General Information
During the year 2000 D J Clark built a visual record of the Lancaster &
Morecambe district using photographs and information submitted by those that
feature in the pictures. The project was conducted in association with Lancaster
Museum and has been archived for future generations to look back at the district
at the turn of the new Millennium. For more information on the project visit
the information page. If you find a caption is
wrong or there is a fault with the page please e-mail D
J Clark.
Date:
May 29th 2000
Location: Bentham
Photographer's Diary
Monday 29th May - Bentham Millennium Bugs and Bowland Initiative.
The night before we had seen pictures of floods in the south of England and listened to threats of the same to come all over the UK once again. This time they must be right I told myself and kitted myself out for the rain.
I drove 40 minutes to Bentham to catch a Bugs Parade as one flat and a couple of vehicles set off round the village dressed as insects of various kinds, and pop singers, witches, and just about any fancy dress they had in the cupboard. Two other photographers joined me to shoot this small but fun event. I shot plenty of film and finally got close to some of my subjects. The day before had been a very distanced affair - them and me. After half an hour the event was done and I moved on to Abbeystead.
I had been tipped off about this event a friend living in the area and had since seen it advertised in the papers. The Duke of Westminster who owns most the farms in the area was there to open it, but long gone before I arrived.
I was surprised to find I knew many of the farmers and others attending from my days at Folly. There was not a huge amount happening, but it was fun and people were enjoying themselves. A huge group of African women appeared from somewhere, some said Manchester, some said Somalia. I never got the full sorry but they seemed delightfully out of place at the event and made it somehow very unique.
I shot the sheep being rounded up, dry stone wall building, a few beagles, some carvers and iron mongering and sheep scanning - whatever that might be. Hilton Dawson, the MP turned up dressed as a farmer and I mocked him for his dress "We keep turning up to the same events, the only difference is you get invited and I have to gate crash" I remarked - we laughed.