Hartlepool Borough Council provides permanent home for John Bulmer's photos of life in the town in the 1960s

More than 12,000 people have so far seen the ongoing John Bulmer – Northern Light exhibition at Hartlepool Art Gallery.

His memorable images capture the hardship of life in the town more than 60 years ago.

Now Hartlepool Borough Council has been able to purchase the images for Hartlepool Art Gallery’s permanent collection.

Gallery curator Angela Thomas said: “The response from visitors to the exhibition has been phenomenal.

"People have left lots of comments on our comment cards, sharing their memories of the scenes in the photographs and identifying people they recognise. I’ve never known a response like it.

“So we’re thrilled that, thanks to the generous support of Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and John Bulmer himself, these photographs will become part of our permanent collection.

“By acquiring these images, we will ensure they are preserved for future generations to look back at that moment in time before much of the local landscape changed beyond recognition.”

Born in 1938, Mr Bulmer is best-known for his pioneering colour photojournalism in the Sixties when he worked for the Sunday Times magazine among others.

In the winter of 1962-63 he visited Hartlepool for Image magazine and took more than 40 photographs.

At the time of his visit, during a bitterly cold winter, Hartlepool was suffering from mass unemployment.

Gray’s shipyard had just closed with the loss of 1,400 jobs and the future looked bleak.

His images record the town before it changed as well as the daily life of men and women who were out of work and gathering sea coal from the beach or waiting in the dole queue.

Despite the hardships people were facing, Mr Bulmer’s photographs convey a sense of resilience, humour and even optimism.

He said: “I’m so glad the photographs will have a permanent home in the town where they were taken.

"I’m honoured that Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund have supported the purchase and would like to thank all involved.”

Hartlepool Art Gallery, in Church Square, is open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10am–5pm and entry is free.

The exhibition continues until Saturday, May 4.

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