“In 1956, King's College Cambridge student Neil Robinson visited Kosovo on a study trip. The photographs he took are glimpses of a Kosovo that has all but disappeared. Villagers in traditional costume, occupations such as limeburning, or city scenes with horse-drawn vehicles - all these are now almost forgotten in Kosovo.
Neil's widow, Judith, heard about the Ethnological Museum in Pristina . . . on BBC Radio 4. She offered to give Neil's photographs to the Ethnological Museum. The Museum is . . . to host an exhibition of the photographs, which will be opened by Judith herself, and the British Ambassador to Kosovo. After 55 years, the photographs of an almost forgotten Kosovo, have come home.”
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| Shepherd high on Kurvala in working clothes |
To explain further: Neil’s visit to Kosovo in 1956, along with 5 other Cambridge students, was primarily to study mountain plants but he became interested in the local Albanian people living in the mountains. As he was the expedition’s photographer and had been loaned colour photographic equipment by Kodak, he took many photographs of the people as well as the plants. On his return, he wrote a short account of the Shqiptari people (i.e. the Kosovar Albanians), illustrated with his photographs. A transcript of this account has now been given to the Prishtina Ethnological Museum.
The Museum staff were delighted to receive the photographs and decided to hold an exhibition. I arranged for them (about 24 monochrome and 10 colour) to be scanned to a high standard by Trevor Hughes of Kendal Civic Society and sent on disk to Prishtina. And I was invited to go and take part in the opening. The British Ambassador to Kosovo will also take part, as this represents a demonstration of good relations between Britain and Kosovo as well as an expression of Kosovan cultural heritage.
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| Timber cart |
Although the month in Kosovo was a short period in Neil’s 73 years of life, it was of great significance for him. He often talked about Kosovo and, when he heard news of the war in 1999, he was greatly distressed. It would have pleased and amazed him to know that his unique photographs are to be on display in Prishtina.
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| Lime burner stoking the furnace |
It is wonderful for me to be able to go to Kosovo, where I shall be accompanied by our three daughters (Astri, Elva and Iona). It is because they knew how much Kosovo meant to their father that they all wished to go with me. As well as our visit to Prishtina, we hope to make a short trip to the mountain area where the photographs were taken.
Click on The Ideas Partnership for more pictures and information about the organisation which is sponsoring the exhibition.
Click on The Ideas Partnership for more pictures and information about the organisation which is sponsoring the exhibition.
Judith Robinson