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Robert Booth

@corematerial

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Until This Last. by @corematerial

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6 hours ago

Forever young on the ball. Happy Birthday Rembrandt your light always shines bright. by @corematerial

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3 months ago

Not the Peaky Blinders, this is ‘The Gun Club” of The Bellefield Inn. Taken early 1920’s on a sunny lunchtime outside the The Bellefield Inn, Winson Street, Birmingham. To my knowledge this was the only “Gun Club” based in a pub.

Dressed in their best bib and tucker, its apparent that shenanigans are about to ensue. It was the custom to load the charabanc with enough crates of ales getting not too far into the country that would cause a thirst. At a location at target shooting contest would begin.

The cannon fodder, now the factory fodder, set up their “Gun Club” to keep their marksmanship and banter skills up to muster.

Unfortunately, my grandfather didn’t write down any of the names of his “Pals”. 99% of all males, who saw active duty or subscription, who lived in Winson St, at one time, or another were in the “Gun Club”. Yet, I can’t work out who anyone in this picture looked like 40 years later.

Studying the faces I came to the person second far left. Looking very much like someone of Afro Caribbean origin? You can see I haven’t done any Photoshop corrections to his face. Also the ones around him. The play of light and his facial dynamics would indicate a Jamaican ancestry to me.

In the Peaky Blinders, the Jeremiah Jesus character, was based on stories Benjamin Zephaniah had heard of a real person, “Jimmy Jesus”. Jimmy had fought in the trenches in the Birmingham Regiment. He returned home to Jamaica but missed his Pals. Decided to make Handsworth his home to be with his Pals.

Winson Green borders Handsworth. They are exactly the same.

Take away the Peaky Blinders violence and that leaves the Gun Club’s friendships.

The Gun Club continued after WW2. Sat down far right is my dad, next to him my uncle Albert and next to the trophy table is my grandad.

Authorities got to hear about the Gun Club around 1966. Stopped them from using live rounds and forced a change to air rifles. Gun Club days were over. The Gun Club became less Gun and more Club. My mum called it Silly Bloody Fools Club.

Does anyone more about Jimmy Jesus? #Peaky Blinders #Benjamin Zephaniah #Afro Caribbean #Birmingham #WW1 #WW2 #Handsworth #cannon fodder #factory fodder taken in Winson Green, Birmingham by @corematerial

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10 months ago

Clara Watson. my great aunt, took this photo Christmas 1917 at A and J Zimmerman Silversmiths. This workshop was in the Jewellery Quarter Birmingham, next door to James Watts first house in Birmingham.

Under their homemade Christmas decoration, her “Girls” are producing Arts & Crafts, silverware Zimmerman products. Sold at the London showroom the quality and craftsmanships of Zimmermans products means they are still sort after today.
Little is known of Zimmermans history, therefore, a photo from 1917, contributes to the knowledge of their workshop layout.

Most often, photographs of women employed during WW1, show them engaged in heavy industrial occupations. Government propaganda campaigns were used to encourage women to supply the labour for arms production. Great aunt Clara’s photo is most unusual. This private photo of a workshop producing luxury goods is quite a rarity and also being Christmas 1917.

In France, Christmas 1917 was grim snow. Christmas truces were banned any fraternisation banned by both sides. Not much cheer and good will to all.

Kodak sold huge numbers of cameras, of the “Compact Vest Pocket Camera”. Unofficially becoming part of a soldier's kit. Known as “The Soldiers Kodak” it allowed the life in trenches to be documented. WW1 became a war that couldn’t be used for propaganda. Now on front line images showed a reality that once seen were never forgotten.

Releasing her Kodak shutter, great aunt Clara, captured these compelling psychological portraits. What a powerful image this is.

An instantaneous static, screaming, silent response to “Smile, girls, it's Christmas.
Or whatever, it was, great aunt Clara said.

These women don't know the postman had delivered Christmas cards or a telegraph.

Their faces are so haunting. Intrigued I used another AI tool of mine. AcuteInsight. Linked with my Aesthetic Intelligence brought at an epiphany of digital skills and historical culture toe holes of the 1700s-1945.

Using AI-restore software controlled by my personal AI, “Aesthetic Intelligence”.I extracted more of their facial features from the Christmas 1917 photo.

In doing encountered the AI-restore software glitches. “Aesthetic Intelligenc by @corematerial

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a year ago

In between down pours colour reappeared. taken in Manorbier by @corematerial

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a year ago

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a year ago

Saw this and thought of you. taken in Skrinkle Haven by @corematerial

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a year ago

The setting sun clips the eroding Iron Age fort rampart and illuminates the WW2 lookout post. Where’s the rainbows when you want them? by @corematerial

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a year ago

Summer over. Chough out cries the Skylark. Weekend visitors back home and the gate shut. So many layers of history. The sea erodes the outcrop of fossilised coral below. The orange lichen visual reminder of the target drone for missile training soon to sonic boom. No written notice can prepare you for the sonic shock. Nesting sea birds on the edge of Iron Age hill fort don’t care inside which is a WW 2 observation post. Why the drones? There’s a war in Ukraine. by @corematerial

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a year ago

Preseli Hills 1970s classic. "Bring Me Sunshine" by @corematerial

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a year ago

The summer solstice sun setting over the Preseli Hills (quarries for the Bluestones at Stonehenge). Turn the sound full up. All you "Gain" is the gentle tide. And of course there are gingers of lichen and rust caught in the golden rays. by @corematerial

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a year ago

What will morning bring? by @corematerial

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a year ago