A SAMPLE of 40,000 photographs taken by Swindon photographer Albert Beaney will feature at new exhibitions in coming months.

The snaps, taken between the 1940s and 70s, have been part of a project which has involved tracing the people who posed for him in bygone times.

Exhibitions have taken place at the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery but the collection is so vast only a small number of Swindon residents have spotted themselves.

A project inspired by the photographs called Back to Black... and White has involved more than 130 young people from four schools.

The Youth Forum has also been involved through making artworks which went on display at Swindon Museum and Art Gallery.

The scheme has been run by Create Studios and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Young Roots Programme.

Albert’s son Trevor, who moved to Moredon with his father when he was six, said: “The more these pictures are seen the better. If it wasn’t for these exhibitions no one would have any idea about what my father did.

“People know our family name but they don’t realise my dad had built up this collection. Since they have gone on display I have had all kinds of people coming up to me asking about them. It’s great they are being seen again.”

Albert cycled the streets capturing childhood moments in the lives of tens of thousands of people.

His snapshots would be bought by the children’s parents. In an age before disposable cameras or digital film, the service was much in demand.

However, many pictures went unclaimed. Swindon Museum and Art Gallery holds 40,000 negatives and prints Albert left behind and has held a series of displays to trace people in the images.

Born in 1914, Albert carried around a camera as child and always pursued photography as a hobby.

He worked as an officer’s assistant during the war before a spell on the railways. He then pursued his love of photography, and would be followed by children wanting their picture taken as he cycled around Swindon.

The archive of black-and-white images are rare and unguarded snapshots of the way life in the town used to be.

The exhibition will take place at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre in Chippenham between July 17 and September 2.

The photos will also go on display at Swindon Library between October 2 and 22.