A FASCINATING insight into the lives of people, 70 years ago, in 1950s Settle, is underway at the Folly museum.

The three part exhibition centres around the work of Settle photographer Tom Faulkner who took pictures of ordinary people and important events during the 1950s and 60s in Settle.

Over the last two years, Tom’s photographs have been the focus of a heritage project, Tom Faulkner: A Portrait of Stories, by arts charity Settle Stories.

Of special focus have been his pictures of Settle’s celebrations of the Queen’s Coronation in 1953, described as a ‘rare record of a unique moment in local history.’ Working with young people, the project has rediscovered the connections between photography, heritage and the stories behind the photographs.

Heritage project officer, Jayne Davies, has gathered stories from people who remember those celebrations and from those who knew Tom Faulkner himself.

Also, Students from Queen Elizabeth School in Kirkby Lonsdale have been looking at the connections between modern day photography, heritage and Tom’s work.

The exhibition, which will run until December 22, is being run by Settle Stories as a way of celebrating the return of Tom’s 1953 Settle coronation pageant album to The Folly and the successful completion of the charity’s project.

Visitors are being invited to ‘return’ to 1953 Settle; to share the stories of those there at the time in ‘remembered’, and finally in ‘reimagined’ to discover how young people have interacted with the heritage before them.

Caitlin Greenwood, heritage development officer at The Folly, said: “We are delighted to welcome this exhibition on Tom Faulkner’s coronation photograph album, which has been held by The Folly since the early 2010s. We’re also really excited to be hosting the work of Queen Elizabeth School photography students: bringing together the past and present to create something new is what we’re all about.

“The student’s ideas are really inspiring and we can’t wait to share them with our visitors”

As part of the project Tom’s album was sent to North Yorkshire County Archives to be digitised. A facsimile of the album can be seen as part of the exhibition. The album and opening times of the exhibition at: www.settlestories.org.uk/tomfaulkner-photo-album