R.A. Gibson portrait

This treasure is a portrait of Ronald Gibson, a photographer in Hackney working between 1952 and 1978. His photographs cover a range of family events and ceremonies and demonstrating the increasingly diverse population of Hackney. The incredible Gibson archive is part of Hackney Archives.

From his studio at 97 Lower Clapton Road, Gibson photographed hundreds of weddings, work parties, Bar Mitzvahs, outings and christenings, as well as individual and family portraits. He was a meticulous record-keeper and his archive of negatives stayed intact in a cupboard in the studio even after he sold his business on. By this work he became the accidental historian of Hackney in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, even though most of the people in the photographs have not yet been identified.

 Watch this short film by Hackney Museum to learn more:

Read more about Ronald Gibson’s archive, and see more of his fabulous photos, here.

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