North Berwick photographer's third book details town's past

Ian Goodall, a photographer for more than 50 years and the secretary of North Berwick Photographic Society, has used postcards and prints alongside photos to detail the history of the town.

He has used pictures and postcards from holidaymakers from the 1890s through to the 1960s to show the historic view of the town, alongside his own pictures, which show the present-day North Berwick.

The 68-year-old told the Courier: “I love old photographs, prints and maps and have collected antique maps for more than 40 years. With my keen interest in local photography I was constantly being reminded of many of the changes that have taken place in relatively recent times in and around North Berwick.

“I have been saying to a couple of people I know with extensive postcard collections that I thought telling the recent history through old postcards would be an inspiring way to bring history visually alive, especially as the cards, particularly when they’ve been sent, were the social media of the day.”

Mr Goodall, who moved to the town more than 35 years ago, admitted it had been a long process to put the book together.

He added: “The concept emerged a couple of years ago and this was going to be my first book on North Berwick.

“Instead, last December I produced my seascapes and landscapes book on North Berwick and the Bass Rock, followed by Glorious Gannets.

"So when the latter book was published in March this year, I started to build up a collection of postcards and historic memorabilia, including old guides, maps and prints.

“I started to write the book in May this year and it was published and available in local shops and online worldwide via Amazon in August.”

And while Ian admits he will now “probably slow down” after his third book in nine months, he said this one had “given me the most fun of all my books to produce”.

The book is available (£14.95) from the Scottish Seabird Centre, several shops on North Berwick High Street and online via Amazon.