Shirley Baker, born in 1932, was a pre-eminent street photographer who captured the daily life of working-class communities in post-war England.
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Shirley Baker
Manchester, 1965
An online exhibition at the James Hyman Gallery has been co-curated by Baker’s daughter, Nan Levy, showing depictions of older people from the photographer’s archive.
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Shirley Baker
Poynton, Cheshire, 1968
The black-and-white photos show elderly people in and around Manchester and Salford over three decades.
The exhibition also includes some rare colour photos from Baker’s career.
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Shirley Baker
Manchester, 1985
“We are now starting to see the easing of the lockdown and with that we can begin to step outside, enjoy the sunshine and play sport,” said co-curator Nan Levy.
Current government advice says that those aged 70 and over should take particular care to minimise contact with others outside their household.
Levy adds: “I have gathered together a collection of Shirley’s photographs taken from the mid-60s to the mid-80s; these show older people enjoying their daily lives in the community in a way that is not possible at the moment.”
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Shirley Baker
Manchester, 1968
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Shirley Baker
Manchester (Man with Pigeons), 1967
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Shirley Baker
Ancoats, Manchester, 1968
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Shirley Baker
Manchester, 1965
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Shirley Baker
Untitled (Two women looking), undated
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Shirley Baker
Manchester (Musician), 1985
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Shirley Baker
Manchester, 1965
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Shirley Baker
Woman on Bench, c.1965
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Shirley Baker
Untitled (women with cows), 1983
Shirley Baker, A Different Age, runs online until 24 July.
All photographs courtesy James Hyman Gallery.
