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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:

Mr Joseph Poole's Grand New Myriorama Poster, c1880 - 1899

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.6
Scope and Contents Colonial Hall, New Street, Cardiff. Picturesque trips abroad to all parts of the globe, Grand fashionable night, The Mayor David Jones, Esq., Ex-Mayor, Alderman T. Windsor Jacobs, Poole's Acme Combination Company, Mons. Martini's bicycle troupe, The Musical Marvels, Lizzie Dent and Jack Seebold, Mr Felix Somers, ventriloquist act, Miss Jessie Arnelli, musical act, Mr R.H.A. Williams, musical act, Mr Frank Freeland, Poole's orchestra and military band conducted by Mr C.W. Horton. Red type on...
Dates: c1880 - 1899

Mr Joseph Poole's New Myriorama Pictoresque Trips Abroad to all Parts of the Globe Poster, Friday 4 to Saturday 12 April c1890

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.1
Scope and Contents New Corn Exchange, Rochester. The Nile Expedition, Stanley in Africa, The falls of Niagara, The Goodwin Sands, London by day and night, The Queen's visit to Westminster Abbey, Ireland, Lakes of Killarney, Scenes of Liverpool, Poole's Acme Combination Company of talented artistes, The Great Alvantee, high wire act, Mr Harry Stewart, fast outfit change and musical act, Professor Le Ray, ventriloquist act, Miss Jessie Arnelly, musical act, La Petite Mdlle. De Lisle, musical act, Mr R.H.A....
Dates: Friday 4 to Saturday 12 April c1890

Mr Joseph Poole's Trips Abroad Poster, c1880 - 1899

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.3
Scope and Contents New Assambly Hall, Fawcett Street, Sunderland. The Nile Expedition,Battle of Abu Klea, Battle of Gubat, Bird's eye view of Khartoum, The Soudan war, The war in Egypt, The Burmese war, Bulgaria, Miss Keturah Evans, musical act, Mr Harry Stewart, Mr Bob Desmond, comedy act, Mr C.W. Wilmott, comedy act. Black type on white background and blue and white illustrations of male portraits around the right and left edges, cote of arms on top centre and view of Suakim on bottom edge. Printed by Fry...
Dates: c1880 - 1899

Mr T. Matthews as Clown Print, c1836 - 1860

 Item
Reference code: 178V20.7
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of a clown with some faded buildings behind him. Lithograph on paper. Published by Archibald Alexander Park, Leonard Street, London.

Dates: c1836 - 1860

Murder Is it? Poster, c1890 - 1899

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.46
Scope and Contents

Black type on off white background describing the murder of farmer Giles Scroggins and offering a cash reward. Printed by Taylor Bros, Printers, Broad Weir, Bristol.

Dates: c1890 - 1899

National Sunday League, Alhambra Programme, 7 April 1901

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.101
Scope and Contents

Black type on off white background on front cover listing the Band of His Majesty's Coldstream Guards, inside programme of musical repertoire with lyrics of songs, historical information and Scenes of Queen Victoria's Funeral, 3p.p.

Dates: 7 April 1901

Nero and Agrippina Programme, 1914

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.138
Scope and Contents

Golden type and illustration of a male and female portraits on profile on a purple background on the front cover, inside description of scenes and black and white photographs, 8p.p.

Dates: 1914

Nevil Story Maskelyne Monograph, 1 January 1985

 Item
Reference code: 178B44.6
Scope and Contents

Booklet by Vanda Morton and Robert Lassam containing black and white photographs and biographical text about Nevil Stroy Maskelyne, the front cover shows a brown and white illustration of an early photographic camera, 18p.p.

