Dover Museum Gets Fantastic New Photographic Archive

Dover Museum has acquired a fantastic new photographic archive of 460 important images for the area. The pictures belonged to a local collector who has been collecting postcards of Dover for over 25 years, and were purchased at less-than-market price with support from the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund (administered by the Victoria and Albert Museum) and a generous donation from Dover Town Council.

Most of the 460 postcards are hand-printed photographs by local photographers printed on postcard-back card, rather than being mass-produced postcards. Consequently, most are fairly rare, like the postcard of the ten officers of the Dover Ancient Order of Philanthropic Prussian Hermits, which would only have been printed in small numbers by photographer John Gibson of Snargate Street.

The collection covers a wide range of subjects, including school classes, special occasions, street scenes and sports. There are especially good views of local shops and businesses, military cards, and a number of views of obscure streets for which the Museum currently has no images. As well as being an important local archive, events of national importance are also covered, such as Bleriot's flight across the Channel, pioneer Channel Swimmers, the arrival at Dover of the bodies of First World War heroes Nurse Edith Cavell and Captain Fryatt, and the funeral procession and burial of the dead from the famous Zeebrugge Raid of St. George's Day in 1918.

Cllr Mrs Sue Nicholas, Dover District Council Cabinet Member for Community, said: "It's wonderful that we have been able to purchase this important collection for local people and for future generations, and we are very grateful for the support of the Victoria and Albert Museum and Dover Town Council."

Cllr Paul Watkins, Leader of Dover District Council said: "This project represents an important archive for the people of Dover and to have the involvement of Dover Town Council with Dover District Council gives it a very proper Dover identity. We need to continue with this type of cooperation on specific projects in specific towns."

Cllr Mrs Jan Tranter, Dover Town Mayor, said: "I feel that the acquisition of such unique and interesting postcards will be an asset to the Museum and enrich the heritage of the Town and be of immense value to our children and grandchildren."