Youth Culture History

Skinheads on way into Dreamland, Margate, 1980.

Blast from the past as some of the subjects of my pics turn up for the private view at Turner Contemporary. A mix of (former) punks and skinheads from the Margate area. Oh, and a goth. Some had been part of more than one subculture, including rockabilly.

Skinheads in Dreamland, Margate circa 1980. This is 2-Tone era where the cult was big again. Note the policemen to the right of shot. Just about every skinhead coat of the era in shot here.

Adrian Coombs-Hoar in 1978 at Dreamland and again in 2011. Still a Rockabilly. Copyright Iain Aitch.

Keith, circa 1981 and again in Margate 2011. Taken on the Harbour wall, where Keith now sells his paintings, inspired by the work of JMW Turner. The Turner Contemporary Gallery was named after Turner, who lived and worked in the town, painting some of his most famous work from a spot on or near where the gallery now sits. Keith was a friend of mine back in the 1980s.

This is Tracey, taken circa 1981 and 2011. Part of my Cachet show in Nothing in the World But Youth at Turner Contemporary 9/2011-1/2012

Punks and skinheads in Dreamland, Margate, circa 1978. Mixing well, which would probably have not have been the case about 3 or 4 years later.

All the young skins…

Young skinhead, mod/rude boys in Turner Contemporary, Margate, showing off their Harrington jackets. An older skinhead looks on in the background. © Iain Aitch

Taken on the same spot, around 25 years apart.

© Iain Aitch

Ian Scott with his scooter in Margate 1960 and again in Dreamland, Margate in 2011. © Iain Aitch.