Boats
Building
Cutlery
Fabric work
Furniture making
Glasswork
Leather work
Metal work
Stone work
Woodwork
Miscellaneous

This page is an extract from 'The Privileged People; Yorkshire's Traditional Craftsmen', an article by David Morgan Rees published in Yorkshire Journal, Spring 1996

"The traditional craftsman is a privileged person for two main reasons: he (or she) is able to pursue a way of life which is in a direct line of tradition in this country, dating back beyond the Middle Ages; and they are involved in an occupation which gives deep personal satisfaction. I have met and come to know many of these splendid individuals in Yorkshire. They have allowed me to observe and document them at work through my photography: this has been my rare privilege.

Craftsmanship - the skill of making things by hand, of practical use rather than for pure decoration - is an activity which is often intuitive and always personal. It can defy the rational approach of engineer or industrial designer dependent on detailed formulae, calculations and complex evaluations. Each item is an original, made with an innate sense of design. Each item is special, even unique, and therefore has a value beyond its cost.

I have always found that there is a special kind of creativity in business and enterprise, particularly in small businesses, which are the backbone of our industrial tradition. It can be just as intense and imaginative as in artistic activity, though this is often taken for granted and sadly understated today. Craftspeople give this creativity a special dimension.

I gradually realised that I had a certain responsibility to research and document Yorkshire's tradition of craftsmanship.

It developed into an important project; I decided to track down, talk to and photograph traditional craftsmen at work. Initially I felt them to be vulnerable to change and so the project assumed an urgency; however, their resilience later reassured me. I also wanted to make my record as complete as possible.

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During the seventies, my travels, interviews and photography developed into an all-consuming passion and counterpart to my weekday job. It was both a stimulation and a relaxation for me.

As part of the project, I decided that my photography should have a certain style which would give an identity to the portfolio of work. I therefore chose black and white film rather than colour. I felt that colour could be a distraction from the shape and texture of craft products. I wanted to concentrate on shape and texture for their own sake as well as the individual craftsman's physical presence.

I shall always be grateful to the many craftspeople I met who took me into their confidence once they appreciated that my interest was genuine and not just idle curiosity. A fascinating network formed for me all over Yorkshire, whether in quiet corners of the countryside or in the backstreets of busy towns. I soon began to feel that I myself was indeed privileged to be accepted so openly by them. Documenting their lives and work has given me immense pleasure and satisfaction."

David Morgan Rees