UKC

Can anybody please tell me why Brian Croppers many photos do not seem to be available to view on the galleries anymore?

I don't know whether you know but sadly Brian died some years ago. 

I'm assuming that, as part of his estate, his photographs would have gone to his son, Adam. But whether that's the case and/or Adam removed them, I don't know. 

In my view, Brian's photographs are highly important, both artistically and historically. He captured the essences of so many leading figures of 'the golden age of British climbing'. Remarkably most of the time they weren't even climbing (often standing outside Stoney cafe, nursing a mug of tea and doubtless a hangover). But he still got their characters bang to rights. He had a genius - and I don't use the word lightly - for the exact moment. 

People wanted him to exhibit but he wouldn't have it, insisting that his canon was just a bunch of snaps. Just reading this last sentence makes me want to weep.

Mick 

There are a few of his photos in this history of climbing at Stoney by Geoff Birtles:

https://smhccg.org/rock-climbing/rock-climbing-at-stoney-middleton-in-the-1...

Thanks Bob - great article. For me it was Stoney 1 me 0 though I did wander along windy ledge without falling off. I can't for the life of me remember why I was there as I certainly didn't climb anything. 

I purchased a Redline sleeping bag from Brian at the Fountain Street YHA shop circa 1973. It's still going strong and being used next week. Happy memories of the great and good who would meet up there. It seems a lifetime ago.

Thank you for the reply,yes I did know he passed away but not what he died of. A lovely bloke,  sadly missed. It would be nice for his archive to be made public somehow though I suppose as you say it would probably up to Adam.