Crawley New Town seen through the lens of Wolf Suschitzky

This exhibition features photographs made by the renowned photographer Wolf Suschitzky (1912-2016) of the early development of Crawley New Town more than six decades ago. The photographs were commissioned to capture life ten years after construction of the New Town had begun. Crawley was designated as a New Town in 1947, merging the old market town with surrounding villages and settlements. Nine new residential neighbourhoods, each based on a village concept, were originally envisaged along with a large industrial estate, shopping areas and public amenities.

During his Crawley visit, Wolf Suschitzky made more than 100 images featuring Crawley New Town’s architecture, shopping arcades, housing, schools, nurseries, green spaces and residents. In front of Crawley’s curved Tilgate Shopping Parade, he photographed a woman pushing a large pram and enjoying an ice-lolly. He gained access to local businesses and factories and made a series of images of female workers skilfully assembling motor protection relays at the P&B Engineering Co Ltd and he documented workers making lighthouse equipment components at Stone-Platt Crawley Ltd in the Manor Royal industrial estate.

Along with images he took in other emerging New Towns around the country, a small selection of the Crawley photographs featured in an exhibition held at the Royal Academy in 1959 to highlight the progress of the first wave of home building and New Town development following World War 2. Most of the photographs remained unpublished and are being exhibited here publicly for the first time since they were taken.

Incorporating artefacts and archival documents from the Museum’s collection, which include the 1949 Masterplan for Crawley New Town by Anthony Minoprio, the Royal Academy 1959 New Towns Exhibition brochure and photographs of the chief architect of Crawley New Town, H.S. Howgrave-Graham, the exhibition provides new insights into the early phases of the town’s development.

Wolf Suschitzky’s photographs reveal fascinating details of the lives of the first generation of inhabitants as they commute, work, shop, learn and play. They can help spark conversations and serve as a valuable cultural and visual archive not only for town planners or photography and architectural historians, but most importantly, they constitute an invaluable resource for Crawley’s current residents.

Co-curated by Julia Winckler and Georgia Wrighton from the University of Brighton, Kurt Kaindl at Fotohof Salzburg and Jo Pettipher and Mick Ludwig Waters at Crawley Museum.

Acknowledgments

We are extremely grateful to Helena Kalleitner, Fotohof Salzburg, Dr. Jo Allen and the Research Impact Team, University of Brighton, Ian Hockaday, Jimmy Leung, Chris & David Howgrave-Graham, Ian Helliwell, John Owers, Lee Brown, the Crawley Museum trustees, Lulu and all the Crawley Museum volunteers and Vanessa Fewster, Austrian Cultural Forum, London.

Exhibition Public Talk

Saturday 22nd of February 10.30am till 11.30am at Crawley Museum

Saturday 22nd of February 2pm till 4pm at Crawley Museum – Sold Out

1 hour talk including Q&A followed by a guided tour through the exhibition.  There will be an opportunity for informal conversations over tea and biscuits to conclude the event.

  Limited spaces available. To book tickets visit https://buytickets.at/crawleymuseum/1550459

February half-term holiday family fun

Saturday 15th February, Tuesday 18th February, Wednesday 19th February, Thursday 20th February & Friday 21st February 2025
10.30 – 16.00
£3/child for drop-in workshop & trail. Accompanying adults are free.

Calling all budding young designers and construction mad kids! Join us at Crawley Museum this half-term for some new town building family fun!

Design a house for the future
Create a blueprint for a house of the future in our drop-in design making workshops. Be inspired by the photographs by Wolf Suschitzky and your own imagination to create your unique futuristic design.
What would your house look like? What energy source would your house use? What special features would it have? What would it be made of? Once your design is complete, show it to a staff member to receive your blueprint stamp of approval!

New Town Trail
Did you know that the New Town of the 1960s was the third New Town built in Crawley? The first was in the Medieval times and the second in the Victorian Era. Travel back in time to discover how buildings were constructed in the past. Once complete, return to the desk to claim your prize!

This project received funding from Ignite and IAA AHRC.