WE’RE delving into a new packet of pictures in our photo-archive. This packet is marked “Durham C” and we had been expecting it to be jam-packed with churches and castles, but instead it appears to be pictures from either “charities” or “clubs and societies”.

The Advertiser and its sister papers only began saving prints from the late 1960s until the early 1990s when computer storage took over, so the prints in our packets illuminate a brief period in time. In fact, this packet seems to be especially strong on images from the late 1980s.

This appears to have been a time when photographers had a few rather odd ideas.

If you can tell us any more about any of our pictures, we’d love to hear from you. Please email chris.lloyd@nne.co.uk

The Northern Echo: This could be filed under C because it shows children connected with St Oswald’s Church. The

This could be filed under C because it shows children connected with St Oswald’s Church. The caption written on the back of it says they are “caring youngsters who planted spring flowers by the south door of the church” in April 1987

The Northern Echo: A real oddity here from November 1987 which is a picture of the mayor of Durham, Ivy Humphries,

A real oddity here from November 1987 which is a picture of the mayor of Durham, Ivy Humphries, with another picture of three men – Derek Butten, Brian Harland and Ian Morgan – sellotaped inside the mayor’s picture so it looks like they are looking out of the shield. The shield says “IEHO Sanitary Shield” at the top which we guess is from an organisation like the Institute of Environmental Health Officers, should such a noble organisation ever have existed, and we guess that the Durham City Council officers had cleaned up with the sanitary shield

The Northern Echo: A lovely study of a typical agricultural showground during an English summer. This is Hollie

A lovely study of a typical agricultural showground during an English summer. This is Hollie Warden, of Fatfield, at the Durham County Show in July 1987

The Northern Echo: Pat Morley retiring as the Master of Civic Ceremonies at Durham City Council in November 1987

Pat Morley retiring as the Master of Civic Ceremonies at Durham City Council in November 1987

The Northern Echo: This is a fabulous study in awkwardness as staff of Durham Citizens Advice Bureau wave off Elspeth

This is a fabulous study in awkwardness as staff of Durham Citizens Advice Bureau wave off Elspeth Townend into retirement in April 1987. It’s great how the people on the railings can’t quite bring themselves to wave enthusiastically for the cameraman and so it all looks rather wooden

The Northern Echo: Here the photographer seems to be setting up a picture to grace a prog rock band’s album cover

Here the photographer seems to be setting up a picture to grace a prog rock band’s album cover with each member of the band artfully posed while pretending to be immersed in some detail. It is actually Ruth Coxon, Mark Riddle and David Vaughan of Durham College of Agriculture and Horticulture at Houghall College in May 1988