Born in 1916 in Draycott, Derbyshire, Broomfield left school at 15 to work in a factory and spent his evenings as a student in the Derby College of Art. Inspired by the drama of industry, he endeavoured to convey this atmosphere with photographs and sketches, bringing an insight to those who would never experience such things.
Maurice aged 10.
His pictures were meticulously composed, dramatically lit and taken with the love and care of someone who had grown up around industry. He made an innovative use of light, and would often go to great lengths to photograph his subjects - sometimes he would repaint whole sections of the factory.
Maurice’s photography and artistry celebrated the lives of working people, he greatly respected their skill and ingenuity, often in the face of very difficult working environments.
Maurice at work in a factory.
Towards the end of Broomfield’s life his work found new meaning. As British industry collapsed and the communities that supported it disappeared, his photography came to serve as a unique record of a lost time.
In relation to his work, Maurice Broomfield said: “I enjoy photographing people at work, and the many experiences whilst doing this have enriched my life. To be living on this planet, is to me, the greatest gift possible.”
Maurice died in 2010, at the age of 94.
Maurice at an exhibition of his work in 2009.