The glory days of Butlin’s: John Hinde’s photographs on show in London

English photographer John Hinde’s photographs of the general public at rest throughout Great Britain and Ireland during the 1960s and 1970s capture subjects – from performers behind the scenes at the circus to rural life in Ireland – through a lens of fond nostalgia.

One of his most famous series of works captures holidaymakers at holiday camp Butlin’s, and went on to inspire fellow photographers including Martin Parr, who later said: ‘The impact they had on me in 1971 was intense and they have haunted me ever since [...] as with all Hinde imagery, they show an idealised view of the world and, after the passage of time, acquire the power of a lost dream.’

Butlin’s heyday remembered in John Hinde’s photographs

The images, of families rowing boats across the lake, children in the playground, and adults in the ballroom, are occasionaly so idealised as to be almost surreal.

In Lounge Bar and Indoor Heated Pool (Ground Level), children drink milkshakes while an underwater swimmer in a scuba mask observes them through the window. In A Corner of the Beachcomber Bar, formally attired adults are served by a waitress in a bikini and straw skirt, while A Corner of the Children’s Playroom is a fairground fantasy.

For Hinde, the explicit celebration of joy was key to the photograph. ‘Pictures should always convey a positive, good feeling, something which makes people happy, which makes them smile, which makes them appreciate some tenderness,’ he said.

'By the Seaside' is at The Photographers' Gallery, London, until 8 September 2024

thephotographersgallery.org.uk