Richard Chamberlain Collection
The Richard Chamberlain collection contains around 300 black and white photographs, out of which around 160 were presented through the pages of the publication “Cyprus scenes and way of life 1954”. The collection is mainly focused in and around the town of Famagusta where the photographer was stationed as a soldier of the British army in 1954, but also features other areas of the island he visited during his military service. Unlike other photographers of the time, Richard Chamberlain did not stage or set the scenes he would photograph and did not focus on his military service. Instead, he turned his camera towards candid and casual moments happening around him, resulting in a unique and genuine testament of life in Cyprus in 1954.
Richard Chamberlain was born in England on 30 January 1935. At the age of 16, he got interested in photography after his older brother Michael made him a little camera out of a Colman’s mustard tin, which he used to take pictures of classmates in school. He first arrived in Cyprus as a British soldier at Nicosia airport on 28 May 1954, just a week before the military parade for Queen Elizabeth’s birthday in Famagusta which he photographed and is a significant part of his collection. As a Special Wireless Operator for the Royal Signals Regiment, he was stationed at “4 Miles Point” in Famagusta and that is why his collection is primarily focused on the town and its people. After returning to England he visited Cyprus about 15 times before finally deciding to move to the island. He now lives in Kyrenia.
In 2010, Richard Chamberlain published most of his 1954 images in his book “Cyprus Scenes and Way of Life in 1954/55” and in a second publication “Cyprus Scenes and Way of Life in 1954/55 and Sixty Years Later in 2014” revisiting most of the sites where he took his photos in 1954.
In 2021, he donated his photographic collection to the Centre of Visual Arts and Research in Nicosia, to be studied and published as a testament to life in Cyprus in 1954. The images that comprise the online collection were reproduced from the original black and white negatives. The titles were taken from inscriptions to the photographs given by the photographer in his publication. Where no inscriptions were available the titles were generated by the cataloguer describing the depicted subject. CVAR holds digital reproductions of the originals and shares copyrights with Richard Chamberlain.
The next 3 pages show various church towers in different lights
1954
Church tower by moonlight
1954
Greek Orthodox Church and tower. Whereabouts unknown
1954
St Nicholas Cathedral/Lala Mustafa Pasha Camii Mosque in Old Famagusta City
1954
The columns at Salamis look beautiful against the sky
1954
Salamis remains the islands most prominent archaeological site
1954
By the eighth century Salamis was the greatest of the Cypriot city-kingdoms
1954
Work going on at Salamis in 1954 to erect all the columns
1954
A professor of history explains to the students
1954
In the Roman era, Salamis was the island of Cyprus main commercial centre and figured prominently in early Christianity
1954
Kantara castle and the magnificent view along the coast
1954
From the castle can be seen miles along the coastline
1954
View from Buffavento Castle
1954
On the left of the picture Kyrenia can be seen with its harbour and castle
1954
Queens window, St Hilarion Castle
1954
View from St Hilarion Castle
1954
In this photo we have slept out under the stars all night and we are just getting ourselves ready for another days touring
1954
The pine forest in the Troodos mountains
1954
A small village in the Troodos foothills
1954
A village in the Troodos foothills valley
1954
Troodos is situated about 5,500 feet above sea-level
1954
The beautiful views in the Troodos mountains
1954
Snow can be seen in the Troodos mountains
1954
The asbestos mine in Troodos mountains. The mine was first opened in 1907
1954