, through France, Italy, Turkey, Cyprus, Palestine, Egypt, Arabia, Natal, Zululand, Ceylon, India, Afghanistan and home again, Poole's excelsior concert party, Miss Ada Violet Poole, G.H. Henri adn L.D PoynterHerr Blitz, Mr Oscar J. Hartwell, The Orchestra. Red blue and black type on white, red, yellow and blue blackgrounds and blue and white illustration of a building with a carriage on the front...
Dates: c1880 - 1890

Stuart Hall Poster, 12 October 1878

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.45
Scope and Contents

Cardiff. Two More New Views of Cyprus, Sir Garnet Wolseley, Famacosta, Mr Felix Somers, Miss Alice Turner, Mr Fred Hilton, Mr F. Neave, Poole & Young's Excursions to Russia, Turkey and Cyprus, War, The Congress at Berlin, Lord Beaconsfield, Lecturer Mr Arthur Chistie, The Band. Green, red and black type on white background with Red and black wavy border. Printed by Stafford and Co, Printers, Nottingham.

Dates: 12 October 1878

Suakim Poster, c1880 - 1899

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.41
Scope and Contents

Page with green portrait illustrations of military men around the edges and blank space in the centre.

Dates: c1880 - 1899

Sunday Chronicle Pantomime Annual, 1911

 Item
Reference code: 178Z64.12
Scope and Contents Drury Lane's Principal Boy, Violet Loraine. Black and white photograph of a woman in medieval costume on a white background on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of performers on different pantomimes including Jack and the Beanstalk, Babes in the Wood, Forty Thieves, Little Bo-Beep, Puss in Boots and Dick Whittington in venues around the country, performers talking about how to dress some of the characters in the pantomimes, some charicatures of performers and commercial...
Dates: 1911

Sunday Evenings for the People Programme, 12 January 1908

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.127
Scope and Contents

The Grand Palace, Clapham Junction. Black type on off white background with geometrical border on the front cover, inside programme listing music acts and Animated Photographs, 2p.p.

Dates: 12 January 1908

Temperance Hall Poster, Monday 12 December c1887

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.16
Scope and Contents

Merthyr Tydfil. Billy Ross & Co, Mr Maloney's Troubles, Dave Mc Neil, Stephen Lawler, The Evalos, Wills & Warlock, Mr Will Webb, Biograph with the latest pictures, Lyvette, Mr E. Blue type on off white background and blue border. Printed by Telegraph Merthyr.

Dates: Monday 12 December c1887

Temperance Hall Poster, 19 January 1880

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.47
Scope and Contents Aberdare.Poole & Young's New Series of Excursions, Zulu War, Russia, Turkey, Cyprus, India, Afghanistan, Cetewayo the Zulu King, British Troops Fighting Through the Bush, The Isandula Disaster, Buffalo River Waterfall, The Great Battle of Ginghilova, Relief of Col. Pearson, Defence of Rorke's Drift, Singers, Ventriloquist and Band. Black and red type on white background, illustration of African warriors in the centre, in the corners yellow, black and white illustrations of Garnet...
Dates: 19 January 1880

Temperance Hall Poster, 17 November 1884

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.51
Scope and Contents

Aberdare. Poole's Trips Abroad, Egyptian Campaign, Soudan War, England, Wales, Egypt, China, Afghanistan, India, Italy, Holland and Belgium, Excelsior Concert Company, Miss Keturah Evans, Mr Harry Stewart, Mr Felix Somers, Mr Charles Heywood, Poole's Splendid Bands. Balck type on white background with black border. Printed by James Upton, Printer, Great Charles Street, Birmingham.

Dates: 17 November 1884

The Birmingham Empire Palace Programme, 26 July 1897

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.114
Scope and Contents

Three fold programme with yellow and blue illustrations of dancing and trapeze act and views of the theatre on the outside, inside commercial advertising and programme listing Jean Stanley, Florador Quartette, Brothers Dare, Will Hedben, Fred Karno's Company, Ellie Stuart, Lydia Yeamans, Northern Troupe, Fredericks Troupe, Lottie Lennox, Hillary Troupe and the Biograph the following week. Green and red type on white background. Printed by James Upton Lith, Birmingham.

