18 May – 7 September 2019
Old Southport Through a Modern Lens
Local photographer Matt Dodd has blended historical photographs of Sefton with images from the present to give a unique window into the past. Click the location markers on the interactive map below to see the photographs and learn more about the area.
If you have enjoyed this virtual exhibition, please donate.
Matt began his project by researching archival imagery on Sefton Council’s Digital Archive, which holds a large collection of photographs and documents portraying aspects of life in Sefton across the centuries. He also worked with early glass negatives that were re-discovered when the Botanic Gardens museum relocated to The Atkinson in 2013. The Historical images Matt chose range from the early 1800s to the late 1920s and span Ainsdale, Birkdale, Southport and Crossens.
By using windows, roads and rooftops as guidelines, Matt painstakingly re-photographs areas such as Lord Street, the Promenade and Ainsdale Lido. Many areas in Southport have stood the test of time and these new photo-montages allow us to reflect on the past. This historical reflection also inspires a fond nostalgia for areas in Southport which no longer exist, such as the outdoor swimming baths, Peter Pan’s Playground and The Aquarium (formally Mary Willet’s Day Nursery).
