Object of the Week: Shirley Baker photographs Calendar

16 Jul 2020

The Museum has acquired three stunning shots by social documentary photographer Shirley Baker.

Born in Salford in 1932, Baker was one of the few women practising street photography in post-war Britain.

Curator of women’s football, Belinda Scarlett, said: “Baker’s best-known work focused on every-day experience in inner city areas of Manchester between the 1960s and 1980s.

“Her work captured quiet every-day moments against a backdrop of industrial decline and neglect.”

In her exploration of working-class communities in Salford and Manchester Baker stumbled upon and captured football. In the above image, a mass of schoolboys emerge from the mist as they chase the ball.

Belinda: “Photographing women was such an important part of Baker’s work. In the image below a woman and child welcome victorious Manchester City after their league title win in 1968. The images show football as a part of a way of life for people.”

The three images become part of the museum’s growing photography archive as we work towards our pledge of increasing representation of women in our collection.