Our 2021 seasonal display celebrates the 130th anniversary of the birth of Roderick James Thompson (1890-1982). This is the cover of the new book on this well known Bellingham figure.

Bellingham Faces & Places 1910 ~ 1925 Book Cover

The name of Rod Thompson still raises a wistful smile among the older residents of Bellingham. Everyone knew him. Everyone has a story to tell about him. He is remembered, above all, as the proprietor of Rod’s Snack Bar, who regularly supplied the buffet for dances held in the Town Hall. Few, however, will appreciate that he was an enterprising photographer who, in the first quarter of the 20th century, produced some fine studio portraits, photographs recording local events and a series of local postcards. Our 2021 seasonal display and a new book pay a tribute to the work of Roderick James Thompson who has preserved the Faces and Places of bygone Bellingham. Read more...

Books are available from the Heritage Centre or Cogito Books in Hexham.