Help wanted to solve Newport mysteries as 6,000 archived photos find new home

Newport's history society has relaunched a photographic project featuring over 6,000 images - and is appealing for help in solving some mysteries.

An outing of unknown children from a playgroup from Newport

Newport History Society began digitising its thousands of collected photographs in 2005. Now, with the help of a local marketing company, the ever-growing collection is available to view on the organisation's website.

The collection features hundreds of photos from the Shropshire Star and the Newport Advertiser's archives, Adams Grammar and Burton Borough and dozens from the town's many carnivals and fairs.

The society is now encouraging people to delve into the archives themselves and help identify some of the people and places featured in the photographs.

An unidentified school play, possibly by children from Newport CofE

A special category called 'Mystery Items', features around 50 photographs that the society knows little or nothing about.

Photographs in the mystery selection include a couple holding a gargoyle, several unidentified schoolchildren and various unknown properties from Newport and the surrounding areas.

One mystery photo shows an unidentified person in the snow, dressed up as what appears to be an elf, outside a caravan awning.

A photograph of a mystery person in festive attire, thought to relate to Church Aston

Another shows a group of young children out on a day trip with a playgroup.

Chair of the history society, Linda Fletcher, said the project was a continual labour of love by volunteers.

She said: "About 20 years ago we had a good sort out of all of our archives, we had lots of photos and didn't know what to do with them. So we got them all digitalised with funding from the lottery.

"Originally I thought that once they were done that would be it, but of course, old photos keep coming in, as well as photos from events in the last few years. So we carried on with the project.

Couple holding a gargoyle found in a Newport house. Note on the picture says 'Costains sale room'

"Thanks to the help from a Newport company, Ascendancy Internet Marketing, we've had all of the photographs put on our website with our own server.

"The company has been an enormous help, and now all of the photos and descriptions have been tidied up and it's easy to sort by name or category. It's working really well and we're really pleased with it."

The collection is available to view online at snap.newporthistorysociety.org

Anyone who recognises those featured is encouraged to email the history society at info@newporthistorysociety.org