Dates: 26 July 1897

The Coliseum and Part of the Lake Regent's Park Engraving, c1828 - 1830

 Item
Reference code: 178V20.13
Scope and Contents

Black and white engraving drawn by Thomas Hosmer Shepherd and engraved by W. Tombleson showing a view of the Coliseum behind some trees, in the distance from a lake with ducks and a dog.

Dates: c1828 - 1830

The Coliseum, Regent's Park Engraving, Published 27 April 1827

 Item
Reference code: 178V20.9
Scope and Contents

Hand coloured engraving drawn by Thomas H. Shepherd and engraved by H. Wallis showing the Coliseum from across a road with people walking along the pavement and a carriage pulled by four horses on the road as well as men riding horses and a dog.

Dates: Published 27 April 1827

The Coliseum, Regent's Park Engraving, Published 21 April 1828

 Item
Reference code: 178V20.10
Scope and Contents

Black and white engraving drawn by Thomas H. Shepherd showing the Coliseum from across a road with people walking along the pavement and a carriage pulled by four horses on the road as well as men riding horses and a dog.

Dates: Published 21 April 1828

The Empire Programme, 23 March 1896

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.67
Scope and Contents

Black and white illustration of a female dancer on the front cover and black type, inside programme listing La Danse, Cincinnatti juggler, Twins Marco, Mdlle. Junior, Cinematographe, The Schaffers, The Eight Welshmen, Faust, During's Swedish Quintette and Les Freres Dumond. Contains commercial advertising, 2p.p.

Dates: 23 March 1896

The Empire Programme, 20 July 1896

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.68
Scope and Contents

Black and white illustration of a female dancer on the front cover and black type, inside programme listing La Danse, Dayton Family, Dutch Daily, Elz a & Kate, Les Minstrels Dumond, Taffary's performing dogs, Lumiere's cinematographe, Ducreux & Geralduc, Monsier Grais, Sisters Abbot, Faust and Larsen Family. Contains commercial advertising, 2p.p.

Dates: 20 July 1896

The Empire Programme, 26 October 1896

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.69
Scope and Contents

Black and white illustration of a female dancer on the front cover and black type, inside programme listing Filli's Dogs, Solerno, The Three Harveys, Jenny Mills, Lumiere's Cinematographe, Miss Ruth Davenport, Bale Troupe, Mdlle. Nixau, Monte Cristo, Sisters Don, The Joscarys and The Pantolinos. Contains commercial advertising, 2p.p.

Dates: 26 October 1896

The Empire Programme, 17 April 1884, 19 August 1902

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.92
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of woman in Regency style dress and golden type on white background on front cover inside illustrations of the theatre, history of the theatre and programme for 1884, 1897 and 1902 listing cinematographic picture shows, 14p.p.

Dates: 17 April 1884; 19 August 1902

The Grand Circus Poster, c1880 - 1899

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.10
Scope and Contents Boar Lane, Leeds. Benefit of Henderson and Stanley, Poole's World Diorama, A wringing machine, magic act, A Purse of Silver for the best imitation of Henderson and Stanley marionettes, A Purse of Silver for the best lady vocalist, The Misses Wilton and Audley, musical act, J. Sullivan and Miss Josephine, Herr Blitz, magic act, Messrs. Henderson and Stanley, marionette act, Mr H. Wilton, musical act. Black type on light brown background. Printed by The Misses Wilton and Audley, musical act,...
Dates: c1880 - 1899

The Harry H. Hamilton's Excursions, Queen and Empire Programme, c1897

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.50
Scope and Contents Columbia, Manchester Picadilly, Liverpool Lime Street, Queenstown, S.S. Teotonic, New York, The lengend of Rip-Van-Winke, Tableaux vivant, Louisiana, New Orleans, Imperial Great Britain, Quebec, Hong Kong, Australia, The S.S. Arundel Castle, South Africa, Gibraltar, Holland, The Queenboro' Flushing route, London, Portsmouth, Windsor Castle, Harry H. Hamilton's variety organization, Flying Dillons, gymnastic act, The 4 Valladolis, acrobatic act, Japa and Japo, equilibrist act, Martinnette...
Dates: c1897

The Herkomer Theatre Programme, 9 - 20 January 1893

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.154
Scope and Contents

Red and black type and introduction to the programme on the front cover, inside programme for Gaston Boissier under the direction of Professor Herkomer. Pinted by Watford Observer Office, Queen Street, Watford, 2p.p.

Dates: 9 - 20 January 1893

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