Wakefield Museums and Castles

Black and white photograph of the Pontefract Municipal Building, an imposing rectangular brick building with large tall windows dating to the 1930s

Picturing Pontefract: archive photos

Explore a range of archive photos from our collection. They show views of Pontefract which link to artworks in the Picturing Pontefract exhibition.

The photographs and artworks are grouped into four categories: pride, memory, life and imagined. 

Picturing Pontefract is on at Pontefract Museum from 2 February to 3 October 2026. Free entry.

Made possible with National Lottery Heritage Fund logo

This exhibition is part of Our Heritage Our Stories. This is a heritage project funded by Wakefield Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. With thanks to National Lottery Players.

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Pontefract Municipal Building, an imposing large rectangular red brick building with tall windows built in the 1930s.

Picturing Pontefract: archive photos - pride

Browse archive photographs matching the artworks in the 'Pride' section of Picturing Pontefract.
A black and white photograph of The Counting House in a state of slight disrepair, with a drystone wall in the foreground

Picturing Pontefract: archive photos - memory

Browse archive photographs matching the artworks in the 'Memory' section of Picturing Pontefract.
black and white photograph of a market day in the 1940s with traders set up around the Buttercross.

Picturing Pontefract: archive photos - life

Browse archive photographs matching the artworks in the 'Life' section of Picturing Pontefract.

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