Tradition

1986-87 · British Customs

I was searching for something to photograph, so that I could put together a portfolio and eventually apply to Newport School of Documentary Photography. Regularly, I would go to the Northampton Public Library in the town centre and read, as well as research. It was a bug that I had caught when I was looking into companies that did experiments on animals, essentially to see if I could glean any information on their research, and also to see if I could establish which companies were their subsidiaries.

I came across a book of photos by a photographer called Homer Sykes called Once a Year: Some Traditional British Customs The theme seemed like a good laboratory for me to experiment in, so I researched the events to establish when they happened, where and more or less what they were all about. It was low hanging fruit but I needed to gobble up something to show in my portfolio and the promise of dynamic happening occaisions seemed agood idea. All it required was a little sacrifice

Sometimes, I caught buses and trains to get to events.On other occaisions I fell back on hichhiking and my bike. On more than one occaision I would have to sleep over in towns in a train station or just wandering around until the next day. Life became a lot easier when I purchased a car, as most people are obliged to do in Britain, or accept the restrictions that not having one imposes upon you.

Royal Shrovetide Football– Ashbourne, Derbyshire

The Atherstone Ball Game – Atherstone, Warwickshire