A Bridport businessman

This month, Barry Cuff has selected photographic cards published by Claude Hider of Bridport, all from the 1920s. As well as producing postcards of Bridport and West Bay, he was a prolific recorder of scenes in many of the surrounding villages. He was known for driving around in his open-top Model T Ford, which made frequent appearances in the cards.

Claude Hider often took views with people in, unusual at the time, and seems to have chosen images which he knew would sell in his Bridport shop, which he ran until 1952. Most early 20th centrury photographers would handwrite a location or reference directly onto the negative – after processing it would then appear on the final image as white writing.