Black Country Living Museum

As part of my studies I visited the Black Country Living Museum in order to take some shots for an assignment I was working on. The series I wanted to shoot, told the story of unmarried mothers in victorian times. Children were forceably taken away from their mothers and placed in Foundling establishments. Records can be found of many of the mothers taking their own lives after their child was taken away. Some of these suicides can be atributed to post natal depression.

The museum is a must for your bucket list to visit, especially if you are interested in photography. My visit was in December, the day was not too cold, but the weather was very cloudy and a tad wet. There were not many visitors, which suited me just fine.

I also like the fact that there were not too many Christmas Decorations up, this may have caused some problems with causing a distraction to the shots I wanted to take.

I had my 'second' with me. Patricia. She is a god send on trips like this, as carrying my photographic equipment is can be a exhausting. The staff and volunteers where all in charactor and happy to pose for a photograph or two. I would personnaly like to thank:

Laura and Kevin for making it happen

Jane, Anne, Roger, Chris and Simon for acting out my tableau photograph.

The site is quite large, different areas. There is an area dedicated to Victorians Times, and another dedicated to the 30s, to name but a few.

Great day out was had by all...

The story above starts with a house maid telling the Master of the house, she is pregnant after he had his way with her. He isnt interested ofcause...

She has no job now, living in squaler, and all alone with a baby to bring up...

A formal notice is issued and enforced by the law, that her baby should be taken off her, as she is unfit to look after it...

A mothers plea falls on deaf ears and the child is taken...

All the mother can do is look on....

With time on her hands, hard times ahead and post natal depression getting worse, the young mother see's only one way out.......