DERRY BRABBS
Derry Brabbs is regarded as one of England’s finest photographers within the spheres of heritage and landscape. He has 35 illustrated books to his credit, 21 of which were for another author’s work and the remaining titles were both written and photographed by Derry. His involvement in publishing started during the late 1970’s when a London publisher was looking for a North Yorkshire based photographer. His commission was to work with the novelist and veterinary surgeon, James Herriot and the book, entitled ‘James Herriot’s Yorkshire’, was a worldwide success.
At the time of that first publishing job, Derry was working in the advertising sector. However, the success of James Herriot’s Yorkshire led to further commissions, eventually resulting in him leaving the studio life. One idea that occurred in the early 1980’s was that England’s famous long distance Pennine Way footpath was approaching its 20th anniversary. The only publications available were pocket-sized guides and he thought that this magnificent 250 mile long route up the backbone of England from Derbyshire to the Scottish Border deserved a better birthday gift. The publishers wrote to Alfred Wainwright (AW), the author of that mini guide-book and it just so happened that he was seeking funds to create an animal rescue centre. He agreed to Derry’s proposal but insisted that they should first create a book of his 18 favourite walks around the Lake District National Park’s lakes and mountains. Derry was scared of heights, did not know the region but signed the contract and got to work. All he really wanted to do was the Pennine Way but that target could not be reached until he had clambered up, down and round 18 mountain walks! He survived that epic project, got the Pennine Way’s 250 mile route photographed and published in time to celebrate its birthday! AW and Derry formed a great working partnership and produced several more books that were all very well received.
As he travelled around England on various publishing projects, Derry became more aware of Britain’s precious architectural heritage and its increasing fragility. In between working through his list of Wainwright titles he was the photographer for an important book addressing those concerns. ‘Rural England (Our Countryside at the Crossroads) was later followed by a large and complex work (England’s Heritage) he wrote and illustrated in conjunction with the important organization of English Heritage.
Derry’s combined love of architecture, art and landscape drew him towards the increasing promotion of important pilgrimage routes such as the Camino de Santiago through Spain. It was designated the first European Cultural Route by the Council of Europe in 1987 and a UNESCO Heritage site in 1993. Derry wrote and illustrated three books on the various routes throughout Britain and Europe, the most important being the single word title ‘PILGRIMAGE’. It was translated into several European languages and was a portfolio of the landscapes, churches and cathedrals of Western Europe, many of which were associated with Santiago de Compostela in north-western Spain. Derry widened the pilgrimage portfolio to include Scandinavia and Eastern Europe in a later book and his most recent work, ‘Great Churches of London’ is just a bit closer to home!
Photographs only books:
James Herriot’s Yorkshire 1979 Michael Joseph
Wynford Vaughan Thomas’s Wales 1981 Michael Joseph
Angela Rippon’s West Country 1983 Michael Joseph
Fellwalking with Wainwright 1984 Michael Joseph
(7 more similar titles 1985-92) same author &publisher
Rural England (our Countryside
at the Crossroads) 1988 Queen Anne Press
Dickie Bird’s Britain 2002 Hodder & Stoughton
Living the Past (Val Horsler) 2003 English Heritage
Rambler’s Rewards – Cooking
From Coast to Coast (Elizabeth Guy) 2010 Frances Lincoln
Books (Photography &Text by Derry Brabbs))
English Country Churches 1986 Weidenfeld & Nicolson
English Country Pubs 1987 Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Landmark 1998 Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Abbeys & Monasteries 1999 Weidenfeld & Nicolson
England’s Heritage 2001 Weidenfeld & Nicolson
In the Footprints of Wainwright 2005 Frances Lincoln
A Year in the Life of the Welsh Marches 2007 Frances Lincoln
The Roads to Santiago 2008 Frances Lincoln
Hadrian’s Wall 2008 Frances Lincoln
The River Thames 2010 Frances Lincoln
A Year in the Life of Rutland 2013 Frances Lincoln
Pilgrimage: The Great Pilgrim Routes of
Britain & Europe 2017 Frances Lincoln
Great Pilgrimage Sites of Europe 2020 Frances Lincoln
Great Churches of London 2024 Frances Lincoln
