Sixties photojournalist David Lewis-Hodgson talks about 10 of the photographs from his new book The Way It Was and explains why they are so special to him.
The Way It Was
The 60s was a fascinating time to be a photographer. I photographed much that was good, much that was not so good, and a great deal that was ugly. I had the opportunity to capture events that were joyous, strange, funny, tragic, dangerous and downright silly.
In 1969, I paid my first visit to Belfast just after a war between the Catholic and Protestant communities - the "Troubles" started. I wanted to explore the effects of the conflict on families and children living on both sides of the increasingly bitter and deadly sectarian divide. The mums, even those living in desperate poverty, were resilient, hard-working and amazingly cheerful despite their increasing dangers and deprivations.
Their children were friendly, bright, enthusiastic and as lively as kids anywhere. Sadly, these youngsters were also surrounded by images, symbols and exhortations to bigotry designed to intensify the conflict than encourage peaceful coexistence. Two little boys in the Falls Road area posed for me against a sign promoting the IRA while an all-girl drum and pipe band march through the streets of Belfast during the 12th July Orange Day parades.
After their wartime independence, women in the early ‘6os were encouraged to stay at home and raise a family. Increasingly, as the decade passed, more and more defied these social constraints and pressures.
A perfect example of this is motorcycle ace, Sue Hudson. A top stunt performer in a travelling show called Destruction Squad. Sue smashed a world record by speeding down a 30ft. tunnel of fire. She emerged with her pants ablaze! Fortunately, stunt arranger Joe Weston-Webb was on hand with a bucket of water. She escapes with only minor singeing.
Cecelia Bochenek was one of the bravest women I ever met. Nicknamed "Miss Courage" she overcame constant pain from arthritis, which confined her to a wheelchair. She inspired, designed and built the Hoarder Centre as a therapeutic environment, world-renowned centre for the treatment of this painful and disabling condition.
A scientist, Mary is photographed at the internationally famous Locust Research Centre in London. She was undertaking studies aimed at preventing the devastation caused when locusts swarm.
Another memorable and fabulously eccentric shot, is the image of professional snail trainer, Connie Lythgoe. Here she is putting her star, Clarence, through his paces prior to the World Championship.
Barbara Woodhouse, pictured here with her Great Dane Juno, was a dog trainer whose hugely popular dog show on TV turned her into an international celebrity at 78. Arriving at UK Border Control from a trip abroad, an official said: "No need to show me your passport. Walkies!"
Courage of a very different sort was displayed by Tricia Tilley who volunteered to test an electric spaghetti fork created by inventor Ricky Paul. Designed to increase the speed of consumption the fork ended up spreading spaghetti all over the table, the restaurant walls and Tricia herself!
Before decimal coinage was introduced to the UK on February 15th, 1971, the government went to great lengths to try and explain it to older generations. I travelled the country looking at the ways in which these attempts, which included a decimal coinage based game, were received. In an East Sussex village, I found 7-year-old Lucy attempting to teach the game to farmhand Jim Wicking. Still baffled at the end he remarked sadly: "Why couldn't they have done this when everyone was young?"
A lovely memory I have is after a boy broke her window, Miss Marian Fletcher from a little village in Yorkshire didn’t go to the police – she set up our own police force consisting of children aged 7 to 12. On “joining up” each child took an oath to be honest and truthful, kind to both people and animals, never to throw stones or do damage. Pictured, eight-year-old David Taylor reports to Miss Fletcher after a day on patrol in the community.
To see more of the images featured in The Way It Was, visit https://thewayitwas.uk