It was in 1977, as star patterned jumpers were all the vogue for kids, that Phil Portus began taking photographs of the soon to be demolished Ordsall and Langworthy terraces for an exhibition at Salford Arts Theatre, along with four other photographers.
"Our aim" says Phil "was to record what was left of the past in Ordsall, Langworthy and adjacent areas and the interim period, before re-building began, of boarded or bricked up terraced houses and demolition sites.
"I encountered residents of the these areas on my walks around, some were interested to talk about these changes to their environment and way of life, and children, when sighting a camera, would often ask to have their photograph taken. Unlike today, I could easily take photos of children playing in the street and on the rubble. After the exhibition the photographs were taken down and kept by the authors of the work."
Now, 35 years later, Phil is trying to track down the subjects of his photos, their relatives or people who might know them. He would like to re-photograph them as they are now, or take pictures of their kids in similar poses and locations.
Stephen Lord, now a star of Shameless amongst other film and tv projects, is helping out too. He's the boy on the left of our main photo with his brother Anthony on the right. The kid in the middle is John Howells who Phil is trying to trace. For other people he is trying to trace click on the photos.
"Some of the older people won't be alive, but I would like to know their names and even meet their children or relatives" he explains "I would like to show the `then and now' photographs in an exhibition or publish an affordable book of the photographs and stories."
Anyone with any info can contact Phil Portus on 07879408481 or email: info@philportus.co.uk
For more info also see www.philportus.co.uk
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