Harry Palmer: The People’s Scrapbook

Last November I began reading a book about one man’s journey of discovery‚ about the places and spaces that were still unreported concerning the life of Van Gogh. It was an inspiring read.This got me thinking about last summer, when I had been on a 7 day arts reconnaissance trip on a specially adapted narrowboat around Galton Valley!
How could these two things come together? Quite easily. I knew that there was a world out there where people’s stories could be told, where personal memories still existed and where the photographic landscape needed some salvaging. Some living heritage lifted from the computers and photo albums, libraries and work places. Could a paradise be found?
The Victorian style People’s Scrapbook will be officially launched at 11am in the Pump Station on Saturday.
Harry Palmer, aka local history expert Graham Devonshire, will be presenting personal
accounts from the local area.These will take the form of guided boat trips from midday on Saturday and Sunday.

Harry makes work in a variety of settings, devising live artworks that usually take place outside. He has recently
worked and performed on canals, rivers, allotments,village halls,beaches and bridges

Text taken from Beyond the Cut event catalog April 2004

Photos:
1( top):Harry durring his guided tour of the Galton Vally,
April 2004
2:Harry Palmer talking to one of the contributors to the People's Scrapbook, February 2004
3:Joan and Fred Ferguson's wedding 1963 at St Wulstans Church, Newcastle-Under-Lyme : Part of Harry Palmer’s ‘The People Scrapbook’ Photographer unknown
4: The People's Scrapbook. Photo: Cath Tarbuck