Amy Flagg - Wartime photographer and local historian
Amy Flagg was born in 1893 at Chapel House, Westoe Village, South Shields. Amy joined South Shields Photographic Society in 1930 and with her box Brownie camera she recorded the slum clearances of the 1930s. She also developed her own photographs at her home in Westoe Village.
After the outbreak of World War Two she started to take photographs of the bombed areas of South Shields. She would obtain information about the bomb damaged areas from the police and air raid reports she would later compile this valuable information into a booklet entitled "Photographs of Damage by Enemy Action in the Borough of South Shields. 1940 to 1943."
The day after an air raid happened in South Shields Amy would go to the affected area and proceed to take photographs. Some of these building might still be in flames or smouldering, the fire service can often be seen trying to extinguish the flames and there was the ever present danger of unexploded bombs!
"Remarkable that this lady would go out there after the air raids to record the damage, presumably to witness scenes that must have been deeply distressing and also putting herself in danger." (David Whale)
Amy became the official photographer of the devastation and took the photos with the permission of the Ministry of Information. Some of these photos were published in three booklets entitled"Humanity and Courage", words taken from the coat of arms of South Shields. The profits from the booklets went to help the Ingham Infirmary and the Red Cross Prisoner of War Fund the booklets were priced three shillings each.
"It is her work during World War 2 that Amy is probably remembered most for and her photographs have recorded for future generations a lasting record of the devastation suffered by the area." (David Whale)
After the war she continued her work as a local historian.
"My own knowledge of Amy comes from this era, as I started work in the Central Library in 1963 and I was aware of seeing a regular visitor 'a lady in black', in hat and long coat. She was usually to be seen working in the Reference Library." (David Whale)
Amy Flagg died in 1965:
"She bequeathed her extensive collection of photographs and notes to the South Shields Public Library where it is still available today at the Family and Local History section at The Word and is regularly referred to by local historians." (Catrin Galt)
"The photographs, alongside her notes and the booklets Humanity and Courage, convey the immediacy of the devastation caused by the bombing of the town as well as capturing the human spirit of those tasked with clearing up the damage. They are an important and unique record of the time." (Catrin Galt)
"Without her photographs we wouldn't have such a comprehensive record of the devastation that the German bombing of the town caused." (Catrin Galt)
From 2004 onwards Librarian Hildred Whale along with former BBC employee Dave Walker presented the work of Amy Flagg several times in the Library Theatre: 'Humanity and Courage' - the war time photographs of Amy Flagg together with a commentary describing the scenes, this was then issued as a CD by South Tyneside Libraries in 2008.
In March 2017 shortly after the opening of the new library called The Word, there was a celebration of International Women's Day with:"Westoe Rose: The chronicles of Miss Flagg" a film by Gary Wilkinson, narrated and introduced by Tom Kelly, featuring Janis Blower as the voice of Amy Flagg.
A blue plaque to commemorate Amy Flagg was unveiled on the 8th March 2022 at her former home, Chapel House in Westoe Village. This was largely in recognition of her hugely important work in recording the devastation of South Shields during World War Two. Amy took about 400 wartime photos of the period and no record of the enormous sacrifices and contribution South Shields made during the war could be complete without her work.
Information from:
Catrin Galt Community Librarian, Family History and Heritage
David Whale former Librarian
South Shields Local History Group leaflet
Terry Ford
