Peter Washbourn, for many years a press photographer at the Lincolnshire Echo, has put together a collection of photos taken from the photo archives at the Echo.

The Echo, as it is known locally, was first published in January 1893, when photography was in its infancy. Photographs in a newspaper were a rarity, maybe once or twice a year. It was not until thirty years later, that photographs became a regular feature in the Echo.

In compiling this collection, Peter Washbourn notes that little, at the time of publication of Lincoln and Lincolnshire (Breedon Books,1999), had changed in Lincoln as compared with other towns and cities.

But how much though has changed since Peter Washbourn made those fateful comments, and none of it for the better.

A look at Lincoln High Street, and we see many independent retailers. Today, you'd be lucky to find any, nothing but the same High Street names as any other town, clone town writ large.

St Marks Station has long gone, to be replaced by High Street names. The same is true of what was once an excellent town centre market.

We have seen many ugly buildings erected, each one uglier than its predecessor. Town planning seems non-existent, the greed of developers the sole determining factor.

Lincoln and Lincolnshire is a picture collection from the Echo archives, each picture accompanied by a short thumbnail description.

Peter Washbourn (1936- ) worked as commercial photographer before joining the Lincolnshire Echo in 1956, working in the darkroom. In 1960 he moved to outside duties as a press photographer, and remained with the Echo until his retirement in 1996 after 40 years service.

Also worth reading

Lincoln: A Pictorial History by Ann Yeates-Langley [see BCID 5763902]

Lincolnshire: The Way We Were by Peter and Pat Washbourn (Lincolnshire Echo, 2001)

Strictly speaking not actually released. Available for loan in the village library in Washingborough in Lincolnshire.

Library ref: AD 02977340