Picturing High Streets was a three-year project delivered by Photoworks to create a contemporary picture of England’s high streets through artist residencies and a public call out. It was part of the High Streets Heritage Action Zones Cultural Programme, and produced in partnership with GRAIN Projects, Impressions Gallery, Open Eye Gallery, London College of Communications, Photofusion, QUAD/FORMAT, Redeye, ReFramed and The Photographers’ Gallery.
From September 2022 to September 2023, people across England responded to themed fortnightly challenges and submitted their photographs on Instagram under the hashtag #PicturingHighStreets. All entries created an unofficial archive documenting a year in the life of the English high street on Instagram, and a selection form this permanent collection in the Historic England Archive.
From March to September 2023, Bristol Photo Festival commissioned leading Bristol-based and international photographers to draw out the stories of Bristol’s high streets and co-create work with the communities who inhabit them. The project, DREAMLINES: Picturing Bristol High Streets, was jointly funded by Historic England and Bristol City Council, and was part of the West of England Combined Authority’s Love our High Streets project.
Jade Carr-Daley joined a group for young mothers that meets regularly on Stapleton Road to create a series of portraits as part of her ongoing exploration of Black motherhood. Her work is grounded in a desire to increase the visibility of women of colour, creating a sense of community between those with shared experiences of navigating motherhood and the changes it brings. Jade has been collaborating with some of the historic businesses of Stapleton Road, including R Jenkins Butchers, which opened nearly 30 years ago.
The photographer wrote the following text to explain the image: "R. Jenkins Butchers is the only butchers that I can remember my family using. Despite moving out of the area at a young age, the weekly trips to purchase meat for meals in the week and sundays dinners didn’t change. Due to shopping here for so many years it wasn’t only just an exchange of goods, but one made with a family-like relationship. And I’m sure that this isn’t a unique experience for just myself, but for anyone that has shopped with them. Unfortunately this year one of the workers James had passed away. My family had a great relationship with him and his passing touched them all. As a sign of respect I wanted to choose the Butchers as one of the shops I would photograph, because I wanted people living outside of the area to learn about the shop, and the people that work there."
This is part of the Volume: HEC01/128/02/31 Picturing High Streets: Mass Participation Project - Bristol; within the Sub Series: HEC01/128/02 Picturing High Streets: Mass Participation Project; within the Series: HEC01/128 Picturing High Streets; within the Collection: HEC01 Historic England
© Jade Carr Daley
Photographer: Carr Daley, Jade
Butchers Shop, Food And Drink, People At Work
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