Keppel-Jones, Arthur

Arthur was the librarian of the original fairground enthusiast organisation the Friendship Circle of Showland Fans (FCSF). His role was to coordinate the borrowing of photograph albums and books. The nature of the prominence of certain individual members in the FCSF, and its over-riding imperative to document a 'bygone era' through its rapid disappearance meant that much of the photographic material of the FCSF became homogenised. Arthur's own photographs, taken in and around his Burton-on-Trent base, were not widely circulated apart from his more 'obvious' images of rides, organs and engines. However, Arthur had a keen eye and fascination for documenting the social scene of the fairground, and cataloguing his negatives have provided the NFA with an indication of his rich resources and skills.

From the guide to the Arthur Jones Collection, 1890s-1970s, (National Fairground Archive, University of Sheffield Library)