Photos of St Albans

PHOTOGRAPHER Richard Darnell has been returning to his home city to take snaps which go on display in St Albans Abbey next weekend.

Richard, who now lives in Ware, was born at Oster House in Normandy Road, St Albans, the old Poor Law Infirmary which was a maternity unit, before his family moved to Old Welwyn.

But they were frequent visitors to St Albans and his love of the city has blossomed since his retirement in December 2008 when he started to photograph the historic buildings in St Albans as a hobby.

He said: “I have learned a lot, appreciated the help from people along the way and got very much fitter walking most of the streets.”

The fruits of his endeavours – over a thousand photos to date – have been donated to the St Albans and Herts Architectural and Archaeological Society and 65 are being exhibited as part of the Residents First Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, January 26 and 27.

They can be seen in the North Transept of the Abbey over the weekend – from 10am to 4pm on Saturday and from 1pm to 6pm on Sunday.

Further details can be found at www.stalbanshistory.org