His name was Tom Nokes, the man on a bike with a camera. He died 80 years ago but left a collection of images which paint a vivid picture of life at the time.
![Eastern Daily Press: Tom Nokes' Family Collection]( "Eastern Daily Press: Tom Nokes' Family Collection")
Tom Nokes' Family Collection (Image: Tom Nokes' Family Collection)
Every photograph tells a story and as time moves on they became more important than ever as we discover what went before us.
![Eastern Daily Press: Private Cecil Edward Becket RE of East Carlton with his wife and child. He died from his wounds in France in August 1916]( "Eastern Daily Press: Private Cecil Edward Becket RE of East Carlton with his wife and child. He died from his wounds in France in August 1916")
Private Cecil Edward Becket RE of East Carlton with his wife and child. He died from his wounds in France in August 1916 (Image: Tom Nokes' Family Collection)Tom was born in Coburn Street, Norwich, in 1869 and served his apprenticeship as a photographer with Shrubsoles. William Lewis Shrubsole was a leading photographer taking pictures of royalty and the landed gentry.
Within a few years he was able to establish himself as a “portrait, landscape and animal photographer.”
![Eastern Daily Press: Introducing Tom Nokes. His advertising postcard from 1911]( "Eastern Daily Press: Introducing Tom Nokes. His advertising postcard from 1911")
Introducing Tom Nokes. His advertising postcard from 1911 (Image: Tom Nokes' Family Collection)Using the train he would ride his bicycle around the villages with his tripod and glass negatives in a leather case. Most of his pictures were taken in South Norfolk.
At the end of a busy day he would return home to develop his prints on to postcards in a shed at the bottom of his garden and would return to the villages and sell them to local shops.
![Eastern Daily Press: Tom appearing out of the smoke on his trade card during the First World War]( "Eastern Daily Press: Tom appearing out of the smoke on his trade card during the First World War")
Tom appearing out of the smoke on his trade card during the First World War (Image: Tom Nokes' Family Collection)
Tom lived at Victoria Street in Norwich before marrying Ellen Merry at Catton Church in 1895 and they set up home on Chester Street where he developed his pictures.
![Eastern Daily Press: Tom Nokes with his family, wife Ellen and children Reginald, May and Florence. From the back cover of Discovering Old Norfolk. The Road to the Past Through the Photographs of Tom Nokes (1869-1943)]( "Eastern Daily Press: Tom Nokes with his family, wife Ellen and children Reginald, May and Florence. From the back cover of Discovering Old Norfolk. The Road to the Past Through the Photographs of Tom Nokes (1869-1943)")
Tom Nokes with his family, wife Ellen and children Reginald, May and Florence. From the back cover of Discovering Old Norfolk. The Road to the Past Through the Photographs of Tom Nokes (1869-1943) (Image: Tom Nokes' Family Collection/Halsgrove)They had a daughter Florence, son Edward, (who died aged four), Reginald (who was killed in the First World War) and May.
![Eastern Daily Press: Tom’s son Reginald who was killed in action on June 12, 1918 in France. His grave and memorial are at Contay British Cemetery]( "Eastern Daily Press: Tom’s son Reginald who was killed in action on June 12, 1918 in France. His grave and memorial are at Contay British Cemetery")
Tom’s son Reginald who was killed in action on June 12, 1918 in France. His grave and memorial are at Contay British Cemetery (Image: Tom Nokes' Family Collection)Tom worked long hours during the war taking photographs of soldiers and events. He had a special permit to take pictures of members of the Northamptonshire Regiment.
![Eastern Daily Press: Fred Loveday, Rifleman in the 10th battalion of the Rifle Brigade. Killed in action in France in December 1916. Photograph taken at Bracon Ash]( "Eastern Daily Press: Fred Loveday, Rifleman in the 10th battalion of the Rifle Brigade. Killed in action in France in December 1916. Photograph taken at Bracon Ash")
Fred Loveday, Rifleman in the 10th battalion of the Rifle Brigade. Killed in action in France in December 1916. Photograph taken at Bracon Ash (Image: Tom Nokes' Family Collection)Transferred to postcards they were cherished by members of their families.
He continued to work as a photographer into the 1920s but as the depression hit, people had little money to buy pictures.
![Eastern Daily Press: Private William Mapes of the 1st Norfolks who became a hero when he returned to Hethersett, having escaped a German prison camp in the First World War. The schoolchildren had a half-day holiday to celebrate his safe return]( "Eastern Daily Press: Private William Mapes of the 1st Norfolks who became a hero when he returned to Hethersett, having escaped a German prison camp in the First World War. The schoolchildren had a half-day holiday to celebrate his safe return")
Private William Mapes of the 1st Norfolks who became a hero when he returned to Hethersett, having escaped a German prison camp in the First World War. The schoolchildren had a half-day holiday to celebrate his safe return (Image: Tom Nokes' Family Collection)
He turned to painting and decorating. Ellen died in 1932. Tom struggled, he had little money and eventually nowhere to live.
Tom moved into Doughty’s Hospital where he helped to look after the gardens. He died at the end of 1943.
![Eastern Daily Press: Demobilised soldiers from Bracon Ash, Hethel and Swardeston pictured at the back of The World’s End pub at Mulbarton in 1919]( "Eastern Daily Press: Demobilised soldiers from Bracon Ash, Hethel and Swardeston pictured at the back of The World’s End pub at Mulbarton in 1919")
Demobilised soldiers from Bracon Ash, Hethel and Swardeston pictured at the back of The World’s End pub at Mulbarton in 1919 (Image: Tom Nokes' Family Collection)Look out for the brilliant book Discovering Old Norfolk. The Road to the Past Through the Photographs of Tom Nokes (1869-1943) by Susan Wright. It was published by Halsgrove in 2011.
