‘Stars of Fleet Street’, featuring the work of 5 prominent press photographers, is the latest exhibition at Dimbola Museum & Galleries in Freshwater, curated by Island resident David L White.
As well as David’s own photographs the other 4 featured are Bob Aylott, Mike Moloney OBE and 2 West Wight residents – John Cleave and Larry Ellis.
David studied photography in the Civil Service but that life was not for him and as well as freelancing for several daily and Sunday newspapers, he had his own studio in Newport.
Regular commissions followed and he concentrated on work for the national newspapers and magazines before branching out into travel photography. His scoops included a portrait of Lord Mountbatten, the Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe and the effect of pollution from the wrecked Aeolian Sky off Bournemouth.
Mike Moloney OBE is the most decorated British Press Photographer with no less than 107 major awards, including being named Photographer of the Year 3 times. Mike, when PA to Robert Maxwell, was given a week-long commission to record The Faberge Collection in the Hermitage, Russia. Another of the stars of Fleet Street, John Cleave, went to the Hermitage at this time too.
Once, Mike captured HM The Queen cheering on her horse at the 1979 Derby and another, ‘off guard moment’ of The Queen is also displayed at Dimbola. After surreptitiously snapping Paul Getty dancing with a Duchess at a Ball in 1972 he knew he had a gem-yet it was never published! Getty heard of his ruse and offered the editor mega bucks as a charity donation NOT to print.
He also has numerous royal tours to his credit, as well as photographing World leaders like Clinton, Reagan, Gorbachev and Yeltsin. In April 2005 Mike Maloney became the first Fleet Street photojournalist ever to be awarded the OBE by Her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace and in May 2012 was made a Professor of Photography by the University of Lincoln. Professor Maloney is also a Freeman of the City of London.
John Cleave’s introduction to the profession began as a 16-year-old apprentice in the darkroom at the Daily Mirror. Once a contributor to Reveille magazine, he also covered the Civil Rights struggle in the USA. Notable photos of his at Dimbola include Jeremy Thorpe, during his court case, Screaming Lord Sutch protesting near Downing Street with scantily clad females and Percy Shaw OBE, inventor of “Cat’s Eyes” who famously said, “My accountant drives a Rolls Royce.”
John retired in 1993 and relocated to the Island. His partner is well known local artist Anne Toms.
Born in the East End of London Larry Ellis went to school with the Kray brothers. Starting out as a messenger boy in Fleet Street he went freelance in 1958 covering sport and showbusiness, notably the James Bond series of films.
Dubbed a ‘Stage-Door Johnny’ he had the last laugh with a series of scoops including Mick Jagger (resplendent in suit) arriving at the Law Courts for his divorce case. In 2004 Larry had an exhibition at Dimbola entitled ‘Catch Every, Moment’.
Bob Aylott, who was unable to attend the exhibition preview, spent almost four decades in Fleet Street. For six years he was writer/photographer for Yachting Monthly and in 2010 published “Isle of Wight Festival 1970- Six days that Rocked the World.”
These 5 leading photographers have united to produce an exhibition of some of their work including The Fleet Street period and later. Their work shows well -known news and feature pictures plus some of their later work – travel, landscapes and more.
This unique exhibition is a first for Dimbola and indeed a first for the Island and runs until Sunday 15th December.
