Barnes, Bill (William), 1920 - 2019
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
Mr Joseph Poole's New Myriorama Pictoresque Trips Abroad to all Parts of the Globe Poster, Friday 4 to Saturday 12 April c1890
Mr Joseph Poole's Trips Abroad Poster, c1880 - 1899
Mr T. Matthews as Clown Print, c1836 - 1860
Colour illustration of a clown with some faded buildings behind him. Lithograph on paper. Published by Archibald Alexander Park, Leonard Street, London.
Murder Is it? Poster, c1890 - 1899
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.
National Sunday League, Alhambra Programme, 7 April 1901
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.
Nero and Agrippina Programme, 1914
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.
Nevil Story Maskelyne Monograph, 1 January 1985
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.
New Corn Exchange Poster, Monday 31 March 1890
New Gallery Kinema Programme, 14 January 1914
Newspaper Cutting About Messrs. Poole's Diorama, 30 November 1885
Diorama and Variety Entertainment at the Town Hall. Holbein's Visitors' List and Court Directory. Article about Messrs. Poole's diorama and variety show,
Newspaper Cuttings and Scapbook, 1880 - 1901
Newspaper cuttings and scrapbook related to Poole's Myriorama collated by William Barnes
No Title Programme, c1900 - 1910
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.
Old St. Paul's Programme, 1914
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.
Opera Comique Programme, May 1896
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.
Original Artworks, c1821 - 1869
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.
Palace Theatre Souvenir, 21 September 1899
Black type on brown background on the front cover, inside black and white portrait photograph of Charles Morton, 2p.p.
Parody, c1870 - 1900
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.
Pavilion Threatre of Varieties Programme, 25 April 1910
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.
Photographs and Postcards, c1900 - 1929
Black and white and colour photographs and postcards
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
- Animal trainers 3
- Animals 17
- Circus 7
- Clowning 9
- Comedians 31
- Contortionists 1
- Dance 4
- Dwarfs (Persons) 3
- Equestrians 3
- Exhibitions 10
- Fairs 3
- Franco-Prussian War 1870-1871 3
- Gymnasts 7
- Jugglers 7
- Magic 18
- Male impersonators 7
- Minstrel shows 20
- Motion pictures 177
- Music-halls 62
- Musical performances 73
- Musicians 3
- Optical illusions 128
- Pantomime 8
- Performers 135
- Pierrot 4
- Puppets 5
- Showman 109
- Showwoman 1
- Sideshows 3
- Singing 39
- South African War, 1899-1902 12
- Stunt performers 4
- Tableaux vivants 7
- Travel 63
- Variety 165
- Ventriloquists 22
- War 52
- World War, 1914-1918 5
- Zulu War, 1879 9 + ∧ less