Dates: 1 January 1985

New Corn Exchange Poster, Monday 31 March 1890

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.22
Scope and Contents Rochester. Mr Joseph Poole's Myriorama, Picturesque Trips Abroad to All Parts of the Globe, The Nile Expedition, Staley in Africa, The Falls of Niagara, The Goodwin Sands, London by Day and Night, The Queen's Visit to Westminster Abbey, Ireland, Lakes of Killarney, Scenes of Liverpool, Poole's Acme Combination Company, Alvantee, Mr Harry Stewart, Professor le Ray, Miss Jessie Arnelli, Le Petite Madlle. De Lisle, Mr R.H.A. Williams, Mr Bob Desmond, Mr C.W. Wilmott. Blue type on white...
Dates: Monday 31 March 1890

New Gallery Kinema Programme, 14 January 1914

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.123
Scope and Contents Regent Street Quadrant. Blue type and coat of arms sheild on off white background on front cover, inside commercial advertising and programme for the first anniversary of the venue listing new gallery march, the building and opening of the new gallery kinema, Scene from Hamlet, Willy and the Faithful Servant, scene from The three Musketeers, scenes in Calcutta, The Book of Fortune, Overture 1812, Modern Steel Industry, the scape scene from Les Miserables, Max as a Conjurer and final scen of...
Dates: 14 January 1914

Newspaper Cutting About Messrs. Poole's Diorama, 30 November 1885

 Item
Reference code: 178G56.2
Scope and Contents

Diorama and Variety Entertainment at the Town Hall. Holbein's Visitors' List and Court Directory. Article about Messrs. Poole's diorama and variety show,

Dates: 30 November 1885

Newspaper Cuttings and Scapbook, 1880 - 1901

 Series
Reference code: 178G56
Scope and Contents

Newspaper cuttings and scrapbook related to Poole's Myriorama collated by William Barnes

Dates: 1880 - 1901

No Title Programme, c1900 - 1910

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.57
Scope and Contents

Black type on off white background. Lists Part 1 and Part 2 of the show containing various musical acts as well as a ventriloquist act.

Dates: c1900 - 1910

Old St. Paul's Programme, 1914

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.137
Scope and Contents

Black type and black and white photograph of a movie scene, showing The Earl of Rochester overcoming Amabel in a room on the front cover, inside description of scenes and black and white photographs, contains commercial advertisements, 8p.p.

Dates: 1914

Opera Comique Programme, May 1896

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.124
Scope and Contents

Strand. Black type on green background on front cover announcing Shamus O'Brien in three tableaux founded on the celebrated poem by Jos. Sheridan Le Fanu, inside commercial advertising and programme listing C. Villiers Standord's new romantic comic opera Shamus O'brien, also contains programme for Olympia listing Chevalier Blondin and Animated pictures by Mr Paul's Theatrograph, 2p.p.

Dates: May 1896

Original Artworks, c1821 - 1869

 Series
Reference code: 178V20
Scope and Contents

Small groups of artist prints depicting scenes of music hall and variety entertainment, magic and clowning and watercolour of battleships. Also prints of the London Coliseum and other archicture in Regent's Park.

Dates: c1821 - 1869

Palace Theatre Souvenir, 21 September 1899

 Item
Reference code: 178Z64.20
Scope and Contents

Black type on brown background on the front cover, inside black and white portrait photograph of Charles Morton, 2p.p.

Dates: 21 September 1899

Parody, c1870 - 1900

 Item
Reference code: 178Z64.15
Scope and Contents

Poem entitled parody written on Poole's New Popular Trips Abroad letter headed paper with illustration of people from around the world behing two banners and the top of the globe behind them. Manuscript.

Dates: c1870 - 1900

Pavilion Threatre of Varieties Programme, 25 April 1910

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.42
Scope and Contents

Glasgow, Miss Margaret Cooper, 4 Celestas, Dolly Harmer, Mr John R. Poole, The Adras, Alexander Prince, Denaro Bros, J. M'Cormack, Tenka Troupe. Four folding programme with red, white and black type and red and grey illustration of a man in medieval clothing blowing a trumpet in the front, inside programme and commercial advertising.

Dates: 25 April 1910

Photographs and Postcards, c1900 - 1929

 Series
Reference code: 178C129
Scope and Contents

Black and white and colour photographs and postcards

Dates: c1900 - 1929

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