Military man: Is this a relative of yours ?

A collection of photographs spanning almost a century has been unearthed in Norbury after they were rescued from the rubbish tip.

Max Bernard, from Mitcham, discovered the photos, some framed, others lovingly stored in albums, being removed from a house in Stanford Road.

The treasure trove, of more than 200 pictures, charts the life and times of the family that lived at the house, with the earliest photos dating back to 1897.

Mr Bernard saw the photos being removed by a house clearance team and decided they couldn't just go in a skip, so asked if he could take them.

He had been storing the images at his home but is now keen to see if anyone knows who they may belong to.

Hidden among the family snapshots are letters, Christmas cards and documents which provide a brief glimpse into the lives of the people they have immortalised.

There is a polling card for a Mr R V Matthews along with election material for the Labour candidate's campaign to win a seat on the then St Pancras Bor­ough Council in a by-election.

There are also receipts for a liner crossing from Tilbury to Lisbon, Portugal, for a Mrs Aurura da Luz Ferreira Matthews dated October 15,1956.

Some of the earliest pictures in the collection date back to 1897 and capture colonial images.

There are also holiday snaps from 1959, which appear to have been taken as the family took part in a Grand Tour, tak­ing in north Africa, Malta, Venice, Naples in Italy, Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Cannes in France.

Mr Barnard hopes that someone may recognise the pictures or that they could be given a good home. If you recognise the pictures contact the news desk on 020 8774 6589 or email the newsdesk at croydonguardian.co.uk.

Picture : Dubrovnik in the 1990s