PICTURES: New Bideford book merges old pictures with new

Bideford historian Peter Christie has teamed up with photographer Graham Hobbs to be produce a new book, Bideford Reflections, looking into the town’s storied past.

Bideford, situated on the estuary of the River Torridge, has a long and fascinating history as a port.

From its quays sailed the first colonising venture to the New World under Sir Richard Grenville. The first Native American to be buried in England lies in its churchyard.

The town was home to the Victorian novelist Charles Kingsley, who set his novel Westward Ho! in the area, and its tourism industry went on to develop greatly.

Still popular with visitors today, Bideford’s narrow streets lead to a tree-lined quay bustling with fishing vessels, cargo and pleasure boats.

In this book, writer Peter Christie and photographer Graham Hobbs have chosen a selection of old and new photographs that are individually merged to reveal how Bideford has changed over the decades.

Each of the 180 pictures combines a recent colour view with the matching sepia archive scene. Through the split-image effect, readers have the opportunity to ‘step back in time’ and discover what life was like for previous generations.

This fascinating visual chronicle reflects past and present glimpses of Bideford and it is hoped will be enjoyed by residents, visitors, local historians and all those with links to the town.

Peter Christie is a lecturer at Petroc College where he teaches Geography and Oral History. He is a senior district and town councillor. He’s twice been Mayor of Bideford and is currently Chairman of the Bideford Bridge Trust.

He has been a local historian for 12 years and has published over 1000 articles on the history of North Devon.

Graham Hobbs has been a photographer for 30yrs and has won many awards which are listed on his website, www.grahamhobbsphotography.co.uk

His work appears often in newspapers, magazines, books, calendars, greeting cards, and on websites. He has worked alongside actors, artist, world record breakers, TV personalities, authors and members of the government.

The book (ISBN: 9781398104228) is available in paperback from June 15, 2021, and is also available in Kindle, Kobo and iBook formats.