Rare photographs to be auctioned

The collection includes photographs of the herring fleet at Lowestoft

A collection of up to 500 rare photographs of daily life in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft between the 1880's and 1950's is going to auction.

Auctioneers Durrants, at Beccles, said there was "substantial" interest in the sale on Friday which is expected to raise up to £3,000.

General manager Miles Lamdin said museums and private collectors had shown an interest in the collection.

They depict a range of things like the herring fleet and factory life.

'Very rare'

Mr Lamdin said: "An archive of this size and quality is incredibly rare. To have this kind of archive under one roof is very rare indeed."

The photographic plates have come on the market after the decision to close Ollingtons Photographers in the High Street, Gorleston, by the family which took over the business from Brian Ollington.

Mr Ollington had bought the collection from Yallops Photographers in Gorleston when it shut down 40 years ago.

Mr Lamdin said it was impossible to guess how much the photographs would fetch but he has estimated them to be worth between £2,000 to £3,000.