Butlin's Barry Island- John Hinde

A super haul of five John Hinde postcards from the car boot this Sunday. All featuring The Butlins holiday camp at Barry Island. Ive not seen any of these before, so a real technicolour treat!

One can only imagine what the holiday was like in the late sixties, but on the reverse of the card, Mrs Bradly does say the weather was not too warm, and she had met a friend (female) of her own age and they both like dancing at the Old Tyme Ballroom!

















As Ive mentioned before on here, I cant get enough of these glorious holiday souvenirs. Hinde team of photographers produced some pretty astonishing images. The series here are all taken by Edmund Nägele, you can read more about him and his time with the John Hinde, here.
















Below, Mrs Brady's favourite spot,the indoor heated pool. The card has a catalogue number of 3BY1.















On the back of 3BY13- The Lounge Grotto (below) Mrs Brady writes

"My friends husband is to ill to dance too much, so we are meeting up in the ballroom quite often. Hope the dogs are behaving themselves. The train leaves Barry at 6.15 on Saturday. So will be in Newport about 7.30. We'll wait at station entrance. "

Hinde Site; Queens Staircase, Nassau, Bahamas

Following last nights' debacle, it was nice to find this, today in the local hospice shop for 5p. I needed something to raise my spirits after Englands, depressing 0-0 draw with Algeria in the World Cup!

Shot by Elmar Ludwig for the John Hinde studios, the postcard has a catalogue number of 2BH11. Is it possible a pink carriage really exists?

The Return of The Hinde

Three more postcards from the John Hinde studio for your consideration. Super saturated and brilliantly composed, they do make me smile! If you missed the first Hinde post you can view it here.

Clovelly John Hinde

Another "Giant postcard" from the John Hinde Studio. This is Up-A-Long, Clovelly, in North Devon catalogue number 1DC 494

The Golden Hinde

Like many people out there, Im a huge fan of the Photography of The John Hinde studio. Famous for being one of the first postcard companys to depict the world in full colour.

I dont know what the allure of technicolor is, but whether Im watching The Wizard of Oz or Charlie & the Chocolate factory, I just want to jump right on in and join in all that fun.

The postcard of The London Bobby (SL63) is one of my favourites and more unusual in that its large format 11 3/4 X 9 1/2 "(297 x 238mm) as opposed to the regular 6 X 4" (150 x 105mm).

I had always enjoyed browsing through the postcard boxes at fairs and boot sales looking for those fully saturated, coloured gems, but it wasnt until the release of Martin Parrs fantastic book on Hinde, that I took note of the name .You can view some of the images from the book Our True intent is all for your delight here. The book chronicles the unique British Holiday camp, Butlins between the years 1960 & 1970. Its well worth a look and dare I say, worth purchasing.

Hindes attention to detail is staggering, as was his desire to get the composition right. On leaving the circus in 1954, he went round Ireland with his camera and a saw. He was so meticulous, that should any part of the view offend him, he would mask it with freshly cut rhododendron bushes. Later he used an Italian company to retouch and recolour the original prints according to David Noble, one of Hindes photographers at the time.

















Today Hindes cards are getting more expensive to pick up. Gone are the days when people wanted a few pence for one, but theyre still out there, and if youre lucky you can get them for 50p. The Butlins cards have become more sought after since the books publication, but its well worth looking for some of the quirkier ones. Im rather fond of the Irish Singers at Bunratty Castle (no2./287) photographed by Elmar Ludwig. Im not sure what the retouching house did, but some of those women look like they should be on the set of a Hammer Horror film. Jamaicas Lovely Coconuts 2JM 45 is another treasure, one day id like that enlarged poster size!

There are hundreds of Hinde cards out there and Ill post some more at a later date, but before leaving today, here are a few of his really early colour photographs from his 1948 book British Circus Life, published by Harrap. Interestingly, Hinde became a circus publicity manager in 1944 and started his own company, “The John Hinde Show” in 1954. It was here, he met his wife, the trapeeze artist Antoina Falnoga. Hinde died in 1997, his obituary is at The Independent.















More about the circus another time!