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More on KentOnline
A museum is now selling digital photographs taken by celebrated Kent photographer Basil Kidd.
The photographic collection of the former Mercury snapper is being catalogued by volunteers at the Deal Museum and digital sales are paying for the equipment and support needed for the project.
As organisers release a preview of just some of the pictures, they are asking: "Are you in one of his snaps?"
Photo gallery: Scroll down to click through some of Basil's pictures
A statement said: "There can’t be many people who lived in Deal in the 1950s to the late 1990s who don’t remember being photographed by Basil Kidd.
"This paper’s official photographer for many years, he was known for blowing raspberries at children to get them to smile for the camera, and he covered every event of any importance."
Working for himself as a freelancer, or the Mercury, he covered hundreds and hundreds of local weddings, summer fetes, carnivals, regatta tug of wars, Brownies, Guides and Scout events, including the famous Royal Marine pantos.
As an ex-Royal Marine, he became the official photographer for the Royal Marines, traveling to Belfast and Cyprus with 41 Commando.
Basil passed away in 2008, leaving two sons, a daughter and their families and many thousands of photographs and negatives, which his family has kindly donated to Deal Museum.
Chairwoman, Sharon Powell worked with Basil at the East Kent Mercury and became a friend.
She said: "I am delighted to be archiving and cataloguing his pictures – they form the backbone of the social history of Deal from the 1950s through to the 1990s.
"Our aim at the Museum is to get the collection ready for public viewing in some form and to use them to raise funds in order to have these and the 10,000 negatives, currently residing in a freezer, to be digitised and preserved for generations to come.
"This collection forms such an important part of the history of Deal and must be preserved."
The Museum is now selling digital copies on its website and Facebook page for a donation of £10.
Ms Powell added: "Sadly we can't find specific pictures on request until the collection has been digitised, sorted and identified, which is a massive job."
"However, available pictures from the collection are updated regularly so do keep checking back. We welcome offers to help us with scanning and digitising the collection and – of course – any donations that will help us preserve Basil’s legacy."
You can search through the archive, which is a work in progress, by visiting dealmuseum.co.uk.
