Press photographer Graham Gough has covered news, show business, society and animals in The Black Country for over 50 years. He has worked for numerous newspapers, most notably the Express and Star. This picture, entitled Street Kids, was taken in January 1958. While driving through a council estate he spotted these two deprived Black Country kids and took this shot of them.Over the years it has proved very popular and made such a natural picture with the little girl holding her purse and smiling while the boy is crying and has a pop bottle full of milk.There was a great deal of poverty during the 50's but the good times were just around the corner when, "you've never had it so good" 60's arrived.
Dudley was in the grip of race riots at the start of August 1962 after a fight between a Jamaican and a white man, and made national news for a week. The market place became a battle ground with police and their dogs fighting rioters. There were more than a 100 arrests and many injured, including Deputy Chief Constable Supt J W Hullah and a press photographer from the Daily Sketch. This shot was taken as the police made an arrest much to the surprise of a man looking on.The riots started suddenly and ended just as quickly, like a tropical rain storm, but leaving in their wake a shocked and shaken town.
No matter where his keeper went, Koko the Dudley Zoo chimp was not far behind. This chimp was quite remarkable and became like a pet to its keeper, following him everywhere, as you can see from the picture, and became a big attraction at the zoo for many years. On another occasion Koko was taken to the cinema and treated to several cans of beer in the manager's office.Other animal images Graham has taken include: a monkey at the dentist, an elephant making a trunk call, a baby lemur hanging onto to its lunch, dogs watching TV, sheep in a pub and at the baa!, and even a lion living in a house with the family.
Lenny Henry is now a big star, not only as a comedian but a very good straight actor appearing in Shakespeare and a hugely successful run in "Fences" at the Duchess Theatre London last summer. But when this picture was taken Lenny was on the threshold of his career. Way back in 1975, at the age of 17, he was appearing in the Black and White Minstrel Show. This picture was taken at his home in Dudley and although he never painted his face for the show, he did this at Graham's request for a publicity shot. The year before, while still at school, he had been on the TV show New Faces.
To find out about Graham's book of photographs of the Black Country, click here.