A Picture Is Only the Start of the Story

"Drawing on his vast archive of images, Richard has created a truly unique book, capturing local life in a way unlike any other publication"

The Book of the Archive

Surrounded by my archive of about four million film-based and digital images, which I have gathered over more than four decades of press photography in Swindon, I have discovered connections that run through the archive that weren’t obvious at the time.

What’s the connection between the Magic Roundabout and the Seekers pop group, and the connection between a Eurovision Song Contest entrant and a flight over the North Atlantic? Why a work experience boy saw history being made, and the story behind finding an unknown Swindon pop idol, are all revealed in the book. How come there were twelve winners of a Miss Thamesdown competition? The pictures we took and had published then that can’t be published now are also explained during the meander.

Order the book

Signed copies of the book can be ordered online.

£1 from every sale goes to Neuroendocrine Cancer UK.

Richard’s life as a press photographer gave him with an excellent vantage point to document major local events.

Drawing on his vast archive of images, Richard has created a truly unique book, capturing local life in a way unlike any other publication

The Local Studies Team

Swindon Libraries

The book “A Picture Is Only the Start of The Story” takes you on a voyage of picture stories which Calyx Picture Agency has covered; traversing the decades, linking the protests, as the Railway Works closed, to Honda announcing it closure.

It takes you through a series of interesting links as it meanders through the modern-day Swindon story while visiting many events and places as it goes.

At the same time it explains some of the technological changes to the industry during that time, and the back stories associated with the agency.

Order now

Signed copies of the book can be ordered here.

The book is also available from Swindon Central Library and unsigned copies are available for international sales through Amazon.

£1 from every sale goes to Neuroendocrine Cancer UK.