A SPECTACULAR collection of more than 2,000 Victorian photographs taken by a Bromsgrove photographer at the turn of the nineteenth century will go on display in the town.

The glass negatives, taken by Joseph Hughes, were discovered by Bob Richardson, of New Road, in the 1970s. But it is only with digital technology that the pictures have been scanned and reproduced - a story revealed exclusively in your Advertiser/Messenger on February 2.

Now residents are needed to attend the event this Saturday from 11am to 5pm at the Methodist Centre in Stratford Road to help identify people in the photos, who could be their ancestors.

Bob Richardson said: "We need people to come along and see if anyone in the pictures are their relatives. Many are portraits for important events, such as engagements, so it would be good to find out who the people are.

"This is the first event to show off the exhibition and we hope to find out lots of information."

At the display there will be searchable computer terminals, specially painted authentic studio period backdrops and performers recreating the atmosphere of the age.

These will include a musician dressed as one of the photo's anonymous subjects who appears with a squeezebox.

There will also be displays by the Bromsgrove Society and the Birmingham and Midlands Society for Genealogy and Heraldry.

It is hoped the weekend's event will produce a full account of the photographer, Mr Hughes, his customers and what life was like in Bromsgrove at the turn of the nineteenth century.